This is the best tradition you can give your kids. Every year since I was born my parents have given me a Christmas ornament that had something to do with what happened that year. Our Christmas tree was 14′ tall, so there was plenty of room for all the ornaments and each of the kids had our own box of ornaments, which we had to hang ourselves.
For awhile, this was just something nice we did, one more present under the tree, another tradition.
But now my memories from those years have begun to fade. We’ve moved away from our family home of 25 years, my parents have gone to Africa, my grandparents have passed on, and providing for little kids has made it harder to remember when I was a little kid myself.
I love hanging my ornaments every year. It’s an annual reminder of how much we were loved growing up. Some are funny, some more serious, but mostly just lots and lots of treasured family memories from when we were all together. Here are some of my favorites:
Sometimes my mom let us stay up late reading series like the Wizard of Oz or Redwall and we would all sprint to bed as my dad drove up the driveway. One year we got Oz characters for ornaments. My sisters got Dorthy and the Scarecrow and my brother and I got the Lion and the Tin Woodman (my favorite character).
My first car was a red,1997, Nissan pickup truck named Tessie. Katy says we’re never allowed to name a daughter after her.
from Mrs. T when I was 5, one of the greatest teachers of all time
Katy’s 1st ornament from my mom and dad because she loves puzzles. Once we were on vacation and I woke up to her puzzling at 7 a.m. Who does that on vacation??
I proposed to Katy at Odiorne State Park on a rocky trail along the ocean. We went for a picnic at Prescott afterwards and ended the day with a fire on the beach. I was so distracted on the way to Odiorne I was pulled over. Nicest cop I’ve ever met.
Makayla’s 1st Christmas ornament. This year I told Katy I thought someone accidentally got us an ‘M’ instead of a ‘W’
“Umm That’s Makayla’s,” she said.
Oops 🙂
As a little girl, Katy’s grandma gave her sweet little ornaments of angels and woodland creatures. I, on the other hand, had a long stretch where my favorite thing was clowns, which can make for a pretty creepy Christmas tree. Every year Katy asks if she can get rid of another one 🙂
2013 was the last Christmas my grandmother was with us. She gave everyone these little ball ornaments with a folded up $20 bill inside. She was so tickled watching us open them. Now we put in a chocolate kiss for Makayla.
Katy's Australian heritage and all our trips to Ukraine
Make sure you label them!
That's our favorite Christmas tradition. What's yours?