Christmas Tree Ornament Made by Bess Palmer Watson

As I was packing up our Christmas ornaments this year I naturally thought about each object I handled. Each one has special memories associated with it, whether it's something we bought on a trip, bought because we loved the way it looked or what it represented, was made by someone who loves us or belonged to someone we cherish.

One treasure was made by Bess Palmer Watson. I love it because it's one of the few Christmas ornaments I remember from my childhood. I love it because my grandmother Watson had very little money but managed to make something I think is beautiful from trash. Gold cording is tied around them, then tied together to make a garland.

It's such a simple thing. Bottle caps are glued together (hers had corks in them, so they're really old) and painted gold. Sequins are glued onto the caps so they sparkle like jewels. You drape it across branches and it shimmers in the reflected tree lights.

I often wonder if they're Dr. Pepper caps. For most of her life you couldn't buy it in Illinois, so Bess always brought back a case of it whenever she went back to Texas, "for medicinal purposes." She'd drink it whenever she needed to release gas from her stomach, or burp (which ladies didn't do). I can never drink one without thinking of her.