Blue Monday: Ornamental Blues

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Over the weekend, M and I put up our tiny Christmas tree. It has to be tiny because we live in a fairly small apartment (well, small by Northern Virginia standards - I suppose in New York City it would be considered decadently spacious). Anyway, I thought today I'd share some photos of all our blue ornaments. And then I realized - what blue ornaments? Apparently, blue is not one of our favorite Christmas colors. Lots of reds and greens and golds and silvers. But a dearth of blue. So these are a few of the few. (Click on photos to enlarge.)

We've had this jumping-jack soldier (dressed in blue) for quite a few years. He's a little big for the tree we have now - he comes from the days when we used to put up huge real trees. Before the allergies hit us.

A tiny glass ornament - looks just like the bigger variety I remember from my childhood trees.

This little mouse is new this year. He has a twin dressed in red on the other side of the tree. They're both wearing dark glasses and have little red-tipped sticks. And although it didn't occur to me when we bought them, I suppose they obviously represent the Three Blind Mice. But since that's a rather depressing thought for this time of year, I believe I'll choose to think of the canes as batons, and the mice as conductors or choir masters. Mice maestros.

Here's Charlie Brown and Snoopy. This one is a little heavy to go on the tree, so it sits down in front. Notice the blue hat. And Snoopy's scarf has a blue stripe, although it's hard to see in this shot.

And these little structures are actually Hallmark ornaments. The blue building on the right is supposed to represent the original Hall Brothers card shop. The other one is a train depot, Hall's Station. As far as I know, those Halls and the one I married are no relation - but you never know.

Last one. This is also one of the Hallmark buildings - a little tin church. It has a blue roof and there is some blue in the "stained glass" windows. Oh, and the building behind it is a school and has a red white and blue American flag in front. And in case you can't read the message on the church's sign, it says "What if every day could be a little bit like Christmas!" and I couldn't agree more!