June 29-July 5 Trees, Treasures and Traditions

[teachermomof2]

1. Tree: Is your tree the same every year or do you "mix it up" with different themes? Describe your tree or link to a picture of it. Do you use a real or artificial tree? What kinds of ornaments do you like best? How many trees do you put up.

We have several trees. I have a few theme trees, but the main tree is filled with keepsake ornaments and gold, green and red balls with ribbon garland an an angel on top. In total, we have 5 trees.


2. Treasures: Describe or link to some pictures of your Christmas "treasures." Do you have ornaments or items that have been handed down through the years. What special meaning is behind some of these ?
We have some Swarovski crystal snowflake ornaments that mil has bought for us each Christmas. She quit 2 years ago, but dh bought the missing one and the new one for me.
I also have a collection of Santas that have been gifts.


3. Traditions: What are some of your favorite traditions? Are there some that you have changed or eliminated? Why? How do you decide what to keep and what to prune? Are there any7 new traditions you would like to start? If so, what are they?

I love going to see that lights on the lake each year. I love Christmas Eve mass and dinner with my family to follow. I like baking with our daughter and making a gingerbread house with her and ds. I would like to,just stay home on Christmas Day, but continue to run around like a nut. Lol

Great stories!

 

[MinnieCo]

Treasures: Describe or link to some pictures of your Christmas "treasures." Do you have ornaments or items that have been handed down through the years. What special meaning is behind some of these ?

I have a few things from different people in my family. Nothing fancy, just things that make me think of them. My mother was never crafty when I was young, but took tried as she got older. Mostly flower type arrangements, but she dabbled in ceramics and things that tied into flower silk flower arrangements. I have a ceramic Santa face that's kinda like a platter, but I hang it on the wall. I also have a Santa sleigh and a simple glass vase that she decoupaged and I keep that in my kitchen windowsill to see all the time. I have a plastic canvas piece that says Noel that my grandma made and I always hang that in the same place. I have a sterling silver cross from my grandma and grandpa that was from one of the Silver companies that I hang on my tree. One of the most important things is the paper cup bell my daughter made in preschool. She wants me to toss it, but I won't. I have some homemade bead ornaments I made in middle school that I find pretty important as well. Those just bring back my childhood. I think my love for Christmas was already in place by then.

I'm sure I have 25 more, but those stick out.

 

[Winged One]

We do a real tree as often as we can - the years that we are not travelling for the immediate holidays generally. We have a fake that we have put up every year we have been travelling since the first Christmas we had our first house (DH had moved in Sept, but I moved in at New Years after the holidays "down home", just before we got married in early Feb), and also the year that DD turned 1 (for safety reasons). I used to have multicoloured lights, but recently I've had a string of red and another of white. I kinda liked the multi more though, but they're hard to find.

I have loads of different types of decorations, and it is an eclectic tree. There is no real theme to it, apart from Christmas and magic. We have a fairy trapped in a glass jar from Paris, a handmade tree with a crib carved into it from Brazil, angels DD has made in nursery and school, stockings I have sewn, pewter scenes from Austria, ....all sorts of things, in all sorts of colours. I have a few traditional baubles, some plastic and some glass. But it's interesting, and you have to look deep into the branches to find some things every year. I have so many things, I can't fit them all on most years.


One of my treasures is a crib and full set of figures from a gran-aunt as a wedding present. It was made by 2 different artisan craftspeople, and my aunt (her niece) bought it on her behalf. But the Nun had given my aunt instructions! It is too big to put out a lot of years, but I put it out a fair amount and it means a lot to us. My gran-aunt died on Christmas morning 2012, so it is even more fitting now.

We have lots of traditions. I like to take some time to myself when the tree is up and there is no one else around (nowadays, DD in bed and DH at his work party usually) to lie on the floor, with only the tree lights on, a beverage in my hand, and contemplate the previous year and coming Christmas - I've been doing that since I was 16 and babysitting my siblings at home.
We have the youngest light the Christmas candle on Christmas Eve, to show that we will take in any weary travellers in need of shelter. We always have a short chat about the good and bad things of the past year, look ahead in hope, and say a decade of the rosary after that. Followed by laying out of stockings and a snack for Santa (DD is 8), opening the Christmas box and getting out new PJs and bath bombs for everyone and our family copy of "Twas the night before Christmas" - sending DD up to the Christmassy bath before reading the book to her in bed.

 

[ejagno]

I just finished the invitations for our 1st Annual Holiday Sleep-over. We have invited our 4 grandchildren to stay with us from Thanksgiving lunch until the following evening so that the parents can take advantage of the Black Friday sales without worrying about the little ones. I've also enclosed a key to the upstairs at our restaurant where I'll have gift wrapping stations set up for their convenience along with a combination code to a large locked closet to stash the treasures in. In the meantime I plan on having some cookies to decorate, Christmas movies and lots of Christmas activities to keep the little ones occupied. This is one of our gifts to our children and hopefully a new tradition.

 

[luludou]

Ellen, I love it all! How fun will that be?? the memories will be fantastic.

 

[Colleen in PA]

Ellen - I love your sleep over idea!!!

Sorry for the late post!

1. Tree: Is your tree the same every year or do you "mix it up" with different themes? Describe your tree or link to a picture of it. Do you use a real or artificial tree? What kinds of ornaments do you like best? How many trees do you put up.

We generally have 3 trees...a large tree in the living room with white lights and covered in a mish mash of ornaments (including a framed picture of each boy from each year). The second tree is the boys' 4 ft. tree and is set up in the family room. These ornaments generally reflect their current interests...we've moved on from Elmo, Thomas and the Backyardigans to Superheroes and video game characters. Lastly, is my dining room tree which is being upgraded this year to 6ft with white lights. The ornaments are a combination of my swarovsky snowflakes and my grandmother's collection of Waterford crystal ornaments. I just love the way the crystal reflects the lights - especially off the navy blue colored walls.


2. Treasures: Describe or link to some pictures of your Christmas "treasures." Do you have ornaments or items that have been handed down through the years. What special meaning is behind some of these ?

My grandmother's ornaments are my treasures. My mom bought 1 for her each year for over 30 years...she left them to me when she passed (with my mother's blessing). My mom and I always put this tree up together while listening to my grandmother's favorite Christmas carols (sung by Jim Nabors and Robert Goulet).


3. Traditions: What are some of your favorite traditions? Are there some that you have changed or eliminated? Why? How do you decide what to keep and what to prune? Are there any7 new traditions you would like to start? If so, what are they?

We pick names among the adults and buy Christmas pjs and fill their stockings. The stockings are my favorite part. In the last few years, I've done the bulk of the stocking stuffers, but it's so much fun!

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

Ellen, what a fantastic new tradition, and how thoughtful you are.
I know that it was a great help when my kids were younger if my mum and dad would have them for a few hours so that I could catch up on a few things.

 

[farmerswife]

Ellen, your gift to your children and grand children alike is wonderful! Enjoy!
Farmerswife