the turtle on top of the tree

Our Advent calendar helps us count days until Christmas.  My grandparents created a beautiful Advent calendar out of wood.  They cut out and painted 25 ornaments to be hung on the wooden tree, and one ornament is put up for each day.  When my brother and I were little, we would get to pick odd or even numbers and put up ornaments on those corresponding days, and we have continued this same tradition in our family.   As we got closer to December 25, the tree had more and more ornaments helping to build anticipation for Christmas.  For some reason or another, my grandfather would always put the turtle on the top of the tree as a joke instead of the sweet angel that my grandmother most likely intended to go on top.  Through the years, it has been fun to continue that tradition and make sure that the turtle keeps his place on top of the tree. Through the years, it's the little traditions like this that bring joy and help us remember and celebrate our family tree.