I love the Christmas season!
Normally – Christmas music will start playing just as soon as the Thanksgiving turkey is picked over and in the fridge.
But this year the girls caved early and started listening the week of Thanksgiving!
And the Christmas tree goes up – by the first of December – if not before.
I will admit that our Christmas tree will never grace the cover of a home and garden magazine, nor would a passing stranger admire it’s beauty.
But that doesn’t matter to me.
Why? Because our tree is decorated with memories. Each and every ornament has a story. Each one is an old friend.
There are ornaments from college friends, former students, and coworkers. There is one “First Christmas Together” ornament along with five “Baby’s First Christmas” ornaments.
Then there are the handmade ones, the art projects created by my children, the heirloom ornaments designed by our parents and Jan’s Grandma Moen’s tatted snowflakes and bells.
It’s not just a part of the Christmas decor – it is a document of our family history.
Just like everything else in our Christmas – it’s not about being picture perfect – it’s about making memories that tie us together as a family.
And that makes it a thing of beauty to me.
Blue Jeans and Cotton Tees 
Exactly like our tree – it is the best, nothing is prettier than when it means something!
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We have not gotten around to decorating for Christmas yet, but our tree is like what you described. It’s a hodgepodge of all the ornaments we’ve been given and the kids have made and I love it! 🙂
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It is a tree filled with love and THAT is the most beautiful of all. Blessings.
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Love those trees that are decorated from the heart not for the magazines. 🙂
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Your “story” tree is the best kind of Christmas tree. I use and reuse those ornaments that have a heart string attached as well. I also started a tradition where I put an ornament in the kids stockings each year, then when they move away, they took a little bit of home with them on their first Christmas away. We put ours up on the 13th (12 days of Christmas) and I am looking forward to that!
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I loved reading about your Christmas tree memories! I love reminiscing about Christmas tree memories.
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