Every year there is a lot of emphasis put on decorating the Christmas tree. Some people even have multiple trees because one simply isn’t enough. Colour schemes are selected, decorations chosen with care…Everything must match. It needs to be perfect.
And while that’s all nice, it certainly isn’t me. The decorations on my tree might seem a little simplistic to some but, for me, they create a tree full of memories every year.
I always loved the ornaments the kids made at school and how proud they were to hang them on the tree. Here are a few that seem to make it onto the tree every year.
I saw this blue jay one Christmas and picked it up for my next-door neighbour because she loved blue jays. When you squeeze it it sounds just like one. After she passed, at the age of 100, her daughter gave it back to me as a remembrance of her. This ornament reminds me of the time I spent with her and the Christmases I helped decorate her tree.
This Christmas tree owl my daughter made the year Miss Charlotte was born. It came with a poem—a story about a little night owl named Charlotte who didn’t like sleeping at night. I’m happy to report that she did outgrow that night owl stage.
I posted this one on Facebook a few days ago. It was made from Miss Charlotte’s hand print the year she was two.
This is a painted bulb of our house more than ten years ago. Some subtle changes dates this one for me.
Aunt Elsie made a few ornaments that adorn our tree every year. This one she made my daughter and it doubled as a tag on her gift that year. That has to have been nearly 30 years and dear Aunt Elsie is no longer with us.
Here’s a silly one my daughter made last year. It brought plenty of laughter on Christmas day. I posted this one on Facebook, too. Cracks me up!
My son’s Baby’s First Christmas ornament. This year he has two babies celebrating their first Christmas. Exciting times!
I have a few of these birds that I always put on my tree. We had the same kind on our tree when I was a kid and I loved them. I bought these in 1979 the year we got married.
Over the years a few friends have tole painted ornaments for me. Can’t help but think of them, the fun we’ve had over the years, as I hang them on the tree.
So there are a few memories from my Christmas tree. While my tree is not fancy and will never make the cover of a magazine it warms my heart every year. I couldn’t imagine not finding a spot to hang these ornaments among the branches. And really, isn’t that what Christmas is all about, the memories, the love and laughter?
Wishing you all a Christmas filled with much love and warm memories, and may 2016 surpass your expectations and dreams.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Laura Best 
angela wilson
/ December 20, 2015Every Christmas tree is unique. For years I had the same ornaments (a lot of them were homemade by others) and everything was red, green, gold and white with red ribbons throughout. Then, about two years ago, I redid the colour scheme with torquoise, silver and white with white lights, and lots of white angels and doves. This year I redid the colour scheme again with pinks, purples, turquoise and green, with purple garland. The tree is very special and I like to play on that.
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Laura Best
/ December 20, 2015You’re absolutely right, Angela. All Christmas trees are unique and it’s amazing all the different variations and decorations we see. I’ve always been i awe of people who could pick a colour scheme and decorate accordingly. I’m not nearly so talented. The colours you describe in your tree suits your personality. I love it! Merry Christmas, Angela. I hope we see each other again soon. It was so wonderful reuniting with you after all these years. 😀
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Sheila Macdougall
/ December 20, 2015Merry Christmas to you and Brian. All the best in 2016.
Sent from my iPad
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Laura Best
/ December 20, 2015Merry Christmas to you and John! And thanks for always reading my posts. You’re a real gem, Sheila! 😀
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Diane Tibert
/ December 20, 2015Your tree is similar to mine. There is a story to many of the ornaments. Some of my ornaments are 50 years old. The elderly lady who lived up the road from us at the farm where we drew our water in the 60s and 70s, gave them to me before she passed away. When I grew up and got my license and her husband passed way, I would take her to appointments and to get groceries. When my kids were small, they made ornaments every year, and of course, I had plenty of nieces and nephews to give me handmade ornaments. Each year, I put on little blue bells my father picked out in the 70s. They were his favourite, so when he passed away, they came to me.
I have a few bought ornaments, but for the most part, they are handmade. I used to work at Lakeland Plant World in Dartmouth, and each fall we would set up the Christmasland display. That’s where I learned to light and decorate a tree in less than an hour. I could strip a tree faster. That’s where I also admired, then lost the admiration for commercial family trees. I understand some women go for all the glitter and colour themes, but I’m not one of them.
Thanks for sharing your wonderful ornaments. And Merry Christmas. It’s about getting that time.
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Laura Best
/ December 21, 2015You have lots of memories on your tree as well! I’m not surprised. I also put my cards into the Christmas box each year and take them out and read the little messages. Some of them from people who have passed and so it makes them extra special to me.
Merry Christmas, Diane to you and your family and have a fantastically creative and successful 2016!
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Margaret
/ December 21, 2015I have some of those to Laura special memories .
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Laura Best
/ December 21, 2015And they are so VERY special, aren’t they Marg. Merry Christmas to you and Don and all the best in the New Year! Thanks for being so supportive of my writing over the years. 😀
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Let's CUT the Crap!
/ December 21, 2015This is a wonderful post. Indeed each year as we dress the tree, my ornaments have their stories told. Love you handmade ones. Merry Christmas to you, Laura, and to your family. 🙂
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Laura Best
/ December 21, 2015Thanks, Tess. I find your term “dress the tree” quite unique. I’ve never heard it before. Here we either decorate or trim the tree. Merry, Merry Christmas to you, Tess. I’m sending you many positive vibes for your writing in 2016!
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Let's CUT the Crap!
/ December 21, 2015I’m surprised. Might it be an Ontario saying? I’ve heard ‘dressing’ the tree forever.
Thank you, lovely lady. I need all the positive vibes for writing I can collect. ❤
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Laura Best
/ December 21, 2015Could be an Ontario thing. Since we’re on the subject of “dressing” I’m curious do you “dress” your feet. That’s what we always say but apparently that’s considered a bit odd to some people. They just put on their socks! 😉
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Let's CUT the Crap!
/ December 21, 2015Ha ha. No, we don’t dress our feet. This is all so interesting, isn’t it?
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Carol Ann Hoel
/ December 21, 2015What a beautiful Christmas tree adorned with treasures that stir up sentimental feelings in your heart. Christmas is a wonderful time to visit the past that makes us who we are. Blessings to you, Laura…
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Laura Best
/ December 21, 2015Thanks, Carol Ann. You’re right, the past does make us who we are!
Call me a sentimental fool. I couldn’t imagine not putting these ornaments on my tree and I’m looking forward to new ones from all the grand kids in time to come!
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Leah
/ December 21, 2015Love your tree!! My daughter, now 16, cringes every time I hang up the ornaments she’s made me over the years, from ages three to eleven. She keeps trying to convince me that they’re awful, hideous looking, amateurish, blah blah blah. I tell her no way am I ever parting with any of them because SHE made them for me.
Christmas is all about, the memories, the love and laughter
Exactly 😀
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Laura Best
/ December 21, 2015Thanks, Leah! Nice to know you’re still out there! I can’t believe your daughter is 16…Wow! I suppose at that age these homemade memories just aren’t cool anymore, but in time she’ll understand. She had you for a mum after all!
Merry Christmas and happy writing in 2016. I do hope you’re still finding time to write. 😀
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cluculzwriter
/ December 21, 2015I’m helping a lady construct her blog. I showed her your blog as one that always lifts my spirits. This post is a fine example of that. Your ornaments are wonderful. I bet your tree stands tall and proud and beautiful. Thanks for sharing this, Laura. You’ve written a wonderful post.
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Laura Best
/ December 21, 2015You are too sweet, Joylene! Thanks for always saying just the right thing. Merry Christmas to you and your family and here’s hoping 2016 brings you nothing but success in your writing!
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Judi
/ December 21, 2015Merry Christmas, Brian, Laura and all the family. I have a FEW homemade ornaments on my tree also. I love them and now I have homemade ones from my grandchildren which are very special to me. I put them on every year. As you know I’m not one for colours matching. Except for my quilts that I make, and sometimes I’m not real good at that. See you sometime over Christmas.xoxo
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Laura Best
/ December 21, 2015I hope you recognized at least one of those ornaments, Judi. 😉 I love my Mrs. Claus sled. There’s another one you made me on the tree but I couldn’t post them all!
Homemade ornaments made by grand children are very special indeed! I’m sure I’ll see you on Thursday! Merry Christmas to you and Lee and all the kiddlings. 😀
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lissa
/ December 21, 2015these are so sweet. I like that things can bring you memories that you might have forgotten but it always comes back when you look at them. such great pieces to decorate a tree, definitely the right name – the memory tree.
hope you have a lovely holiday.
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Laura Best
/ December 21, 2015Thanks, Lissa! I hope you have a lovely holiday as well. I look forward to visiting your lovely blog in the New Year! 😀
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Darlene
/ December 21, 2015I love your memory tree! I have always had special ornaments for my tree too, some made by the kids, some gifts from special people and some I picked up in my travels. But alas I didn´t bring them with me to Spain. They are now part of my daughter´s collection. So I have had to start over, which is OK. Enjoy the tree and the family this Christmas!
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Laura Best
/ December 22, 2015Thanks, Darlene. I suppose there is only so much one can move and I’m sure you’ll find some interesting ornaments in Spain. I’m enjoying see the photos from your part of the world. Merry Christmas and much writing success in the future!
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Darlene
/ December 23, 2015Thanks Laura!!
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Carol
/ December 22, 2015So nice to see all your memory ornaments! The bird is one almost identical to one I have, also from my parents’ tree when I was a youngster. I’ve saved a lot of our family’s handmade ones, too. They bring back such great thoughts of precious family times together.
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Laura Best
/ December 22, 2015Those birds are everywhere! Wishing you a Merry Christmas, Carol and much happiness and success in the New Year!
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pattisj
/ December 23, 2015That’s the best kind of tree. You get to revisit those memories every year as you decorate, and then again as you put them away for another year. Merry Christmas!
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