Christmas Tree Memories

I love putting my Christmas Tree up each year. And we make a family event of it too! Hubby usually sets it up, I shape the branches and do the ribbon, beads and if it isn’t a pre-lit tree, the lights. I place the Angel on top. But the kids do the ornaments, with the exception of a few very old pieces.

Each year we buy the kids a new ornament and when they get older, they’ll each have a box of their ornaments throughout the years to take with them when they leave home. A lot of the ornaments on our tree were mine as a child or ones that my mom and step-dad had before they were married. So they range between 25 – 35 years old! My absolute favorite is a Thomas Kinkade ornament we bought when I was little. I am a HUGE fan of T. K. artwork so it goes on front and center.

I think the thing I love most, aside from decorating it together as a family, are the very different styles we have on our tree. We have vintage like the Thomas Kinkade, Prim Snowmen, ornaments that look like cookies, Light Up Cartoon Mini Snow Globes, Handmade ornaments from past to present, Hospice memorial ornaments for my mom and everything in between. I just love how you can combine so many interests and tastes into one thing and it look so beautiful and tell a different story for everyone.

Here are a few of our favorite ornaments:

And our beautiful Angel with her Halo

Also, MamaBuzz is having a Christmas Tree contest, so if you blog or post on Facebook go upload pics of your tree and enter to win a Hallmark Ornament prize pack. I’m going to enter but I also just wanted to share our tree with you. I miss my mom and I miss seeing her beautiful tree every year and helping her decorate it. She had a huge artificial tree that she decorated with such flair. It was gorgeous! I miss being with her during the Holidays and I wish my children could see her enjoyment throughout Christmas and New Year. She loved this time of year so I try to keep that in mind and recapture it with my own family. It warms my heart and brings me peace to put ours up with them and reflect on the past and to enjoy the present. I think it is this way for many people this time of year.

Talk to me! Tell me about YOUR favorite ornaments and Holiday traditions. I would love to hear about them. No contest on this post so I can chat with you in the comments. :0)