Happy
holidays! This time of year makes me (and a lot of others) a bit more
sentimental.
My family
celebrates Christmas and everything that comes with it, making gingerbread
houses, putting up a Christmas tree or seven (yes! I have seven in my house…is that
weird?), candy making, cookie decorating, skiing, snow tubing, gift giving (the
wrapping I’m not a fan of), eating the candy and cookies we made, church, and
family gatherings. But the one tradition I love most is going to pick out the
live tree.
It’s become
a tradition for me and my family (hubby and three teenage boys) to go pick out
the tree, strap it on the car, bring it home (yes, you can picture Christmas
Vacation and I’m definitely Clark…and we do have a few Uncle Eddie’s in the
family), and immediately put it up.
(Cody's glitter ornament. He is now 21!)
The homemade
Christmas ornaments my boys have made over the years are so much fun to go
through and we laugh while Bing Crosby and old school Alvin and the Chipmunks
play in the background…and yes, a plate of homemade cookies and apple cider to
go with it.
(Austin's homemade snowman, Jack's Popsicle stick reindeer, and Brady's homemade penguin are only three of a tree full of memories!)
Then we get
to the box my guys have titled: Mom’s Special Ornament. It is only one ornament
that I get to place on the tree. It takes my breath away every time I see it.
Rudolph…the
little guy that stands about three-inches tall and is missing his little black
eyes, takes his place~front and center.
Rudolph was
given to me, now over thirty-five years ago, from my grandmother. She was and
remains such an inspiration to me.
My grandmother
didn’t drive and couldn’t read. But she could tell a great story. She told me
about all the things Rudolph had to overcome and encouraged me to be as strong
as him because sometimes life wasn’t easy.
All it took
was that three-inch plastic reindeer to inspire everything in my life, to
overcome any and everything that stepped into the way of me reaching my dreams.
What is your favorite ornament and why? One lucky comment will win an ebook copy for them or for someone else of SNOWPLACE LIKE HOME!
My favorite ornament is a glass frog that my husband bought me years ago. I collect frogs, so he found a beautiful ornament. It makes me smile each year when I unwrap it.
ReplyDeleteI also love Bing Crosby and listen to his music throughout the season. I also listen to Lou Monte - every time I hear his music it makes me think about when my kids were young and dancing to Dominick the Donkey.
I love your memories! And frogs are adorable!!
DeleteMy favorite ornament is a fluffy white polar bear I got when I was little. There was a neat store that had all sorts of wonderful Christmas decorations and craft supplies (no loner in existence, I'm afraid) and I picked out this guy in the early 1970s. He's always been my favorite ornament.
ReplyDeleteI saw you posted on my facebook! So cute!! I love him too!
DeleteMy favorite ornament is a set of star ornaments my two youngest son's made in church when they were little. one made a gold one and the other made a silver one. they are both about 2" tall, and glittered all over, and have a pretty ribbon to hang with. They are special to me because they were so proud when they made them and brought them home for the tree.
ReplyDeleteThat is so cute, Nova! I have to have so many trees because of all my kiddos! They had made so many ornaments throughout the year that I had to make the big family tree, that! A family tree :) Thank you for sharing!
DeleteMy favorite ornaments are the snowflakes that my nana made for me. I love them because they remind me of her.
ReplyDeleteOh....that is so sweet! Just like my Granny's!
Deleteany with grandkids pix from when they were little on them
ReplyDeleteOh! That is so cute! My mom has the same thing! We even had the guys go to Color Me Mine when they were little and make refrigerator magnets. So cute!
DeleteI also have a bunch of homemade ornaments from my children that adorn my tree! We also get a new ornament every year to add to our collection. I guess the ones that mean the most besides my kids ornaments are the ones my mother got us every year! She is no longer with us and they are the ones that make my heart ache every time I put them on but our my most precious pieces!
ReplyDeleteOh. That is so touching! Yes! When I became an author, my mother gave me author ornaments that I keep out all year long.
DeleteOh gosh, how to choose? One of my favorites is a sterling silver 1995 ornament. I gave it to my husband on our wedding day. Every year we choose a special ornament as our anniversary gift to each other.
ReplyDeleteAwe! That is great! Love it!!!
DeleteThose are all so cute,Tonya! It's hard to pick but I guess I would say that my favorite ornament is one that Scott's mother had made for us the first year we were married. One of those "Our first Christmas together" ornaments. :)
ReplyDeleteThat's great! You know....Eddy and I don't have a first year ornament....that is weird...right?
DeleteWell, that is definitely shocking! Hmmm ... wonder if it is too late to get one? :)
DeleteMy very favorite is a snowman that I keep in a glass case on my mantel. It was hanging over me in a photo my parents took of me when they brought me home from the hospital. I am a Christmas Eve baby! :)
ReplyDeleteMy second favorite is a set of Mr. & Mrs.Snowman, made from felt by my Second grade teacher. We are still close family friends!
OMG! I love this! There has to be a special feeling with a birthday on Christmas Eve!! Oh! My boys have some homemade felt ornaments on our tree too :) I love those!
DeleteNot sure if this will post twice, first one disappeared... ;-) my favorite ornaments are, the baby donkey I pained in 6th grade, all of my Rudolph ornaments (and there are plenty) my mom got me over the years, my droopy dog ornament, my dolphin ornaments and Rick's Pez ornaments and my "Twilight" style ornament with my name made by one of my best friends....can't pick just one ;-)
ReplyDeleteWell, this year we used all new ornaments. I love my old traditional ones, but decided to go with my daughter's brand new shiny and bright ones. This way, when she puts them on her tree (in future years) I will be able to picture them. So, picking from her collection I'd say that my favorite is a sparkly turquoise rain-dropped shaped ornament.The turquoise is gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite ornaments are the ones that my mom, grandma and i made when i was younger ( i would guess about 40 years ago) they are a styrofoam ball with sequins, beads and long straight pins. I would always say they looked like snowflakes. I only have about 3 left but they go front and center on my tree.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite ornaments are the ones that my niece has made for me over the years. Some of them I have hanging on my fridge all year long.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite ornament is one my daughter made in kindergarten. I lost my daughter to suicide 3 years ago and I find that I treasure so much from here. This time of year is particularly hard
ReplyDeleteIt is a little snowman painted on one of those old wooden ice cream spoons
ReplyDeleteMy favorite ornament is the snowman couple my husband and I bought for our first Christmas together, 2002.
ReplyDeleteMy Grandmother crocheted, but she did this thing she called Tatting? It was with with the thinnest of thread and she made these beautiful snowflakes. I still have mine and every year I put them on my tree <3
ReplyDeleteMy favorite are the ones me and my sister painted. The wooden ones that we both have on our trees to this day. We sat at the table painting.
ReplyDelete