IT has survived Hitler’s bombs and killer storms and now one family’s Christmas tree has gone up for its 95th year.

    The artificial spruce, bought from Woolworths in 1920, has been passed down through two generations.

    And proud Kaye Ashton, 61, is still decorating the much-loved family heirloom.

    She said, “It’s a great piece of history and I’m so glad to have it.

    “The branches are getting a bit delicate but as long as you’re careful with it, it’s still a wonderful decoration.

    “To think, the tree has stayed the same for almost 100 years but everything around it has changed so much. The things it will have seen.”

    Grandmother Kaye added, “I’ve kept all the original decorations — both those and the tree itself are so robust.

    “I’m sure it will outlive me and go on for many more decades.

    “I feel like I have to take great care of it, because there’s this tradition of passing it down the generations of girls in our family.

    “It’s outlived two generations and even the shop it was bought from, so it’s obviously made of strong stuff.

    “It takes pride of place in my living room although I do have a main tree as well because it’s down to just over one foot tall now.”

    The tree was first bought by Kaye’s grandmother Elizabeth Naylor in 1920 who named it William’s tree to mark her newborn son’s first Christmas that year.

    He sadly died prematurely in 1940 aged 19 and the tree became a treasured family memorial to him.

    Elizabeth — known as Nanan — died in 1981 aged 80 and the tree was inherited by her daughter, Joyce Ashton.

    When Joyce died in 2012 Kaye became the third generation to own it.

    Kaye, a customer service advisor, has two daughters, Amy Wilcox, 43, and Rebecca Goodhand, 36, to keep up the family tradition.

    Kaye said, “We’ll definitely have to have a party when it reaches 100. It’s amazing to think it’s lived through so much. I can’t imagine it not being around.”

    (SD-Agencies)