We set up the tree and put up the garland and beads and then my favorite part begins- time to hang the ornaments.
Once upon a time (19 years ago and before kids) our tree was filled with matching ornaments and was ‘perfectly’ decorated. Our Christmas tree today is what I would call eclectic and filled with memories. And I wouldn’t have it any other way!!
I have many favorite ornaments and these are some at the top of my list.
This ornament we got as a wedding gift and is special because it is the first ornament of our family.
I also have many Snow Baby ornaments that are dear to my heart. My Mom started giving me one of these ornaments each Christmas after Tyler was born because he was our snow baby. (Tyler was born just days after the Halloween blizzard of 1991 where the Twin Cities got hit with over 30 inches of snow. We were snowed in for days!) Here just a few of my favorite Snow Babies.
This ornament is one I gave to my Grandpa his very last Christmas with us and always brings back bittersweet memories each year I hang it on my own tree.
One of my favorite traditions that I started with my boys when the were babies is that each year for Christmas I get them an ornament that says something special about their year.
For example one year for Drew it was a cruise ship. (The vacation where he falls out of bunk bed, breaks arm, needs surgery, we leave vacation only a couple of days in to go home to have surgery done, vacation. :)
And for Jake one year it was a Harry Potter ornament. (This was the year he was in 1st grade and read those books and literally couldn't put them down!!)
The year we got our first dog, Comet, each boy got an ornament like this. This one is Tyler’s.
These ornaments get wrapped and put in their own ornament box for them to hang each year. And for someday for them to start decorating their own trees with.
But I have to say when I look at my tree, my most favorite ornaments of all are the ones made with my boys own hands. The ones they made as young boys at school and wrapped and placed under the tree as Christmas presents.
My tree may not be perfect in the eyes of most- but to my eyes... it is the most perfect of all!
6 comments:
What a beautiful tree - and such wonderful family memories!!! I'm so impressed with how you buy your boys a new ornament each year with a theme ~ very cool and meaningful. :)
Thanks so much for sharing!
Such wonderful traditions! Thanks so much for sharing them.
OOh, I think your tree is beautiful!
My mom made ornaments each year for my sister and I. I feel bad that my kids don't have any of their own ornaments. Maybe it's time to start that tradition up. Better late than never.
Wow, your tree is striking -- love the mix of ornament styles. You definitely have me thinking about how we can plan an ornament tradition for my kiddo.
Such great stories attached to all of those - I love it. Such a treasure, family is.
What a great idea. Some how I've stumbled onto your blog hop and now I'm motivated to got and get my tree decorated too! Thanks! :)
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