Monday, December 16, 2013

O Tannenbaum

In elementary school music class we were taught to sing the German folk song, O Christmas Tree in English and German.  This song, among others is in volume 11, Music for the Family, on page 121 of my 1961 edition of Childcraft that I still own.  Therefore, I was already familiar with the German version.

The lyrics of this Christmas song came to mind after decorating a pre-lit tabletop Christmas tree with mini Sparkle Girlz dolls.  The dolls were found at Wal-Mart earlier this year.  I purchased the tree at Big Lots shortly after developing the plan to use the dolls as ornaments.   

This plan was mentioned in a comment on my original post  about the Sparkle Girlz after Paulette of Limbe Dolls shared that someone told her the dolls would make nice ornaments.  Vanessa, of Fashion Dolls at Van's Doll Treasures, asked to see a picture of the tree after I decorated it.   This blog serves that purpose.   One of the photographs below was taken without the use of the camera flash to give more visibility to the tree lights.

Purple Christmas tree decorated with 16 Sparkle Girlz dolls.  I added tiny silver ribbons to some of the branches and curled the ribbon ends.  I wanted to add multicolored candy canes, but I could not find any that were made domestically.

The tree was lit in the previous picture, but the lights are more visible in this image taken without the flash.  The dolls are attached with clear rubber bands reinforced with purple bands used to make stretch bracelets.

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, how lovely are your branches!  The tree has traveled from Texas to Illinois where the recipient, whose favorite color is purple, is enjoying it.


O Christmas Tree 
Lyrics in English and German

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum
How lovely are your branches!
Wie treu sind deine Blätter
In beauty green will always grow
Du grünst nicht nur zur Sommerzeit,
Through summer sun and winter snow. Nein, auch im Winter, wenn es schneit.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum,
How lovely are your branches!
Wie treu sind deine Blätter.



O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum,
You are the tree most loved!
Du kannst mir sehr gefallen.
How often you give us delight
Wie oft hat nicht zur Weihnachtszeit
In brightly shining Christmas light!
Ein Baum von dir mich hoch erfreut.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum,
You are the tree most loved!
Du kannst mir sehr gefallen.



O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum,
Your beauty green will teach me
Dein Kleid will mich was lehren.
That hope and love will ever be
Die Hoffnung und Beständigkeit,
The way to joy and peace for me.
Gibt Trost und Kraft zu jeder Zeit!
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum,
Your beauty green will teach me.
Das will dein Kleid mich lehren.

Merry Christmas!

dbg

Follow my Dolls for Sale blog
Please visit and "Like" The Doll Blogs: When Dolls Speak I Listen

11 comments:

  1. The tree is lovely! Purple is one of my two favorite colors. It is my birthstone also. I'm sure the recipient loves it. Great job Debbie!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, GG. I spoke to her Saturday, the day it arrived. This is one of two packages she will be receiving from me. I had instructed her that she could open the one in the white box now but she had to wait until Christmas to open the other, which is scheduled to arrive today. She loves her purple tree and said she had never seen a purple one before. I said, "Well you have now."

      Purple is my daughter's favorite color, too.

      dbg

      Delete
  2. Hello from Spain: great job. Nice and original Christmas tree. Merry Christmas. Keep in touch

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Marta. I didn't think about the tree as being an OOAK, but I suppose it is. Merry Christmas to you!

      dbg

      Delete
  3. Awwwwww, what a lovely tree Debbie! What a thoughtful gift.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Roxanne. I put up two small tabletop trees this year, but neither one is as pretty as this one.

      dbg

      Delete
  4. Awwww, how pretty! Love all the purple and the little angels floating about. Thanks for sharing it with us. When my tree was up, I had a few small dolls hanging, but nothing as beautiful as this. Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I didn't put up a large tree this year, but I have decorated a full-size Christmas tree with dolls in the past.

      dbg

      Delete
  5. It's so cute! If you were doing a doll show during the winter that would be the perfect attention getter at a doll booth.

    ReplyDelete

Your comments are appreciated. To eliminate spam, all comments are being moderated and will be published upon approval. Thank you!