Family Tree

Some houses have elegant, themed trees.

Some houses have "family" trees.

Mine is definitely in the latter category.

It's the way I grew up...we always had a live tree, and each child had a box of ornaments that had been collected over the years, and then there was a box of family ornaments to put up as well. Then there was tinsel...remember tinsel?

My mother started the tradition of giving each grandchild a new ornament for Christmas. There is no rhyme or reason to it...it just happens to be whatever caught her eye at the after-Christmas sales! My kids love opening their ornament boxes each year and seeing old friends! Then there are the ornaments I have collected, and I love seeing them emerge every year as well.

There's a little bit of everything... from the Precious Moments "new baby" ornaments I have for each child (and these I also claim as mine, along with their stockings)...


To the paper reindeer my daughter made from her handprints...


And for now...I wouldn't have it any other way!