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Our Christmas tree will never be in a Parade of Homes. It will never win any contests. It will never be the awe-inspiring tree "the whole neighborhood talks about", but it is MY favorite and here's why.When Alex was a baby I took him to get his picture taken (about every week or so- hey he was my first), and they gave me an ornament to put his picture in. So I did and I put in on our tree.
The next year we went to Germany and I bought an ornament there and put in on our tree. The next year I had Alex at the store and we were looking at Christmas decorations. This year he was totally into Tigger so I bought him a Tigger ornament for the tree. That's when the inspiration finally hit: I was going to buy my kids their own ornament each year that they picked out. Something they were into or liked. I thought it would be a fun tradition, but I had no idea how much my kids would love it.Every year they start thinking about their ornament early. It has to be perfect. It has to be exactly what they're looking for. Then when it's time to decorate the tree they each get out their ornaments and line them up to look at. Each is labeled with Isaac 2004, Alex 2001.... They get such a kick out of looking back and remembering how much they loved that ornmaent that year and how much they've changed in the recent years. We also have to tell the stories that go with the ornaments. Like the time we had the people in the condo under us complain about Alex jumping around like Tigger all the time when we were in Hawaii or the way Isaac decided he loved Boba Fett before he'd seen any of the Star Wars movies.
Then it's a continual hanging and rehanging of the ornaments to make sure each is in the perfect spot for their viewing pleasure. And there will be no moving of said ornaments, this would constitute the gravest of sins.
So there you have it. Not a huge tradition, but one we love nonetheless. My kids are growing up but we still have little reminders of the past to decorate our tree and remind us of all the fun memories we've made so far.
Here is random Boba Fett. We still have no idea where this Isaac fetish came from. Isaac 2005.
Though he is way too grownup for superheroes now, there was a time Alex was rarely seen not in costume. He loved Batman the most, but since he already had a Batman ornament, this was the year of Spidey. Alex 2004.
You have no idea how hard it is to find a shark ornament unless you've tried. We almost had to talk Isaac into something else when I randomly found this bad boy on Ebay. Isaac 2006.
This is a representation of how Isaac's Halloween fetish was born. Two years ago we went to Disneyland and they had the Haunted Mansion all "Nightmare before Christmas". A year later, he wanted a spooky ornament. I want you to know I had to buy a whole package of toys and make this one into an ornament because there wasn't an already made one to be found anywhere. Isaac 2007.
Alex's current (and 3 years running thus far) BYU obsession. I wouldn't call it brainwashing. Really. Alex 2006.
This is Alex's ornament for this year. He chose the colors because... I forget. The football guy is him. This was his first year playing tackle football. He loved it.
Here is Isaac's ornament for this year. As mentioned before, my son LOVES Halloween. We found this in October and snatched it up so we wouldn't be scrambling to find something spooky in December.
awesome, jenny. And your decorated home is an inspiration.
we also have the same tradition. My kids always get an ornament that represents them or a favorite vacation we took that year. We have one tree that has those decorations on and the kids get to decorate it. The other tree has all the other decorations. We are planning on giving each child their decorations when they get married, so that they have decorations to start their first year on their own with.
I will have to copy this post and share some of their favorite decorations with everyone.
I LOVE that tradition, Jenny! I think that's way better than picking one out for them. I may just have to steal that idea. Chris has a bunch from growing up that were his. They cover the majority of our tree, and I think it's a good idea. Props to Jen!
By the way... I'm really happy I could help your relationship out with the whole Matt not loving you enough to see Twilight. :)
I can't wait to see the Pink stuff get added when the Baby Girl comes!
What a fun tradition! I may have to lift that one for our downstairs tree!
OK OK OK OK...let me just warn you what this can become. I make no exageration!!!!! Like most families we also have this tradition, but it has gotten OUT OF CONTROL. I just spent Thanksgiving with my mother where it takes her 2 weeks to put up all her Christmas trees...yes I said weeks and yes I said trees. When I left she had 4 up and a crap load more to go. So I beg of you please please please limit your ornaments to ONE a year...ONE!!!!!!!!!
We have the same tradition with our tree in the playroom, but guess what......Kate broke EVERY ornament on the tree this year. So, now the tree is bare. I'll put them back up next year, but I'm not sure Tinkerbell will look the same with her broken arms, legs, and wings glued in place. I guess all the pieced together ornaments will be our memory for 2008!
I love your tree! And by the way Bryant will NEVER be teaching birds and bees. Only bees to the kids in school. He'll stick to just our kids on the other....
So this is why I have long-admired your mothering style: today Brahm made a star ornament out of Legos and wanted to put it on the tree. "That's why Mom got you your own tree, Brahm." I explain as I redirect his efforts away from mine. Go, Jen!