Family Christmas Ornaments

Several years ago I started buying one Christmas ornament each year. When the kids came along, I began buying one for each of them and one for the family. My favorite part of decorating each year is opening up boxes and unwrapping each of the special ornaments from their packaging. I finally have enough that I don't even bother with glass balls or bows or anything else that detracts from the ornaments.

Along with the ones I've bought are ones that were given to us by friends through the years. Dan and Linda get the kids one each year and my mom has gotten them some as well. I hope to give the kids theirs when they're grown to add to their own family Christmas trees. Some years I don't find any that really speak to me, but this year I found the perfect ones.

I had ordered this one online before we went to the ballet. Had I known they would have merchandise for sale at the show, I would've waited and gotten her one there. Oh well, I do think this was is prettier than the ones they had there.

And I got Robert a snowman with a Christmas tree because he loves snowmen. We have a snowman yard decoration that he just loves. He points, smiles and says his version of snowman. (I can't even write it phonetically, so I won't even try.) He also loves the tree and toddles over to it saying "tih tih tee!" So this ornament was perfect.

And when I saw this one, I knew it was the one for our family ornament this year. It says "grrr-eat friend." I don't think I ever blogged about it, but Dingle died back in October. Although she still wasn't in pain, she wasn't walking at all and so Jason went ahead and had her put to sleep. (And then brought her home on a bread tray to bury in the backyard, but that's another story for another post.) We are so grateful to have such an amazing friend who would do this for our family. I thought remembering Dingle with her very own ornament would be nice this year. Of course Chris saw it and said, "You bought a dead dog ornament?" Men.

That was fun. I may have to go back and document Christmases past.