Parishioners tell the stories behind their favorite Christmas Tree ornaments
Every ornament has a story to tell. At the Church of the Little Flower in Berkeley Heights parishioners and staff members have been illuminating the stories behind some of their favorite Christmas Tree decorations on social media.
Carolee Aresco, executive assistant to the pastor, told a story about a goofy ornament her and her mom came across when they were Christmas shopping at Cape May 35 years ago. The ornament seemed so out of place and made them laugh.
“That Christmas she surprised me with the ornament,” Aresco said of her mother. “She’s gone now, and every year this ornament takes me back to having a good laugh with my mom.”
Dan Grossano, the director of Youth and Family Ministry, continues to hang a firefighter ornament from his childhood on his Christmas Tree. The ornament was purchased in Maine for him from a favorite family vacation spot and has special significance for him – especially this year.
“It symbolizes my lifelong love of the fire department, and this year I joined my local volunteer fire department,” Grossano said.
When Margaret Manning, pastoral associate at Little Flower, was in seventh grade she got to ride in a small plane and saw her home and school from high above. It was an awesome experience, she said, and she has an ornament inspired by the event.
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Posted by The Church of the Little Flower on Thursday, December 17, 2020
Fr. Andrew Prachar, the parish pastor, got in on the fun too and shared a photograph of his hummingbird ornament. He said that once when he was on retreat in Colorado he observed a hummingbird flying from flower to flower. He had been praying for guidance, and soon realized the hummingbird symbolizes an important part of being a pastor: “making contact with as many people as possible, interacting, experiencing the God in them and they experiencing the God in me.”
Gina Ferraioli, who manages the parish social media accounts, said the Christmas Tree ornament project was designed as a way to engage parishioners during a time when it’s difficult to come together as a parish community.
“As part of our values at Little Flower we strive to build relationships with and amongst parishioners and thought that sharing these stories would continue to support that,” she said.
Visit the Church of the Little Flower’s Facebook or Instagram page for more ornament stories.
