Annual Christmas Party

Every year the company that my husband works for has a Christmas party at the Columbus Zoo.

The Wild Lights are on...

Its bitter cold. And thankfully there are plenty of these around...

We ate dinner.  The kids opened presents.  And we had a private animal show.  (of course my camera died during the good stuff.)

How'd ya like to put your face up against that?

I really like antiques.  Not just any kind of antiques, but things that have been handed down in our family.  I have literally boxes of old letters, pictures, maps, etc.  So this year I decided to decorate one of our Christmas trees with some of these things.

Here is a letter written to my Great Grandfather, Carl Hankammer.  Don't you just love the handwriting?!

This telegram was sent to my Great Great Great Grandmother, Phiannah (Fannie) Smith.  Its dated 1889.  And yes, the actual telegram is still inside the envelope.

Here is a picture of my Great Grandfather, Carl Hankammer, when he was a boy.  I absolutely love this photo. 

This is a receipt written to my Great Great Great Grandfather, John Gardner from 1842.

Another letter written to Phiannah Smith.

I don't know the name of this person.  I'm sure its some cousin or other.  I just thought that the dress was very classic.

I hope you enjoyed my Christmas tree.  I have various other things in the tree too.  Old Christmas postcards.  Letters from Germany.  And old sheet music.  And if you really like antiques too, just wait until I show you what I have displayed on my fireplace mantle...