i tried to post this earlier..and got "system busy" and
"problem loading page" message...luckily i copied it so now can re-post

in the not so distant past i acquired an ornament (all are gone now)
that was a blown glass pickle. it had a story along with it...it was to be added to the tree late christmas eve and the first to find it on christmas morning was supposed to get some special treat.

http://german.about.com/library/blgermyth11.htm
http://www.thepickleornament.com/

We used to have lights that would create bubbles from the heat of the bulb, and i found some modern ones like that. There were others ornaments with small rotating fan blades inside of them that turned from the heat.

Like those Swedish chimes that go around and ring bells from the heat of candles..and german candle-powered christmas carousels (I found a giant one on you tube recently...probably have posted to another thread, but here it is again...giant candle powered pyramid--
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA0guR581N8

as a fire fighter, i am always amused at this question?

Why do we put a dead tree in the corner, lace it with faulty wiring,
stack paper and tissue paper under it, and invite our friends over to get drunk and light candles all around the house? (i think i got that from the comedian Gallagher.....)

But the best part i remember was getting together with cousins
and having large family gatherings...

we eventually had a tradition of drawing names out of a hat at our
thanksgiving dinner gathering so each one only need get one present.

one christmas we visited relatives in a rural area, and the house of the elderly aunt and uncle
was not decorated. i found a tumble weed in the country side and made a paper chain from construction paper to decorate it..