I do admire other people’s Christmas trees, the ones which are all glitzy and sparkly and beautifully colour co-ordinated, sometimes even with a new colour scheme each year, but it is just not for us. We have a small artificial tree that we use each and every year. It was bought when we were first married 23 years ago and our collection of decorations has grown and been added to over the years and each one tells a story. Hardly any of our decorations have been bought cold, as a finished object.
Some of them are souvenirs that we have bought on overseas holidays, or are gifts from dear friends. Our most precious decorations are the ones that our children made with their own chubby little fingers, and proudly brought home from kindy, daycare and preschool, and even sometimes as they got older too! I used to be into beading and embroidery, and so made some decorations too… and some of our decorations are little things I did with the kids as fun little activities, to fill in those long weeks when Craig was working and we were home alone.
According to Aussie tradition, these gumnut babies have to be hung somewhere so they can “see” a gum tree. (embroidered and beaded on cardboard by me)
Our Christmas tree is like yours. A plastic tree bought when my daughter was born 15 years ago. When the kids & I were decorating the tree this year it took us forever because with each decoration we too stopped and reminisced. I also have things strung all over house that the kids made when they were little. I love pulling out these decorations each and every year. The kids do too.
Our Christmas things are simple too. I love the family sharing together more than anything else.
Your decorations hold much beauty and richness that nothing can replace.
I have three pine cones that my daughter painted as a very small girl. They come out every year, and love spills over again. Mave
Those decorations are priceless! Even though most of my decorations are "boughten", they were gifts or souvenirs – collected over many years, and every one holds a memory. Unfortunately, many of the pieces made by my children are no longer in such a shape that they can be put to use, but I couldn't get rid of them. Holidays are all about the making of family memories. Life would be too sad without them. No wonder my daughter demanded that I send "her" ornaments for the tree – she needs a bit of home to make the Christmas magic happen.
These are the best kind of decorations.
I agree that homemade and sentimental ornaments make for the most wonderful trees. Our tree is covered in things that my siblings and I made, as well as things that my mother made when she was younger. The favorites are a set of 12-days-of-christmas ornaments that my mom embroidered, that my brother and I hang up in time to the song of the same name. Always fun!
How great that your decorations are all so special, the reindeer are fantastic and I think I will have to try this!
Handmade ornaments are the best. My favorites in my family are the ones made by my grandmother and grand-aunt: styrofoam balls loaded up with sequins and ribbons.
Are those cork reindeer's your designs? I love them!!!
When I was married and a stay at home mom I did an all handmade Christmas one year. I did not successfully make EVERYTHING but I always remember that year and it was the best ever. Your decorations are lovely.
I love hand made decorations, too! My tree is a mix of a few new ones from our travels or gifts from people; handmade decorations by my friend who just passed away last month and my Mom (gone 21 years now); and old decorations with dates on starting with 1944, Mom and Daddy's first Christmas together. Putting up our tree is always an emotional journey for me.
I too love those reindeer…don't be at all surprised if my daughter "borrows" that idea!
When I was a child our tree was always a real evergreen with our school made ornaments (my brothers paper straw and glitter straw, our clothespin people, construction papaer chains). Then I was a teenager my Mom started making these fabulous sequin and bead ornaments. So also handmade, and so beautiful! But too heavy for a real tree. There was general outcry at changing to all artificial, so for the rest of our family together time (until the youngest moved out) we had two trees… on real with all family made ornaments and one artificial with the blingy, but also handmade.
Thanks for your gorgeous comments ladies!
Erica Louise, those cork reindeers were my Dad's idea. He is a very creative man!
Wonderful decorations. Love the cork and stick reindeer.