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The "Remember When" Tree

12/5/2020

Every year Santa would include an ornament in our stocking...

Something found during the course of the year, or that represented us or the year. Something "discovered." We looked forward to opening our ornament every year, because there was ALWAYS a story. When my sister got married, my mom placed all of her ornaments in a box, each wrapped separately in tissue paper, and gave the box to her as a gift, so that she could begin the tradition anew. Each ornament is a memory of a Christmas we shared as a family.

My mom is no longer with us... but her tradition is something we carried on with our kids, and their grandparents were thoughtful to share themselves with our grandchildren in this way. When we decorate our tree, it isn't the sort of tree where every ornament matches... others may not look at it and think of it as a piece of art or matching any particular decor. In fact, it's entirely mismatched. And that's the point, because our Christmas tree is filled with more than ornaments... it's filled with memories and lifetimes. And decorating it... unwrapping each ornament, brings every story of our lives that we can smile and share to life.

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David's Tree

12/1/2020

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It was around 1987, in between the time David Cleveland was living out in Colorado and his move back to New Hampshire. Contemplating the magic of Christmas in New Hampshire, David returned to New London in mid December, and offered that it might be fun to put a Christmas tree up in the field.

His father, James C. Cleveland, who had served as a Congressman in Washington for twenty years; was, according to David, a well known spendthrift, and could be curmudgeonly, even by New England standards.

The senior Cleveland scoffed at the tree-in-the-field idea… “What do YOU MEAN YOU ARE GOING TO PUT A TREE UP IN THE FIELD?” It clearly sounded like the most ridiculous idea he had ever heard. Then, “Where do plan to get the tree?”

The Clevelands had a great deal of land, with plenty of trees to select from, so the answer was obvious to David. His father went on… “Do NOT take one of the GOOD TREES in the woods…” David smirked, because with more than 500 acres to choose a tree from, surely one tree would not deplete the “good tree” population.

David headed out to walk their land and find the perfect tree; after cutting a choice one down and bringing it to the top of the field, his next quest was to find an extension cord… a very LONG extension cord, so that he could string lights on it. Once again his father chided... “You are NOT going to use one of MY extension cords.” David responded that he would purchase one at Clarke’s Hardware. His father exclaimed… “YOU ARE going to CLARKE’S to get an extension cord?!”

This back and forth persisted throughout the day, as David worked to get tree up in the field and lit, and his father, who hovered close by during all of this, continued to be negative about EVERY. SINGLE. ASPECT. of this venture. Finally, the tree was lit, and it looked beautiful, David thought. His father’s response to David’s many efforts… “Yeah, I guess… it looks okay.”

That night after dark, the lone tree alight at the top of the field and the Cleveland family settled into their home for the evening, the phone rang. James C. Cleveland answered it. David overheard his father’s response to whoever was on the other end of the line… “Hello… yes… Oh, thank you…. “ And then THIS... “Well WE (choice word being ‘WE’) feel it is a gift to the community.” The shift was apparent and for the rest of the holiday and winter season, not another negative word or sentiment was expressed by James C. Cleveland about the tree in the field.

Fast forward, if we may, to the following year, as the holiday season was making its annual rounds... and David was back in Colorado, when he received the most interesting request or, perhaps a more apt description, DEMAND from his dad that, to this day, makes him laugh with the memory of it...

“David, get the hell back here and put that tree up… everyone is talking about the tree in the field!”

And that is the story of “David’s Tree” and how a local and beloved tradition began.

Happy Holidays Friends!

(As told to Marcy Vierzen by David Cleveland)

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The "Remember When" Tree

David's Tree

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