Decorating Your Christmas Tree

[blondetwin]

Bama-mom's thread got me wondering how everyone else decorates their Christmas trees. Do you all use a theme or just use whatever special ornaments you have?

For our tree, I pretty much have a snowman theme. I have a lot of snowmen and *********s, but also have some of the ornaments my kids have made me over the years that I can't part with. I've gotten a lot of my ornaments at Cracker Barrel. They have the cutest ornaments and usually have a 1/2 off sale closer to Christmas. I'm really excited about decorating our new house this year for Christmas! Our neighborhood is having a decorating contest for the outside of the houses this year. Wonder if I can talk DH into participating? :D

[blondetwin]

That should be snowmen and s*n*o*w*f*l*a*k*e*s. Such a dirty word, don't ya know! :rolleyes:

[shopsticks]

I would love to a theme tree, but we have such a mix of ornaments that it always ends up being an assorted tree. When we have children, I might try to do a more elegant tree with a theme and get them a whimsical tree of their own.

[shannonmbp]

We use an assortment and don't have a theme, but each tree does have a certain "feel" or "look." The one in our living room is a bit more elegant, and the one in our family room is much more homey. Each year since we've been married, DH and I have bought one special ornament each year and those alone are really beginning to fill up the tree. We've started buying DD her own ornament each year as well so she can take them with her when she has her own home.

[wehoney]

The dining room tree is the most favorite one in the house. When DS #1 (now 25) was born my Mom gave him an ornament for Christmas, she has continued that tradition every year for all 3 of my children, and now for my DGS. So there are 67 big keepsake balls from Mom. That tree is the one that also has all the ornaments that the children made when they were younger.
The living room tree is old fashioned with popcorn and cranberry garlands, gingerbread men, and gingham bows.
The master bedroom tree is done in white, with crystal ornaments.
DD's tree has been angels, but she could change that at anytime.

This year I wanted to do things differently and have a decorating weekend, but that idea was quickly shot down by the rest of the family. They think it will be more fun to see DGS eyes when he walks in and discovers that the house has been transformed.

Oh I love the holidays, and cant wait til the decorating begins.

[Sandra C]

. . . We've started buying DD her own ornament each year as well so she can take them with her when she has her own home.

I've also done that for my son. I get one that signifies somewhere he's been or done that year, and I write the year on the bottom. I also saved the newspaper on his birthday every year. (When he moves out, I'll have a lot more storage space!)

[Belle205]

Hey wehoney, don’t fall for that decorating stuff! We have a decorating weekend and it’s called Thanksgiving! It’s worked for us for years and everyone gets to participate…even the ones that don’t live here! How fun is that!

I hope it’s cold this year! We start outside hanging the wreaths on the windows and I love to make hot cider and take mugs of it out and everyone take a break and admire our handy work. I can see myself out there right now….holding my mug of cider with my little gloved hands and the steam coming up out of it as I take a sip! I am SO ready for Thanksgiving!

[blondetwin]

I'm really looking forward to the decorating too! The ladies of our church are doing a cookie exchange this year, and I am hoping to have it at my house. For me, it makes decorating more fun when you know that you have a whole bunch of people coming over to your house! :D

[callalily]

I don’t have a theme to our tree, but I pick up new ornaments from places where DH and I have traveled or special places we like to visit. It is enjoyable to unwrap an ornament bringing back a flood of wonderful memories when decorating the tree.

[Belle205]

I don’t have a theme for decorating for Christmas other than “Home for the Holidays.” I decorate with my favorite things which are holly, wreaths, lots of candles, clear lights, big red bows and lots of greenery. Animated things for the kids...Santa, snowmen, train. You can collect a lot of stuff over the years!

Our tree is definitely an old-fashioned tree. We use clear lights. I have ornaments that were my grandparents’, my parents’ and even my ornament that my mother let me hang on the tree when it was decorated. It is a little white plastic snowman with red highlights. I have a dated ornament for every year that Ronnie and I have been married. OMG, I have some that I made when we first married. They are so tacky but they have so many memories. Lots of ornaments that the kids made in school. I have ornaments with everyone’s name on them. Baby’s First Christmas ornaments for the grands. Special ornaments that friends have given us, some from places we’ve been, some collectible ones. Needless to say each one has a story. Lots of tears and laughs while we decorate the tree. Most of the laughing is at me for crying! They all watch to see which ornament sets me off…they probably make bets on it. They’ll say there she goes. :rolleyes:

[shannonmbp]

Lots of tears and laughs while we decorate the tree.

I'm glad to know someone else does that. And DD loves to hear the stories behind each one--the ones we had the first few years DH and I were married (and, you're right, some are tacky), the one we got at Tiffany's on Fifth Avenue a couple of months before DD was born--she likes me to tell her about each one. But I have two that especially bring a lump to my throat and when she asks me about those I tell her I'll explain when she gets a little older. I have two birthstone angel ornaments for the two babies I miscarried. I don't want to have to explain all that just yet, so I tell her they help me remember two special people.

[Belle205]

I have two birthstone angel ornaments for the two babies I miscarried.

Oh my Shannon, I have one birthstone angel ornament too...

[MindaAnn]

Oh my Shannon, I have one birthstone angel ornament too...

....and I think you both are very special people because you do that...

[Macey]

We do not have a theme for our tree. Our tree is full of memories of all kinds of ornaments. I always try to get a couple more every year to add to the tree. Memories are very special!

[Pool Lady]

For all the years (34) that we have been married, we have collected ornaments from every place we visit - from Maine to Hawaii. I have had friends bring ornaments from Australia, England, etc. We bought special ornaments for the kids when they were small. Now I buy them for my DGD. Our tree is filled with memories, all kinds of ornaments - kid made and others, and I wouldn't chang it for the world! Belle, I, too, hope we have a cold winter, but the predictions are for warm weather. I want a fire in the fireplace (may have to turn on the AC), hot cider, hot chocolate and Christmas music. Wish I could take the month of December off work!

[Angela Macy]

Last year I was asked by a older couple that my husband and I know to help them host their "Christmas House". They do it every other year. Their house was built in the 1800's (1870 - 90, I can't remember sure exactly when). Don is a retired ordained minister and has made a living restoring antique furniture. They love antiques so their house is like a museum. In August Helen will start decorating the house. Every room is decorated, and ever room has it's own Christmas tree. The house is magnificiantly beautiful. I took a lot of pictures last year and gave them an album of the pictures I took. They only invite Don's customers and their friends, but they had over 80 guests last year.

I figured I'd post some of the pictures of their Christmas trees. Each one has it's own theme.

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u194/AngelaMacy1967/HPIM1169.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u194/AngelaMacy1967/HPIM1232.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u194/AngelaMacy1967/HPIM1206.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u194/AngelaMacy1967/HPIM1175.jpg

[MindaAnn]

Sounds like a beautiful home, Angela...I know they appreciated your help. I enjoyed seeing the pictures...

[Angela Macy]

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u194/AngelaMacy1967/HPIM1156.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u194/AngelaMacy1967/HPIM1225-1.jpg

This is a picture of what their house looks like from the outside

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u194/AngelaMacy1967/HPIM1272.jpg

I even had my own outfit to match theirs...here's a picture of us together.

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u194/AngelaMacy1967/HPIM1311.jpg

[MindaAnn]

Thanks, Angela, for posting these pictures. The door knobs remind me of the ones in my grandparents house. The kind with the big key....I love old houses.
Someone spends a lot of time decorating all those trees!

[lulumaryjo]

Our family adds to our ornament collections every year too. We probably have enough to decorate more than one tree and maybe more than two! I have thought of separating them into themes, but I don't think we really need to do multiple trees.

When we are going to decorate the tree I unpack all the ornaments and lay them out on the table. I tell the kids and DH to hang the ones that are their favorites this year. No one hangs every one of their ornaments and each of us is welcome to hang one that was left on the table by someone else if they want to see it on the tree this year. When everyone is finished I take a picture of what was left "resting" this year. If I notice an ornament that has been "resting" for too many years then I might retire it or pass it along.

With five people in our family adding to the ornaments every year we have really amassed quite a few, but as we hang them we revisit when we got that particular one or why. One little ritual that has become tradition is to hide one of DH's ornaments from his childhood. Our children thinks it is very silly looking and they figure if he doesn't see it then it won't make it on the tree. I have found that ornament in drawers, behind nicnacs on shelves, tucked in plants... When we find it, it gets put on the tree yet another year!