It's definitely not Christmas around these parts until the tree is decorated. And, oh, I love my ornaments. They're hokey and sentimental and fun and every year I can't wait to pull them out of their boxes and take a trip down memory lane.
My husband and I started collecting even before we were married, when his parents gave me an ornament for Christmas. It's one of the first that goes on the tree every year. Then there's the little wooden mailbox with the address of our first home together. Love that too. As the kids grew, we often chose ornaments that reflected what their hobbies were, or what they loved that year--which usually turned out to be movie related. We have a Lion King ornament, a Sleeping Beauty, a Pokémon. Last year during my daughter's Phantom of the Opera phase (which hasn't been so much a phase as a permanent habit) I found a musical Phantom ornament at Hallmark. Perfect. And so fun when I pulled that out of the box this year, hit the button, and Phantom music filled the living room (she's getting tickets to the Broadway tour as a present this year from her grandparents; shhh, don't tell her). Then there are the sports ornaments like Big Papi, who represents the Red Sox 2007 World Series win.
The other day while shopping, I happened to find a little washing machine ornament that lights up shows the clothes inside spinning. I had to bring it home in honor of my husband, who does all the laundry (how lucky can I get?).
I adore our mechanical ornaments. The ones that play music or make sound or light up. We have a Wizard of Oz ornament (another of my daughter's phases) that booms in the Wizard's voice several bits of the wizard's dialogue. Then there's Santa's answering machine: "I can't take your call right now, I'm out patching my sleigh.Ho ho ho. Leave your message at the jingle bells. " And we have a Homer Simpson ornament that says "D'Oh". And one of our oldest, a bunny sitting atop a popcorn popper that pops every second (it can get annoying, but does have an off switch). We always try to put it in front of a yellow light on the tree--buttered popcorn! See? Hokey and fun and sentimental to us.
(As an aside, I went to find a pic of the bunny popper, officially call the Hop 'N Pop -- and holy smokes! It goes for $100 [mint condition!]. I wonder how many of my hokey ornaments are collectibles?)
Do you have a favorite ornament? And are you hokey and fun or more traditional with bulbs and ribbon? Or a mix of both?
I adore our mechanical ornaments. The ones that play music or make sound or light up. We have a Wizard of Oz ornament (another of my daughter's phases) that booms in the Wizard's voice several bits of the wizard's dialogue. Then there's Santa's answering machine: "I can't take your call right now, I'm out patching my sleigh.Ho ho ho. Leave your message at the jingle bells. " And we have a Homer Simpson ornament that says "D'Oh". And one of our oldest, a bunny sitting atop a popcorn popper that pops every second (it can get annoying, but does have an off switch). We always try to put it in front of a yellow light on the tree--buttered popcorn! See? Hokey and fun and sentimental to us.
(As an aside, I went to find a pic of the bunny popper, officially call the Hop 'N Pop -- and holy smokes! It goes for $100 [mint condition!]. I wonder how many of my hokey ornaments are collectibles?)
Do you have a favorite ornament? And are you hokey and fun or more traditional with bulbs and ribbon? Or a mix of both?
~heather
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15 comments:
What a fun post, Heather. I love my ornaments, too. Favorites? The one my son made in daycare. It's a piece of a toilet paper roll sprinkled with glitter. Another favorite is one from my father with the gift tag still on it, saying, I love you.
My kids love their ornaments. They've picked them out every year and have their own 'ornament crates'. Most of those are from Hallmark. I'll be sad when they have their own homes and take those crates with them. That was the plan, of course...but now that day seems to be just around the corner.
Enjoy that tree!
Great post Heather!
My husband and I have collected ornaments since before we were married. Our Angel tree topper is almost 20 years old now and we've been married for 14.
All our ornaments are sentimental. I enjoy re-telling their stories to our kids. They even have their own collections started and get very excited when it's time to trim the tree. Those little trips down memory lane are an added bonus.
Shelley, I love the idea of the kids having their own crates. Wish I'd thought of that! It would be so hard to let go of the ones I have! And that ornament from your dad is so sweet. I can see why you love it so much.
Debbie, we've had our angel 20 years now, too, and finally had to take all her lights off her this year--she'd become a fire hazard. So she's still up on the top of the tree, but now she doesn't light up. Kind of sad, but I couldn't bear the thought of replacing her. Got her at that little Christmas shop on Rte 18 (Whitman? Abington?) near that cheesy little amusement park. Is that still there? The store?
A friend gave my husband & I a "1st Christmas" blown glass heart when when we first got married. What's really nice is the other 7 or 8 the following years until we lost touch.
We have nice glass bells, angels and doves that were purchased our first Christmas together. Along with wooden rocking horses, Carl's Jr stars and misc crafty ones.
One set of grandparents have been buying an ornament every year for each grandchild. We haven't divided them up into their own boxes yet but my daughter got married this summer and when we got our boxes down she came and got her ornaments.
All of my ornaments are mismatched - each one special - a teapot from my grandmother, "Our First Christmas" together, the kids' first Christmases, etc. However, I think my favorite Christmas items are two cloth hangings I have that the kids made when they were little. They made them when they were 3 years old in preschool, dabbing their hands in paint and making a circle to form a wreath. Several years ago, our basement flooded - and we lost alot of our keepsakes. There was one huge Christmas box - and everything at the bottom of that box was up to about 4 inches in water. My husband started pulling out construction paper items the kids had made for Xmas, pipe cleaner stuff, etc. - I couldn't even stand to know anymore what was in that box. I just cried my eyes out and ran up the stairs - for I was sure those cloth hangings were in there. But that last Xmas when the items were put away, I had been ill for quite awhile - so my husband put everything "away". Well, there was no rhyme or reason to his organizing, and he had ended up putting things in various places - Xmas w/Halloween stuff, etc. For some reason, he had placed those hangings in the "wrong" box - and we found them - high and dry. They go up every year - my kids are 13 and 16 now, and this year my 6 foot tall son looked at his hand wreath and placed his now huge hands over his little ones on the wreath - and yes, I started crying all over again. Those are the most precious gifts to me:)
I adore my ornaments too. I have a theme tree...every ornament on the tree is a cat. Cats doing everything Christmasy you can imagine. Past years I've put mice on too, but this year I realized I had enough cat ornaments to make the tree cat-exclusive.
My in-laws gave me an ornament the first Christmas I was invited to their party, which was before my husband and I were married, too. Since then we've gotten ornaments with each year written on them and we will be married 30 years in January. Needless to say we've had to put up two trees this year to get them all on. :)
My mom had some ornaments that my brother made out of dark brown paneling (he has them now), and three glass ones that used to hang in each small window of the front door (I get those when she finds them again!). There was an elf, too, that wasn't actually an ornament, but he sat in or under the tree every year.
My husband and I don't do a tree, but I decorate with snowmen. I have between 75 and 80, plus all the bags, boxes, tins, etc., that have snowmen pictured on them. Add in greenery, clear lights, villages, and a few other things, and it gets crazy. I even framed some Christmas cards to use because the snowmen were so gorgeous. My mom tells her friends that my house looks just like a store! All my friends love seeing it every year, and some look specifically to try and find what new thing I've added. Absolutely the "Most Wonderful Time of the Year!"
The store is still there (in Whitman, BTW)but the cheesy amusement park is LONG gone.
I do seperate my children's ornaments. They get to take them when they move out....but let's not rush things, my oldest is barely 12.
I don't put up a tree because it's just me, but I remember when my mom would get the box of ornaments out and the first ones on the trees were the handmade one that we made.
Have a good weekend!
Book Dragon (great name!), I think ornaments make a great gift (for those who celebrate Christmas!). We get one every year from our aunt and love each and every one. Luckily, my kids are awhile from being married, so I'm not going to think about divvying up the ornaments just yet!
Ann, I'm so sorry you lost a lot of your keepsakes. That's heart-breaking. But hooray on the hangings being saved! There's something to be said for disorganization after all!
A cat tree sounds so fun, Melissa! You have to find a place for the mice, too, though, I think.
Two trees, Denise? That's awesome. And congrats on 30 years! Are you doing anything special to celebrate?
Signlady, I used to collect snowmen, too, and have a whole box full I still need to set out. I'd love to see a pic of all your decorations--I bet they're fabulous.
Deb, that amusement park needed to go. It was horrible! So glad the store is still there, though. And the time flies--watch out. Sigh. Sniffle.
Dru, didn't you mention getting a mini little tree? Not sure if I'm making that up! (Brain fog.) The handmade ornaments are so special--it's no wonder your mom puts them up first. And happy weekend to you, too!
I know how you feel, Heather. I've collected an assortement of ornaments over the years that they can barely fit on the tree. And the simplest ones made by the kids are always the dearest.
Yes, I wanted to get a mini-tree but I can't find one so I'm going to do without a tree. See the first time I think about getting a tree, I can't find one to my liking.
Dru, if you still are looking for a mini-tree, try Walgreen's, CVS, Fred's, Dollar General, Dollar Tree, or Big Lots, or a similar place. Sometimes they have things others stores don't (and the price is pretty decent!) I bought a 4-ft. pre-lit two years ago at Big Lots for (I think) about $20! And pre-lit is definitely the way to go!
Heather, if I could figure out how to post a picture, I would.
Dru, do you have a Michael's near you? They usually have a pretty good selection. And little craft stores/gift shops too.
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