Holiday Decorations


So I have a lot of Christmas tree decorations and I thought I'd tell you all about them.  As a child, my one grandmother would give her grandchildren a decoration as a present.  Also at my Catholic grade school, we would make ornaments (I think one has survived...).

As a young adult, my mother gave me decorations that she made through the years that she had amassed.  I was only too eager to accept and keep.  She then would make me an ornament a year throughout the rest of her life.


When she died in 1998, my sister and I divvied up the ornaments between us.  So yes, more of the same oldies but goodies and lots of surprises of what she created.  In 1999, my grandmother died (my mom's mom), and you guessed it.  More of my mother's created decorations!

My sister and I kept the tradition my mother started for the grandkids with a gift of  an ornament for each child.  We also gave each other ornaments along the many years.



Every holiday I went on, you guessed it.  I bought an ornament to remember those beach vacations, ocean breezes and I love when I unwrap one and remember good times.

My husband picks up an ornament every time he is in a new city.

We made ornaments with the children over the years.  My sister gives me a newly created ornament every year.....oh I could go on!



Now here comes the funny part.  About five years ago, I thinned out my ornaments!  I pulled out all of the ones that I had three or more and gave to each of my children.  My daughter and her husband have their bag of ornaments for their tree.  My son hasn't started the Christmas tree tradition yet but his bag of Christmas tree decorations are in a safe place.


So that's the short story of why I have so many ornaments.

On a side note, I have another Christmas tree in the living room and that is where all the ornaments the kids made are displayed.  Hand prints, Popsicle stick reindeer, strung beaded candy canes....

Comments

  1. I love your grandmother's, mother's, and now your tradition of handmade ornaments! I have several of the same ones (the bird feeder, fabric ball, and wreath) made by my husband's grandmother, and I treasure them. Your tree is both lovely and full of loving memories. Wishing you and your whole family a very Merry Christmas, and a New Year filled with love, health, and happiness!

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  2. I love your family's tradition of giving and making ornaments. My grandmother gave me an ornament each year from 1975-1995 and I still cherish each one. Merry Christmas to you & your family!

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  3. They are ALL beautiful and made more so because they have a story to go with them. We don't have a tree this year, but when we do, ALL of my ornaments will come out of the box and bring all those happy memories with them.

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  4. Sadly, my mother's ornaments were all lost after her death and every year I think of all the memories they held and feel badly my sisters do not have them on their trees. We do have the memories and love to talk about them when we're together. They live on! Your tree is so festive and fun. Merry Christmas!!

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  5. I LOVE how your mom gave you ornaments. I love how have passed them on. when we moved we got rid of broken ones only. Yes I was hanging on to broken ornaments! I find it interesting that your mom and her mom died one year apart. . So Your mom never went without her mom and her mom only missed her daughter one year right?

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  6. What a beautiful Christmas tradition - your trees are beautiful! Merry Christmas!

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  7. Wow, I love how you have such wonderful memories to go with your ornaments! Our tree is full as well, but not as many that are homemade. I inherited all of the ornaments from my childhood last year. Mom switched to a small tree when my dad died and had boxed the others. I was so happy she let me take them; so many of them bring back happy memories! xx

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  8. What a fun ornament tradition you have! We also have collected many ornaments through the years and bought some for our children each year, and we still have a large box of ornaments we didn't even use this year. I used to have two trees and used almost all the ornaments, now we have a small tree so only use the really special ones - most of which are nativity ornaments. Thanks for sharing this fun tradition! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family!

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  9. how festive and fun and full of wonderful memories!

    merry christmas to you and yours, Karen!! xo

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  10. memories....and family.....isn't that what the holidays are all about? what special memories you have there!!!

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  11. Just lovely Karen. Merry Christmas!!!! xo

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  12. O, wow... that makes such a wonderful tree !
    Merry Christmas !

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  13. LOVE these ornament traditions! I did notice in another post how your tree was packed with ornaments.

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