For many of us, the Christmas tree becomes the center of our December activities. Tasha Tutor, American author and illustrator describes her childhood tree.
"When I was about seven, that was the first Christmas tree that I really remember. It seemed to go up and up and up, straight to heaven! Of course, I was quite small at the time, but it seemed immense, tremendously tall, like a skyscraper."
Crowning the top of Tutor's tree for decades was a large, black velvet raven that she made by hand in homage to the legend that the raven was the herald of Christ's birth. According to the story, a raven was flying over Bethlehem when he encountered a sky filled with angels. He was given the honor of announcing the birth of Christ to all the other birds.

~ Forever Christmas, by Harry Davis. Little, Brown and Company, 2000. Illustrated by Tasha Tutor (1915 - 2008)

Photo: The music room at Cottonwood Mansion. Decorations by Deanna Schaus.