Going Postal! (this one's for you, KT)

The Mountain Lakes post office is beautiful. It's small, and old; the PO Boxes are antique and so detailed that they are almost artistic. The building is brick, with a white front entrance and black lettering. I love it. I visit the post office most days, either to check and see what's in our post office box or to mail out orders. Today, I went to get postcard stamps for the GNO at Savannah Hope Vintage invitations. While I was there, I noticed a very expensive (for an ornament) limited edition Christmas ornament. I collect ornaments, and I love all things USPS so, all of a sudden, the noticing became inquiring.

It says, "I hear there are some kids in the White House this year."

I asked the two girls who work there (the only two that I don't know, of the whole staff) if this was the first issued, or part of a series. They told me it was the first ever issued (they were wrong). It was pricey, but the first ornament ever issued (or so I thought) by the White House? And during a time of such upheaval in our country? I had to buy it. $25 later, and a little investigating led me to the White House Holidays page, and showed me that this wasn't the first issue at all.

I probably wouldn't have bought it, had I known the back story, but truth be told, it is a lovely ornament. This year's ornament is a celebration of Christmastime with Theodore Roosevelt. He lived an interesting life. He was once a lieutenant colonel of the Rough Rider Regiment (my dad loves that bit of information), and both his first wife and mother died on the same day. He also won the Nobel Peace Prize. But what is most fitting, is that he was a man who didn't believe that trees should be cut down, simply to be used to for the sake of decorating. His children, though, chose to bring a tree into the house, unbeknownst to him, and hide it in their closet. Though they did reveal the Christmas tree to their father (which is the image on the back of the ornament), and this helped Roosevelt to learn that cutting down trees was actually beneficial for the forests, because thinning forests allowed the smaller trees to grow.

If you haven't gone for your holiday stamps (Jeeze, what are you waiting for?), then go get them soon, and while you are there, take a peek at this interesting ornament.