Precious and Not So Precious Holiday Traditions
Holiday Treasures
This is the time of year for precious holiday traditions–and some not so precious!
Between finishing the decorating, plumbing problems, and an attack of the holiday crud that’s kept me away from the grandkids, I didn’t have time for a blog post this week. Instead, I immersed myself in cough medicine, antihistamines, mopping up water, and…precious memories.
First Christmas on My Own
After graduating from college, I took a job three hundred miles away from home. My first Christmas, I made ornaments for the tiny Charley Brown tree decorating my studio apartment. These satin balls are made with ribbon, jewels, and hat pins.
Homemade Holidays
That first Christmas, I also received a set of handmade ornaments from my eleven-year-old niece. She cut these from flour clay, baked them, and painted them. Pretty talented kid! She grew up to have four kids of her own–the youngest is nineteen.
More Kid Crafts
This little clothespin reindeer brings back happy memories of working with my son and his friends in their Cub Scout den.
School Crafts
I have a couple of these school picture ornaments with my daughter’s picture. My son complained last year that I don’t have any ornaments up with his picture. Which is true, but no doubt because they never made it from his backpack to the Christmas tree!
Memories of Loved Ones Lost
A beloved aunt made this crafty little ornament. It’s adorable–it came with a kiss. Squeeze the cheeks and you can hide a piece of candy inside!
Adopting a Tradition
My late brother-in-law’s parents immigrated to the U.S. from Germany, and always decorated their Christmas tree with birds. I loved these ornaments so much! It was many years before I found any in the stores, but now I have a collection of them in different sizes and colors.
Do you have a favorite decoration for the holiday season? Please share in the comments.
Not so Precious Holiday Traditions
Every year at the holidays, our drains decide to clog. So as I was mopping the laundry room floor this week (instead of working on my next story), I came up with some cheery lyrics. Sung to the tune of The Christmas Waltz:
Happy getting-ready-for-the-holidays season to you!
All Images are the author’s.
I appreciate your article. Our first tree was from my Dad’s tree patch (he brought it the 90miles to our apartment). We had little money for ornaments. I had started buying Hallmark ornaments in 1977 and a few. Grandma would always bake and decorate cookies to put on her tree, so I did the same. I also tied red ribbon on the branches. And finally I splurged and bought an angel for the top of the tree. We didn’t really have the $10 she cost, but she was beautiful. That was in 1978. She still sits on the top of our tree every year!
Merry Christmas!
Getting out the treasured ornaments and reliving happy memories is the best part of the holidays! Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones, Deborah, and thank you for taking the time to comment!
I love my Margaret Furlong Porcelain Angels, hearts and Stars, and snowflakes I’ve have collected for 35 years. She still makes them in Oregon.I Also LOVE my Peach and Cream Jokers, Ballerinas, fairy’s and hand made sewn stars and crocheted hats, etc.
Those collectibles and the handmade decorations are just the best! Thanks for stopping by, Carol.