Christmas Ornaments

"The perfect Christmas tree? 

All Christmas trees are perfect!" 
~ Charles N. Barnard

It has been a few years since I have decorated our tree with our old collection of ornaments.  This year after listening to the kids . . . and thinking about Charlotte - I thought it would be fun to use them again.  So last night we decorated the tree with Charlotte.  I forgot how much "fun" it is to decorate a tree with a two year old.  I think the bottom portion that she decorated is the best part of the tree.

When the boys were little they always had to hang these two ornaments together, with the reindeer pitching to Santa.  It is great how these simple little ornaments bring back memories.

One of Luke's first ornaments . . . when he was quite small and we called him "Roo".

One year there was a necklace hanging on this ornament - that Richard hid on the tree for me to find.  

On of my favorites.   There are actually six of these.  The first Christmas Richard and I were married we were living in Orlando, Florida.  We had only been married about three months.  He was in the Navy and we went out and bought a beautiful big Christmas tree . . . but had very few ornaments.  We threw a tree decorating party with all of his friends in the Navy.  (They had to bring an ornament to come to the party.)  What a fun party that was.  We had guys who bought us ornaments.  One guy went to White Castle - and got a free ornament with his hamburger.  Another young man stole an ornament off one of the trees on base.  Then there was this kit of little "Peanuts" characters that someone bought.  The kit came with glitter paint.  It still makes me smile to think of those young sailors in my living room drinking beer and painting little plastic Snoopy ornaments.  

Jacob's little socks from his first Christmas . . . 

We have quite a few Disney ornaments . . . 

Luke was a big fan of Mickey Mouse when he was little.

A count cross stitched ornament that I made years ago. 

 I believe I made quite a few of these for gifts.

The ornaments that the boys made in school are special of course.  

They were always so excited for us to open them and to hang them on the tree.

This is an Avon ornament that was a gift to Luke from my Great Aunt Myrt.  This was another one that Luke and Jake liked to hang on the tree each year.  

My Grandma had a collection of Campbell Soup ornaments.  I believe the collection was split up when she passed away . . . so everyone got a little piece of her collection.

Claus Construction - a gift to Richard one year . . . 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles . . . just as popular today and they were when my sons were young.  It is hard to believe those four masked turtles are still around and going strong. 

This is the first ornament Luke had to put on the tree.  It plugs into the string of lights so the inside actually lights up.  He laughed when he pulled it out of the ornament box . . . He had Charlotte help him hang it on the tree this year.  

Just a few of my favorite ornaments . . .  I found a few that need some repairs, which I will do before I pack them away.  I am also going to split them up . . . so each of the boys have the ones that belong to them.  It did my heart good to break out all those old sentimental ornaments.  It also did my heart good to watch Charlotte decorate the bottom of the tree.  It may not be a perfectly decorated tree . . . but it is beautiful and symbolizes what Christmas is all about to me.