A Tree Of Angels

CHRISTMAS is a beautiful time, full of bright lights, thoughtful gifts and priceless family moments. 

It is also a time where we cannot help but to think of those loved ones we have lost. To remember past Christmas celebrations beside them, and to feel that longing in our hearts to see them once more. One beautiful soul, Tammi Garcia, a British woman currently living on the Costa Del Sol, has created a ‘Tree Of Angels’, to remember those who are no longer with us this Christmas.

This unique tree is a place for all that have lost loved ones to have a place over the festive period to remember them by putting their names on a bauble in their memory, which have been made personally by Tammi. All proceeds from the sales of these have been donated to Daiden School, in memory of her own angel in heaven, her son Ryan Barber, who she sadly lost six years ago. 

Local resident Rachel Bitmead said that she “can’t wait to go on Christmas Eve to hang Neytiri and Peanuts bauble,  we are going to place some of Neytiri’s ashes and Peanut’s fur in the balls, as Benahavis s where we started our chapter in Spain. The first place we lived and it will forever hold a special place in our hearts.”

The tree, which was kindly donated by local businesses, is located at the bottom of the Benahavis stairs and is adorned with many personalised baubles, each displaying the name of someone special who still holds a place in their loved one’s heart that they left behind. 

During the opening of the tree, a choir of carol singers filled the streets with beautiful harmonies, as many candles swayed and tears were shed. Tammi announced that she “cannot thank each and every person that has supported us over the last two months, it has been such hard work and so emotional to make every single bauble which is on the Tree Of Angels. Our angels are forever in our heart.” A raffle had also been arranged, and together with the decorations sold, a grand total of €1560 was raised and donated to the local village school, Daiden. She also went on to thank “The Town Hall, Annette Johnson, Angeles Mena, Lynn Fisher, Helena Paul, my amazing husband Sergio, Elke Bergstrom and Michelle Briggs for cutting the children’s drawings and organising the baubles in legends! Hayley Wilkins for the incredible video and then another massive thank you to all the companies who have donated prizes for the raffle.”

Tammi explained that “losing my son, my baby boy, is the hardest thing I have and will ever go through. I never thought I would last one day let alone six years without him, but here I am standing tall…standing proud. One thing for sure is that without you all holding me and supporting me, I wouldn’t be standing here in front of this tree of angels. Ryan Barber you are my hero, my inspiration and my reason to do these things. Forever missing, I love you son.”

She concluded by stating that the tree would definitely be back next year, a tradition that she plans to cement in the town of Benahavis, and even come back bigger and better in 2024.

Merry Christmas to all and may all our angels be right next to us until we meet them again.