Arbolito Boliviano - Bolivian Tree - Photos

The tree is not from Bolivia as this title might indicate. I decorated our tree with items that were purchased in Bolivia and a few from Peru, perhaps. There are some "worry dolls" from Nicaragua, I think, a gift from a friend. Over all, it is a Bolivian tree.

We had put up the same tree for 30 years or so, a tree we bought in Denver of all places. We bought a "fresh" tree, it turned out it was cut in Minnesota in October or some such and started shedding needles in two days. We bought an artificial tree in an "after Christmas sale"and it was great until last year. We had to toss it and put up one of the trees we bought at the Festival of Trees, charity for the Family Crisis Center. We still used the same old decorations including icicles, the old aluminum/lead ones. Other decorations were made by our kids, given by friends, photos of the kids with Santa, etc. I'm sure those will be missed this year.

We started to put up a second tree for a few years in Bolivia. It was a small tree with Bolivian ornaments. They really aren't ornaments, they are small replicas of real things. They have a celebration called Alacitas. (slideshow on this link, mostly about food, but a few photos of the stands where they sell the small items) In January, they sell the small items and if you buy them and have them blessed, you will receive those items during the year. You can buy food items, like tiny cans of milk (with real milk in them), bags of flour, suitcases for travel, cars, buses, animals, play money, etc. At any rate, these are the decorations on the tree. The tree skirt is one I bought at a charity event. It is hand embroidered with scenes from Bolivia.

Some hats, baskets, pottery bowls, sandals made from tires, tarkas and a llama.

Llamas, pots, aguayos (blankets), photo of one of the kids at the orphanage.

More hats, llamas, shoe, sampoña (pan flute), doll, kantuta (Bolivian flower).

Llamas, baskets, drum, pots, hats, sampoña.

Baskets (tiny one in at upper right of the yellow one, might fit on a pencil, how do they do that?), tarka, pots.

Hats, dolls, aguayos, sampoña.

Sampoña, llamas, Bolivian man in reed boat.


A view of the tree.


Another of our tree this year, all alone. The last few years we bought trees at the Festival of trees and a couple of years ago we had four trees up in our small house including the Bolivian Tree.


Old decorations last year on this same tree. It had a different top star, but you can't see it. I couldn't find a photo of the old tree itself. I liked it better, it was fuller. This tree fits well in the small space as it is tall and skinny, but just not the same. Snuggles is cute, isn't he? He is one of the grand-dogs.

Hope you are having a great Christmas season and are somewhat on schedule. We will see you down the road from Albuquerque for Gene's mom's birthday #92! There will be a big party and I will post some photos from that. She turns 92 on December 19 and the party is on Saturday.