ALPENA — Christmas tree decorating comes in many forms as families unbox ornaments and other decorations to trim their trees each year.

Some decorate their trees to fit a theme or color scheme. Many times, the ornaments tucked away on tree branches become treasured keepsakes, celebrating the births of children, favorite sports teams, and special anniversaries.

The ornaments dotting the tree in the Alpena home of Carol Makowske and her husband Jim carry special meanings and memories too, but they also offer a chance for reflection during the holiday season.

∫ Time to reflect on the birth of Jesus Christ.

∫ Time to reflect on their wedding anniversary.

∫ Time to reflect on special times spent with friends and family.

“Our focus (at Christmastime) is celebrating the birth of Christ,” Carol said. “But it’s neat to think about our wedding too. The older I get, (the ornaments) become more and more special.”

Carol and Jim were married just before Christmas on Dec. 13, 1980, and many of the ornaments on their tree — some of them homemade — were given to them as gifts to celebrate their wedding day.

The tree includes ornaments celebrating the couple’s first Christmas together in 1980, a set of ornaments that tell the story of Christmas, a knitted bell that rings, hand-painted ornaments with Christmas themes, a beaded snowflake and a beaded ornament showing the three wisemen among many others.

“Any of those pieces that have been part of that history make you reflect on those times that were very precious to us,” Carol said. “It’s all part of the legacy.”

Last year, the couple celebrated their 40th anniversary. During the pandemic, the Makowskes decided to decorate their tree to celebrate the milestone. The decorations included white hearts to celebrate their children and grandchildren, white roses in remembrance of those no longer with them; and red ornaments and red ribbon to symbolize the Ruby – or 40th – anniversary.

Their collection of ornaments and keepsakes is pleasant to look at each Christmas season, but it also stirs memories of friendships and family. Over the years, as family members have passed and friendships have come and gone, the collection of ornaments adorning the tree’s branches offer reminders of people they’ve met and friendships they’ve made.

“That also is a wonderful time to reflect on those relationships we’ve had through the years,” Carol said. “The people that we came to know through our lives, they were kind of like our family.”

Many times, ornaments become cherished keepsakes, passed down from generation to generation. That’s what the Makowskes hope to do with their own grandchildren and they’ve started involving them in the annual decorating, passing on family tradition.

“They’ve very special to us and we’ve started having them help with the decorating,” Carol said. “There is a lot of happiness in that.”