Christmas Memories

Do you have any Christmas traditions in your family?  My family does.  We cut our tree at the local tree farm each year.  They always have warm cider and cookies on the weekends and Chandler looks forward to the cider every year.  When we went to tag our tree we saw a tree that was not only tagged, but decorated.  Now that's the way to tag a tree!

We picked one for ourselves.  We have to find one that's big enough.  We have a 16 foot ceiling in our family room.

Chandler was singing "I'm too sexy for my tree...." and goofing around.  I couldn't resist :-)

The boys were a little over anxious cutting the tree, so we had a little repair to do when we got it out of the field.

At home, Matthew helped Tom string the lights.  It's always a big debate, every year, white or colored?  I thought I was getting my favorite white lights this year, until I stepped away for a bit and came back to a colored strand wrapping the trunk!

This is where the old family tradition comes in.  My mother has always given me an ornament a year, since I was little.  When I got a home of my own, I had some ornaments to take with me.  It's a tradition I have continued with my own children.  This elf is the only ornament I have left from my childhood.  It gets special packing when we pack up after Christmas.

So does this one.  This is the only ornament Tom has from his childhood.  These two bring a smile to our faces every year.

This fall Tom and I went on our first cruise.  When I stumbled upon this ornament, I couldn't resist getting it for him :-)

Woody is Matthew's.  He was the perfect age for Toy Story when it was first released and he used to do the funniest impression of Woody, right down to the vacant look in his eyes when Andy was playing with Woody.  My mother found this for him years ago.

If you know Justin, then you know this one says it all for him, right down to that impish yet devilish smile!

Chandler's first Christmas, so sweet, but that's just the mother in me with her baby :-)

By the time we finish decorating, it's a tree full of memories.  Each ornament reminds me of an experience or trip, or a special interest each of us has had.

I don't think I'll be blogging again until after Christmas, so I'd like to wish you wonderful holiday!

May your hearts be full of joy and your homes with love!


Dianne