I mentioned yesterday I’m in panic mode because I’m trying to get all my last minute stuff done and Christmas is speeding towards me at a precarious pace.  Add to that I got my laptop back Monday afternoon from having a major issue repaired (thankfully while still under warranty) and ended up spending the entire day yesterday re-setting it back up with all my software (and some were being stubborn and causing headache-inducing errors).

So today I’m going to cheat a little and revive a post from 2009 for two reasons – one, because it’s pertinent, and two, because I’m joining Jo-Lynne from Musings of a Housewife on her Christmas Ornament Show-and-Tell fun.  Which doesn’t happen until tomorrow, so score one for me on being ahead of the game and making this recycled post cover two days worth of fun while I scramble and get gifts wrapped and details finalized for next week.

Favorite Christmas Decorations

(originally posted on December 7, 2009, edited for current content):

For years my tree has always been eclectic – ornaments my mom gave me when I moved into my own place to make my tree look festive. Also for years I always went out and got a live tree – even during the many years I was single, in spite of not having ‘anyone else’ to decorate for, I’d still do it anyway – for me – because I love Christmas.

I used to load the tree down with multicolored lights, then add the eclectic mix of ornaments. When I moved to Pennsylvania and discovered the prices of live trees were much pricier than that of Washington State (understandable, since PA is not rife with forests like WA is), I decided it was time to invest in a faux tree that looked real, and the one I got had all white lights on it, so I switched out my ornaments and ended up with all silver and gold.

My original ornaments were unfortunately lost in one of my many moves – I wish I still had them, as Princess Nagger would most likely get a kick out of them.

As Princess Nagger has gotten older, my strictly silver and gold tree started to morph into something much more interesting. We added green for my favorite color, cobalt blue for Hovering Hubby’s favorite color, and purple for Princess Nagger’s favorite color. Then in Kindergarten Princess Nagger made two very cool Christmas tree ornaments to add:

Ornaments1

A closer look:

Ornaments2

And this cute deer ornament made out of a Popsicle stick:

Ornaments3

My mom sent myself and Princess Nagger each a cute angel ornament with our names on them:

Ornaments4Ornaments5

Yes, you’re reading that right – my ornament says ‘Shelly’ – which is the name my parents, siblings, relatives and anyone who knew me from birth until 6th grade calls me still. But that’s a whole blog post on its own. Princess Nagger’s of course has her real name, but PhotoShop works wonders.

A couple of years ago, when we were able to visit my family in Seattle for my birthday in December, we joined my brother and sister-in-law’s annual trek downtown to have a picture of their twins taken with Santa, and pick out a new ornament for their tree. We had Princess Nagger join in the fun pictures with Santa, and she picked out this cool mitten ornament for our tree:

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A few years ago my hubby gave me this beautiful silver and Swarovski Crystal Heart ornament:

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In 2005 hubby made this adorable red Christmas ball ornament for Princess Nagger:

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It’s the only red Christmas ball on the tree to keep it ‘special’, and indicating Princess Nagger as the ‘heart’ of our family. Over the last couple of years I’ve also picked up and added a slew of Swedish ornaments to add to the mix, which had made the tree a nice reminder of my Swedish Great-Grandparents and Grandfather.

Each year Princess Nagger and I are keeping with the annual tradition of picking out a new ornament for the tree. We both picked out two ornaments each, my choices are of course deer, since that’s what I’ve been collecting for years:

Ornaments9Ornaments10

Princess Nagger’s first choice was a dove, since she has a pet dove:

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And she was excited when she saw this dinosaur ornament:

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If you have a Christmas Tree, how do you decorate it? Is it a theme tree, a color scheme tree, or an eclectic mix?

SignatureChristmas

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For Wordless Wednesday, be sure to visit Wordless Wednesday, and Go Graham Go for more great Wordless Wednesday Posts.

More Wordless and Wordful fun:

Live and Love...Out Loud

And, as I mentioned, I’m joining Jo-Lynne for some ornamental fun (be forewarned, the link won’t be live until tomorrow, December 20th):

Christmas Ornament Show & Tell with Musings of a Housewife

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23 Comments

  1. The Linky doesn’t want to work on my phone. I’ll try later on the laptop. My Christmas tree has all wooden ornaments and it will have gingerbread ones when we can make them and not eat them all. :0) I know it will change as Bob grows and has her input. Hope you have a productive day and hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!!! x

  10. Hi Stacy – When I first met my husband we decided whenever we go on vacation instead of getting a bunch of chachkies that would end up in a box, we would get a Christmas ornament for every place we visit! So now that our boys are getting older its so fun each year to pull out the ornaments and reflect on where we have been together. It always makes for conversation! 🙂 Have a great Holiday!

  11. You have good taste! Hand-made ornaments are 1000 times better than the ones you can buy in the store. I I exchange damaged every year by making my own decorations. Thanks for sharing some interesting ideas!
    Christine would like you to read ..Eagle snatches a childMy Profile

  14. Positively fantastic. Love the little stories behind each one. Mine is a mixture of ornaments from Christmases past & my mother’s ornaments now & a new one every year. I have ornaments dating back to 1978. I use to have more, but we moved around so much back then that many were broken beyond repair or lost. 🙁 I’m one that buys ornaments with the year on them. Thanks for sharing your stories.
    Xmasdolly would like you to read ..Rockin’ Wordless WednesdayMy Profile

  15. My tree is eclectic too! I decided this year to cut down on the amount of ornaments and take away some of the weird ones, but it doesn’t look much different lol.

    Thanks for linking up for WW!
    Paula
    lifeasweknowitbypaula.blogspot.com

  21. This reminds me I have to buy a new ornament. I did buy an avon pewter ornament, for my 3rd avon Christmas, but I still need another that’s about the family, not just me.
    Mary/kyooty would like you to read ..Power’s BackMy Profile

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