Christmas Star Block: Family Time, not just Christmastime

When I look back on my life so far, I remember quite fondly all the times of family togetherness that filled my childhood and teen years and on into adulthood.  Christmases, Easters, 4th-of-July, Sunday dinners.  Thanksgivings and Mother's Days.  Holidays spent with family, my whole life through.

I chose the Christmas Star block as the second block for my Diary Quilt, to represent those Christmastime memories, but not just Christmastime; Family Time.

Christmas Star block with (pinned on) Ojo de Dios ornament as embellishment

The embellishment in the center is a pinned on Ojo de Dios tree ornament, a nod to our tree decorations many of my growing up years. My grandmother is an artist, and her tree decorations were never traditional. One year we had painted yucca blossoms. Another year, chili peppers. I'm told that one year she dragged home a bit of dried wood or drift wood and used that.

Often we had Ojos on our trees, and one year my dad decorated only a small Christmas Cactus, hung all over with Ojos just like the one on my quilt square. I can't look at an Ojo without thinking of my family, sitting with my dad and wrapping embroidery thread around toothpicks.

The one on my block I've left unfinished, with room for more string to be added, as a nod to family time yet to come. In this way, the Ojo symbolizes Christmases Past as well as Christmases Yet to Come. I look forward to one day hearing what memories my boys will tell their children, memories in the making even now.

Do you have a favorite holiday memory? From childhood or your adult years? Is there something that to you means "family" or "Christmas" that might seem odd to someone else? I'd love to hear your stories....