Christmas Traditions

I am the QUEEN of Tradition!  I love the sentimental things that we do every year.  Our Christmas tree is my favorite.

 

It's real, thank you very much and is covered in ornaments that have a special meaning to us.  No theme trees, here!  We try to purchase an ornament every time we go somewhere fun and all of the ornaments that the kids have made over the years adorn the tree, also.  We send a photo ornament every year to each of the kids' godparents...and of course I keep a set for our tree.  We also buy an ornament for each child every year that is a reminder of the year.  For example, this year, Christian received a pair of track shoes ornament because he began running. Coleman's ornament is a guitar since he began lessons and Carolyn's ornament is a soccer ball.  It is so much fun getting the ornaments out every year!

 

It takes HOURS to do our tree, because each ornament has a story behind it.  The kids LOVE to hear about "their" ornaments and (surprise) I love to tell them!  About three quarters of the way through, the football game has pulled Jim away and the kids have wandered outside and I have to finish it myself.  But I don't even care, because it is a walk down the memory lane of our life together.

Some of the ornaments we've acquired this year:
a ball from the Georgia Aquarium
a black dog that looks like Gumbo
a ball of shredded money from the Bureau of Engraving and Printing
a waterfall from Amicalola Falls
the house from Mount Vernon
a crab from our vacation to Maryland
a pink flamingo in a grass skirt from my book club ornament exchange
a model magic star, snowman and heart that the kids made 

We write the year on each ornament and the recipient's initials.  I plan to give each of the kids their ornaments when they are married and have their own homes.  Then they will be able to relive their childhoods...or at least the parts they haven't repressed!