I get it, I get it. Christmas has passed. And what exactly is a Wishmas tree? It’s our family’s way of focusing on others. I initiated this several years ago with our children because this time of year is all about desiring things for ourselves, right? So, I devised the Wishmas tree to request items for others instead.
It’s a modest tree that we now keep in the dining area, but when the kids were younger, they adored having it in the kitchen! It was “almost” as thrilling as their advent calendars. I dress it up with a simple garland—this year it was a bell garland from Michael’s. I bought it last year, but I found some comparable garlands here and here.
Although it wasn’t designed for this purpose, it has turned into somewhat of a time capsule for us. Each year, the children have wished for items that relate to the events happening in our surroundings. I have a high school senior this year, so you can imagine how fervently she desires this.
The guidelines are rather straightforward. They must wish for someone or something beyond their own desires. The Wishmas tree is a moment for considering others. My son may have wished for lower taxes 😉, but he also wished for someone at his job to recover. No questions asked. I’m simply pleased to see him considering someone else.
If you ever wish to create a Wishmas tree of your own, I hope this will provide you with some motivation! I keep the cards/ornaments put away to revisit as they grow older…and can’t seem to recall that we’ve ever had this custom until I show them. Ugh.
