For the month of December, I thought it would be fun to highlight some of my favorite ornaments, in fact, I think I may highlight almost all of them, as each one is so very special. ;D
When we began preparing to move to the mission field, we knew we would have limited space, but someone gave me some great advice. They said to always make a little room for some things that you consider very special that would help your home seem more like home.
For me, that was Christmas. I know that the decorations are only up for maybe two months at the most, but Christmas is my favorite time of the year and over the years we have collected many memories during that time.
It always begins the first of November with the introduction to the holiday season and preparing for Thanksgiving, the cooking, the desserts, the fellowship with friends and/or family, and the setting up of the tree and all our decorations.
Around the middle of November in our house, the tree comes out and we unpack and display all of the ornaments as we separate them into neat piles that belong to each individual in our family. Each person is responsible to find places on the tree for their ornaments. (Of course, I usually go back over the tree after the kids are in bed and "relocate" some of the ornaments that find themselves jumbled together or are placed unfortunately at the bottom or under the tree. Actually, my OCD determines that I will periodically check the tree during the entire season and move things around as it comes to my attention that they seem out of balance or disordered.) ;D
When our first child, Malachi, was born, we decided to collect ornaments each year. So, every Christmas Eve, we begin our evening with Chinese food, afterward reading and discussing the Christmas story and then we give our children one gift each to open. The gift includes that year's ornament and they are allowed to put it on the tree after they open it. Most years we watch The Nativity Story movie to end our night.
Today is December 1, and in no particular order each day, (except when it comes to my husband and birth-order of our kids) I will share some pictures and stories about my favorite ornaments and the loved ones they belong to in my family.
Scott -
Scott
Aunt Bebe
Christmas 75
This ornament is Scott's first from his Great Aunt Bebe (Adelaide). He is now celebrating his 40th Christmas. (You know what that means for his next birthday in April…the big 40! Shhh, I didn't tell anyone!)
This ornament perfectly describes the mischievous boy that I now call my husband as he wears his halo while "fixing" the ornament! ;D
The back of this one reads:
Merry Christmas
Love,
Aunt Bebe
(He was the first baby added to the family in many years, so he was spoiled a little by his Great Aunt.)
Although stockings are not ornaments, our decorating wouldn't be complete without them. This year, for the first time in years, we have a fireplace on which to hang them. YAY!
Our stockings are very special, in that each one is handmade with love by Scott's mom. Scott's stocking was made 40 years ago this year.
Mine was added after we were married in 1996, 19 Christmases ago.
Malachi's was added in 1998, 17 Christmases ago.
Moriah's was added in 2000, 15 Christmases ago.
Micah's was added in 2001, 14 Christmases ago.
Matthew's was added in 2003, 12 Christmases ago.
Merci's was added in 2006, 9 Christmases ago.
Each one is unique and special to our family and although the fireplace is small (and we never use it), we can hang all 7 around the mantle and fill them with candy goodness and little trinkets for Christmas morning.
For the next month, each day will give you a glimpse of my favorite holiday and my favorite ornaments as I share a little about why they are so special to me.
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