Monday, December 22, 2008

What's on our tree.

We have very special ornaments on our tree. It's the same tree every year with the same special ornaments we've been putting on our trees since we were kids, and I absolutely look forward to getting the box of ornaments down each year and reminiscing about where or who each one came from.

This one says 'Ronnie Killins' on the bottom in Ron's mom's writing, because he took it to hang on his kindergarten tree and this way it would make it safely back to his home tree, and, one day, to our tree.
My mom got this for us the year we were expecting Alla. It says Parents-to-be. Ron took one look at this one today, and then at the kids around us decorating this tree and went to each of them with big hugs and kisses. The whole thing, the to-be part and the now, is pretty amazing. The ornament my mom gave us our first married Christmas.
The ornament Alla got for her first Christmas. It was given to her by my grandmother.
And, her handprint, made that first Christmas. I can't wait to make Fisher's this week.
When I was a kid, my grandparents gave my brother and I each an ornament every year. Lots of times they reflected our current interests.. Like the thimble snowman I have for all the years I collected thimbles, or the piano bear for the years I took lessons. There's a ballerina bear and lots of Mickey Mouse.
My mom has taken up this tradition for Alla, and now for Fisher, so that the kids will each collect an ornament each year. I'm documenting each of these with a photo and journaling in their ornament books, just so they'll know what they got each year and what they looked like when they got it. In case they aren't as diligent as I am about keeping all those original Hallmark boxes with the years inscribed in my grandmother's handwriting.

6 comments:

pakosta said...

oh man! how cool!i am not that diligent! i have maybe one ornament left from when i was a kid! but i am collecting one for each kid, sometimes there are more depending on if they are given one as a gift or they make one at schooL> we go out as a family and we buy one new one for each of us each year. it's so fuN! someday i will hand the box of their ornaments over to them, if they want them for their tree. if possible i date the bottom of the ornament and who it's from with a sharpie...it's so fun to look back!
t

Megan said...

Very nice. I love that story. We have the 12 days of Christmas balls set that my mom gave to us. The girls enjoy singing the song every day starting with that day's ball and singing down to 1. They take turns putting the balls on the tree. I can't wait until next year when Jacob is allowed to help. It's just one part of the season that makes it special.

Susie said...

I like seeing what makes up your Christmas tree. Ornaments have stories, too, don't they?

Heather Walker said...

Great post, J.J. We love talking about our ornaments as we put them on the tree too. So much fun!

Dre said...

loved this post j.j. the christmas tree has our history hanging on its branches...

we got a gorgeous crystal heart from my friend susie this year for our first christmas- god willing, it will not break, and we will have it forever :)

Jenn & John said...

Thats interesting. I haven't seen any of those ornaments that you said John received. I wonder if there is a box hiding and he doesn't know it. I guess that the difference between boys and girls =)

linkwithin

linkwithin