Brooke H., Memphis, TN
“Since I was a young child, each time we go on a trip, we have always collected Christmas ornaments for our tree. Our favorite Christmas movie is It’s a Wonderful Life, and at the end, the little girl says, ‘Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings.’ My mother, grandmother (her mom), and I began the tradition of collecting bells on these trips as well. My father passed away when I was little, so his mother, whom I infrequently got to see, got me a bell each year…sort of a way to remember my dad and his side of the family. Our tradition with these bells is so meaningful, and it touches both sides of my family. We have enough to go around the tree several times. Of course, we start them at the bottom because that part jingles the most. These bells tell one long story as you go around the tree and make each Christmas even more special.”
