My favorite Christmas/Holiday ornament

We use artificial tree's well because we have cats, I don't like a zillion pine needles. I think pine needles are like glitter the moment you think its gone it comes back to haunt you. I have had the same artificial tree for the majority of my life. My dad (Guardian) and I used to decorate it when I was a teen. Rick had a pitiful little tree when I married him as well. Then we decided to get a new tree together. So with the Sears campaign that gives gift cards to active duty troops I bought a new tree about 6 years ago. Well with fat cats sitting in the tree one of the limbs is broken and some of the pre lit lights are blowing out. So I am in the market for a new tree. The PX had some tree's real cheap after Christmas last year so I got a 7.5 foot for $15 and I also got a free one from the neighbor (I don't really remember this though LOL). Last week we were out at the storage unit and I am counting tree's there are 4 7.5 tree's 1 5 foot tree, 4 smaller tree's and one Charlie Brown tree... I was like where did these extra tree's come from? So we left the Sears Tree and Daddy's tree in the storage unit. Its just getting difficult for me to have to climb a ladder 12 feet in the air and put up Daddy's tree. Well see the tree has to be installed limb by limb one at a time so it takes work LOL. 12 feet up in the air on a ladder isn't where you want to do work. 

When Rick and I got married I had very few ornaments I left most of my ornaments behind in Georgia and they never made it back to me :(. Our first Christmas married Rick was deployed and I went on Freecycle and asked friends for older or unused ornaments and got several and that's how we started off. Then we have increased our collection by every member of the family buying an ornament every year and maybe getting a family ornament. This makes a really cool tree.. We have poly clay ornaments that I buy at a special shop here.. The kids like picking those out and personalizing them.

or sometimes we go the Hallmark route.. and the kids pick out their favorite Hallmark collectible ornament from that year. I love all things Dumbo :) Yes I have already been in the store this week and have Mama Jumbo and Dumbo on my wish list among others.

Then there are ones that are personal to us.. Events we went to, souvenirs we've collected, Huntsville landmarks, Military affiliated ornaments, Even our duty station used to have an ornament every year,

Of course the ones the kids made rock too!

(Alex when he was wee little ) 

We used to make them ourselves too a technique my Guardian taught me so that was a family thing we did for awhile. Here in this blog 

Sometimes there is even an occasional cat in the tree

We went from having barely enough ornaments to fill one tree to filling all of them with some ornaments left over.

So I think all the ornaments that tell a story that are close to my heart, the ornaments that bring back memories are my favorite.

This year I am slowly putting our tree's up. I have just started on the smorgasbord tree/ family tree, the Charlie Brown Tree, and a smaller tree up. Smorgasbord is not even done being decorated but here are some pictures from years past..