I’m aware, I’m aware. Christmas has passed. And what on earth is a Wishmas tree? It’s our family’s method of considering other individuals. I initiated this several years back with our children because this is quite the time for wanting things for ourselves, you know? Therefore, I devised the Wishmas tree to request things for others instead.
It’s a humble tree that we now keep in the dining area, but when the kids were younger, they adored having it right in the kitchen! It was “almost” as thrilling as their advent calendars. I adorn it with a simple garland—this year it was a bell garland from Michael’s. I bought it last year, but I discovered some comparable garlands here and here.
Though it wasn’t designed for this purpose, it has become somewhat of a time capsule for us. Each year, the kids have requested things related to what’s happening in the world around us. I have a senior in high school this year, so you can imagine how much she wishes for this.
The guidelines are quite straightforward. They must wish for someone or something beyond their own needs. The Wishmas tree is a time for thinking about others. My son might have wished for lower taxes 😉, but he also hoped for someone at his job to recover. No questions asked. I’m just pleased to see him considering others.
If you ever feel inspired to create your own Wishmas tree, I hope this will be a source of motivation! I store the cards/ornaments away to revisit as they grow older…and I can’t seem to recall that we ever had this tradition until I show them. Ugh.
