Christmas, Hand Made

We are almost done decorating this year! A Sharp first: we got the tree over Thanksgiving weekend. Despite a 7-3 win/loss record on tree life till Christmas, we adopted a new theory: we'll be buying from the same batch of trees next weekend, so why not get it now and put it in water. I'll let you know how this turns out.

And, I'll answer the question that I get asked every year... what kind of tree light people are we?

Answer: Giant colored, all the way. Aka: Old School; Kickin' it retro. I decorated trees for Martha Stewart. I appreciate a well-styled tree, but I'll take the family fun tree, any day.

My kids and I equally get excited to see all of the fun decor and family traditions as we unpack them. With my brood getting older, I am becoming ever bolder in letting them unwrap and set everything out themselves.

Among my most favorite decorations are our handprint artwork. A number of years ago, we started a tradition making a Christmas handprint for each year. My friend Kristi started it off by painting small canvases blue and making Santa handprints for both my children.Those reindeer are my son's thumbrints.We've added to our collection every year with a handprint to commemorate the year.

We also added Christmas plates into the collection.

When I stop and think about it, the ornaments that I love best are also handmade, especially photo ornaments. Beautiful and festive glass ornaments like Radko or my personal favorite brand, Old World Christmas (because when they break your heart and bank account doesn't) are a close second. But there is something magical about seeing the old handmade ornaments again after they've been stored for the past year. The same can be said for cross-stitched and pottery ornaments I treasure. They just fill you with the awe and sentimentality that is Christmas.

Paper, glue and glitter.... it couldn't get any simpler, but these are my favorites!There's nothing like seeing your dad as a kid!These beaded egg shell ornaments took hours to make and I treat them like gold Love my parents faces too..One boring saturday project... and now my daughter's angel eye lashes make me so happy!My mom saved that dress of mine. It is in my daughter's closet.The year she cut all her hair off... what a memory!So, before you take your decorating too seriously, enjoy the ornaments that your kids make in school. Hang them front and center on your tree. Cherish the traditions that are handmade. Their creation is a memory, their existance year after year is another. Before you know it, you will be giving them back to your grown children for them to put on their own tree. It's not materialistic. It's priceless.