So, maybe I am a bit sentimental. Or, maybe it’s just this time of the year. I love the holidays, once we hit October 1st, I’m on a high the rest of the year (of course, some of that could be the candy and breads and other goodies!).
Halloween is super fun, Thanksgiving is a great time to renew my vow to live a life of gratitude, but Christmas, Christmas is all about the family life I’ve made. Not just the nuclear and extended family, but my friends that have become family, too.
We put up our tree yesterday. I know it seems early; however, Thanksgiving comes late and well, it’s a lot of work to put my tree up and I want to enjoy it as long as possible! I’m sitting here with a nice bowl of chili, watching the Cowboys and letting the glow of the lights on the tree take me away! (And, well, because doing three things isn’t enough, I’m writing this blog post, too!)
Tons of memories are made this time of year, and in our family, our traditions have traditions! Every year when we were growing up, mom and dad would let each of us kids pick out an ornament for the tree. You could track our lives via the ornaments and year after year as we were putting our special ornaments on the tree, one of us would occasionally hold up an ornament and go “oh, I remember when…”
I’ve carried this tradition on with Mr. T, and yesterday was filled of moments “Oh, this was when you did this” or “I made this back when…”
Our tree is nestled in the corner of the living room, out of the way but still visible from every angle.
Here is the little stained glass church that was one of my childhood ornaments. It is the first ornament to go on the tree, period. Nothing goes on until I have placed this little guy. I absolutely love this ornament. I don’t remember when I got it, but it will always be my favorite!
Look! It has my name! All the way back from 4th grade!! Which also gives away my approximate age for those of you good at math!
Merry Kissmas! I got this ornament when I was a teenager – and you know you’re as old as me if you recognize the character!
Here is a new ornament! My friend Kari sent this to me all the way from Alaska! It’s entirely too awesome for words!
I bought this for Mr. T’s first Christmas – isn’t it adorable? I did have a traditional baby’s first Christmas ornament that was a beautiful blue china rattle sent to me by my friend Melissa; however, one year we dropped it and no amount of glue was fixing that!
First off, yes, there are candy canes all over our tree. I load the tree up with peppermint and mint chocolate candy canes. Everyone has gotten used to this and almost everyone who visits automatically grabs one off the tree to enjoy – including me and Mr. T!
Nestled among the branches and candy canes is Elmo, the first ornament that Mr. T picked out all by himself.
Here we have a cloths pin reindeer that Mr. T made when he was little.
Even Spongebob and Patrick get in on the action. And, to be clear – those are two separate ornaments, I realize now that it looks like they are attached, but they aren’t. We also have Shaggy and Scooby doo and on the other side of the tree in a perpetual battle you will find Spiderman and Dr. Octopus.
Putting up the ornaments gives me time to reflect on years past, think about the upcoming year and to spend 30 minutes with Mr. T where all we have to do is enjoy each other and sing along with Christmas carols playing in the background. We laugh and joke, reminisce and make plans and let the stress of the world melt away.
And then I put up another one of my ornaments… it pretty much speaks for itself!
On a slightly related note – I now have to go search for Supernatural ornaments – cause I think that I’d enjoying looking at this every year! Maybe when I write my letter to Santa I’ll ask if he can just wrap up Dean Winchester and leave him under my tree!
I love your tree and all its special bits and pieces. I’m hugely sentimental. The whole process this year has me in tears way too often. I also think I’m tired, it’s been a big year, but I’m realising time is passing by so quickly. I love love love Christmas and all its spccial moments. 🙂
Big years are hard, especially when we get to the end and all of it comes flooding back! Time is passing by quickly, but I’ve seen you stopping and enjoying it, so that’s a good thing! Here is wishing you a calm and memory filled Christmas!!
Thank you for the tree tour! I am new and appreciate the flash back.
I’m glad you are new!! 🙂 Thank you for stopping on by!
Thank you so much for brightening my day. I enjoyed your ornaments and the background of each to boot. I haven’t had a tree in so long due to my cats. But this year, I might just chance it. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Oh my, I love a tree! You should try it, even a small one, or skinny one!
Kate, thanks for putting a smile on my face and making my heart go pitter-patter (but in a good, not heart problem related way) with that JA picture – is it getting hot in here? 😉
Best wishes, not just for Christmas, but for each and every day. 🙂
One of the teenagers working the concession stand commented on the jacket pins I have of Dean, Sam and Cas that Mr T got me for Christmas a few years ago… and not kidding, we had a full 10 minute discussion on why we were Dean girls. LOL!! You’re awesome Donna and you better be taking time for yourself!! Don’t make me come up there!
Haha. Hope Santa grants your wish, Kate. You have some really lovely Christmas ornaments. 🙂
Thank you so much! And I hope that wish is granted, too!! 🙂
Opus is awesome 😀
Opus is the best!!! 😀
Reblogged this on Did That Just Happen Blog and commented:
I put up my tree the other day, and thought it would be fun to share some Christmas memories with the new followers of this blog… the rest of you can just sit through it again 🙂
Great post Kate!
Thanks mom!
Omygsh we pick out a special ornament too each year! I am planning a December post on the ones me and the hubby have collected since we have been together! That’s awesome! I love trees loaded with memories! (P.S.we put our tree up on Sunday too) Pictures coming soon 🙂
Yay!!! It’s like we are totally sisters!!! I can’t wait for your post and pictures of your tree!
I know right! I took pics of the tree, the animals playing in the tree stuff while it was going up as well as the special ornaments. Planning all kinds of holiday posts in December :-)!!
Every year since the kids were babies Santa put an ornament in their stocking. Our tree is always covered with cartoon characters and stuffies. They’re great memories though. Thanks for sharing your tree, it’s beautiful.
I love trees like that! And I love that Santa brings them an ornament each year, that’s a good twist!
Santa always went to a lot of trouble to find an ornament that suited their interests that year. It was great fun.
Sooooo nice! I love Christmas too and am looking forward to putting the tree up this year. Monkey’s granny is visiting soon so I’m saving it for her to enjoy with us. I might steal that idea about kids choosing an ornament every year. That’s a lovely tradition!
I think you should, we had fun with it and Mr. T has fun with it – even this year he goes “When do we get to go pick ornaments?” 🙂
Nawwwww
Thanks for visiting me.It’s nice getting to get to know you via your posts.(BTW, judging by the ornament, you are just a kid!)
And um, let me know if Santa drops Dean off there…I will be dropping by myself!
Thanks for the laughs this a.m. I like your Christmas wish at the end. 🙂 I so relate to your enjoyment of putting up the tree- and spending time together with no distractions. Such simple things go so far. 🙂
Very true, the simple things can go so far, and this is one of the times of the year that it’s easy for me to stop and remember that!
I really think if I ask Santa nicely, he’ll bring the fictional character to life for me!
Your family history on your Christmas Tree? What an amazing idea! Is it too late to start one with little T? I’m so envious now. I wish we could put up our tree too, but every year my husband and I argue about this. He thinks it’s too early! Oh well.
It’s never too late! I would start it this year! One year, Mr. T was in a play called “Surfing Santa” and we found an ornament of Santa in board shorts and a surf board! And he has picked beautiful crosses down to funny penguins. I still love picking my ornament each year, too! I think little T would have a blast picking an ornament this year, she’s at just the right age! 🙂
Will definitely take your advice Kate. Thank you! 🙂
It’s the BEST time! Love your decorations!
Thanks! I’ve really loved how the ornaments have progressed in Mr. T’s life, from Elmo, to Spiderman, and then we have a couple of beautiful crosses he has picked out to represent his faith as he’s gotten older!
Your posts always make me smile Kate 🙂 Love that you put your tree up early! I started putting up little things here and there in the house and the rest come out this week. Love the memories that come with decorating the Christmas tree. My hubby, his brother, and the boys were at the game today… it was freezing! Thanks for sharing your pictures and memories 🙂
Oh – it was a cold day to be at the game!! Normally I wouldn’t put the tree up until after Thanksgiving – but I just couldn’t wait anymore – plus, this was my only free weekend! The best part was, Mr T didn’t put up any fuss!! He must have been ready too! And, he’s already eaten half of the candy canes!
Aww, this was fun! My mom gave us an ornament every year as kids and now I decorate our tree with all of my childhood ornaments plus the ones I’ve gotten each year for my two babes plus the ones Tim and I have collected as a couple. Decorating the tree really is a time of cherished memories…so fun! We will be doing this next Saturday 😉
That’s the way a tree should be decorated – with only special ornaments! I remember a very happy day when we finally had enough special ornaments that I didn’t have to put on a single “filler” ball! I’m glad that you get to have those memories when you put up the tree, too! 🙂
In the past, I have toyed with the idea of a theme tree but always decide against it, too formal and generic for my taste 😉
I agree!!! I love the modge podge that is my tree!! Of course, I know that the day will come when I have to give T his ornaments, so the ones I’m buying now are more future-focused!
I hope it is a joyous holiday season for you and your family and your friend/family. How do you call it? May you make some more memories that you will sit around and talk about fondly one day.
I like the SpongeBob ornament.
P.S. Boo Cowboys.
I like the spongebob one, too! 🙂
I was dying at the end of the game! They pulled through though, even if it was by the hair on their chinny chin chin!
I’m sure you were.
What do you think – is it time coming down to that last week? The Eagles have a rough schedule till then. How about the ‘Boys?
I know we have the Raiders this Thursday… I haven’t looked beyond that. But, I will say that I’m glad the Eagles have a rough schedule, it sure would be nice for the Boys to win the division… not that it does us much good! 🙂
Just shut up!
Wow. Thank you so much for taking me on this beautiful journey of your Christmas tradition. I had a few tears in my eyes, thinking about our holiday traditions and putting up our tree and ornaments! It gets harder once they move out…
Peace on Earth ~ Good Will ~ and Best of Luck getting Santa to leave you a tasty treat like Dean Winchester! Ho Ho Ho!
Mom made us take almost all of our ornaments when we moved out, mainly so that our first tree would have ornaments but also so that she could finally have a grown up tree!
It’s still pretty awesome, I love the tradition!
And yes, I’ll ask Santa very nicely!!