A Christmas Star for the Top of the Tree

Christmas trees, lights, bows, wrapping paper, decorations, and more started filling store displays back in September. Before the autumn decorations were sold, there were sales on Christmas items at the local craft stores. One important item we wanted to purchase was a Christmas star for the top of the tree.

Our almost three years old granddaughter Eden loves celebrations. She can find joy in almost every moment. Birthdays, holidays, and simply celebrating the day will cause Eden to laugh and want to have a party.

Recently, as Bop brought out the small Christmas tree to display on the back porch, Eden noticed something was missing. “Mimi and Bop, you need a Christmas star for the top of the tree.”
Over the years, we’ve had stars, angels, and bows placed on the top of the tree. Yet, this time, we realized those decorations had seen better days and had been thrown away. This year, we would need to purchase a star for the tree.

As Eden and I took our afternoon walk, I pointed to a neighbor’s tree on their screened back porch. I mentioned that they used a beautiful bow for the top. Eden looked at it and quickly said,”No, Mimi, you need a star.”

Children have wonderful and creative ideas. My thought of arranging a beautiful red bow for the back porch tree was not going to work this time. Eden wanted a star.

Every Christmas, we place a big tree in the living room, a smaller tree in the playroom/office, and the small tree on the back porch. This meant that we would need to purchase three stars.

Thinking about how Eden insisted on stars, I began to recall the glorious star that led the wise men to Jesus. Stars are part of God’s glorious creations. Stars light the sky at night, shooting stars bring wonder and awe, and star stickers are sometimes given for accomplishments in school. Stars are used on flags, t-shirts, paintings, and more.

A star sitting on top of a tree can remind us of the true meaning of Christmas. We will purchase three stars for our tree tops. We will read about the birth of Jesus. We will give thanks to God for His love and forgiveness.

When we look at the stars on the trees, we will recall that Eden wanted the stars. Her big brother Rowan will help Eden decorate the house for Christmas. With each placement of ornaments and homemade decorations, we will know that God has blessed us with a wonderful family.

Do you have a topper for your Christmas tree? Perhaps one handed down from generation to generation? Or maybe your family has started a new tradition with the Christmas tree? Share your thoughts and let us know how your family decorates.

“After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.” (Matthew 2:9-10 NIV)

Merry Christmas!
Blessings,
Melissa Henderson