BikeBookBread Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 So, how do you decorate your tree? From the looks of trees at stores, you would think everyone had a "theme" tree...there are too many happy memories building a tree for me to just go and buy an entire theme for a Christmas tree! We have a lot of homemade ornaments, nostalgic ones from childhood and now a few "theme" ornaments -- or at least what we have gravitated towards over the years: shiny, blown glass ornaments like those made by "Olde World Christmas" Pollonnaise and Radko (I said *like* although we do have a few Radkos :)). I also noticed that we have quite a few Peanuts ornaments...this wasn't intentional, kind of just happened. This year I decided to move towards a predominantly red, white and silver look. We have red star garland, white lights, a silver star, and a few silver balls as filler ornaments. I'd love to hear about your trees! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkacademy Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 It is so funny that you brought this up! I grew up in Palm Beach Florida I think it is like theme tree capital of the year LOL. I couldn't wait to grow up and have a beautiful tree like the ones at all my friends houses. Unlike ours with a mismatch of stuff and just crummy looking in my opinion. I just couldn't wait. I had mt first child 12 years ago and never ever thought of the TREE I was meant to have until this year. I have 4 kids now and it is such a mismatch of stuff. Things they have made, things they have been given, alot passed from my mom and I think I have the most beautiful tree in the world !! The theme.... family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cin Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Our tree leans heavily towards a cabin style tree, with moose, elk, birch, and hunting style ornaments, but it is starting to get more 'littered' with fun ornaments now that we have children. We were married for 14 years before we had children, so we had plenty of time to collect just the right ornaments to make our tree 'perfect.' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 We hang our ornaments on a chainmail clad mannequin named Mabel. The hanging is completely governed by which links have a gap big enough to thread them on. :D Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cammie Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 We hang our ornaments on a chainmail clad mannequin named Mabel. The hanging is completely governed by which links have a gap big enough to thread them on. :D Rosie :lol: OMG I totally want to grow up in your house!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariannNOVA Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 We hang our ornaments on a chainmail clad mannequin named Mabel. The hanging is completely governed by which links have a gap big enough to thread them on. :D Rosie I LOVE it! THAT is so funny!:lol::lol: My mom always did theme trees, and they were so flipping boring....because her themes were boring! I have one tree that has all the ornaments that our family has collected over the years -- the kids were looking at the ornaments as we put them on the tree Saturday night, and were amazed that some of the ornaments were given to their older siblings were the olders were one and two years old (I date everything). So, that is one tree! Then, there is the 'theme' or lack of theme tree -- whichever collection I feel like using: Nutcracker, baby's breath, victorian, pink, blue, white, whatever -- that is usually the tree in the living room or the 'big' tree as we call it. And, finally, there is the 'blue' tree which is a white artificial tree with blue lights and blue and crystal ornaments -- THAT was the tree I used to put up in my classroom when I taught (at a Christian school) and now it goes in the kids playroom. I haunt Michael's and places like that the week after Christmas and in July to look for new themes or for ornaments that will be a good addition to themes I already have.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 We have so many different kinds of ornaments! I would like to have one big tree with lots of variety, and then maybe two little ones that are specific. I have so many ornaments that I could do themes for years and not use them all up. Let's see: Santa Clauses, angels, strawberries (don't ask), wild nature/outdoors, German, sacred...yup, I could occupy myself with themes for quite a while. One thing I would hate is a monochromatic tree. What is UP with that whole 'all purple' or 'all red' thing? I just do not get it. Boring! This year at the Dickens' Faire I bought a set of pewter ornaments of the 12 days of Christmas. As if I needed any more ornaments! la la la I can't hear you la la no such thing as too many ornaments! la la la la Hot cider, anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugarfoot Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 We have two main trees downstairs. They are both done entirely in whatever's meaningful. We have ornaments that belonged to my grandparents, my deceased uncle's ceramic handprint that he made in kindergarten, Hallmark "series" that we've collected for one reason or another, things from every trip that we've taken, etc, etc. I think that meaning and memories trump theme, but that's me. I know people who have over 10 different theme trees throughout their house, and the tradition of doing that has become meaningful to them.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Long ago we started decorating with wooden ornaments...you'd never know it now. :D Everyone has favorites and they all go up. I'll never forget the year my mother put up a small, pink, flocked tree! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber in AUS Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 In our house the only ornaments we have are ones that we have collected from every place we have ever travelled plus the Swarovski Christmas stars than my DH buys me for Christmas each year. So our theme is 'our life'. There is no tinsel and no tree topper just yet. Our tree is for remembering :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 No theme here....just lots of memories on our tree. Our kids get a new ornament each year. It has to represent something they enjoyed that year, whether it be a soccer ball, favorite cartoon character, or something else. We have ornaments from the year DH and I were married. We have photo ornaments pre-kids when my dog was my baby and we went and got our photo with Santa at the pet store. We have hand made ornaments from MIL. We have ornaments from when I was a child. My parents got us an ornament each year growing up and gave them to us when we moved out (this is what I'm doing with my own children). So I have ornaments with 1980 printed on them. Themed trees may look nice, but I prefer my tree full of memories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikeBookBread Posted December 8, 2009 Author Share Posted December 8, 2009 Every child runs away from home (so they think) at one time another, or at least pack up and try to ;). The year that I did was when was six. It was the year that my parents bid and won on a complete Christmas decor package at a charity auction. The theme was gold and white. Gold and white only. My Mom didn't want to put up my red Christmas stocking (at least that's what I heard her say, but she still contends that this was not her intention at all! :lol:) I packed my pink groovy flower suitcase with teddy bear, PJs and I think my piggy bank which had about $1.25 in it and hid in the backseat of my Dad's '64 T-bird. He drove up to the grocery store without knowing I was back there...I popped up from the backseat when he stopped at the grocery because I was SO scared, and he nearly had a heart attack. All over a red stocking and a theme tree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest janainaz Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 We get a real Noble Fir, use tons of colored lights (the more, the merrier), old fashioned glass ornaments and anything whimsical. I have tons of snowflakes - white-glittery ones and some that look like ice (they really glow with the lights), and I have silver snowflake garland. It almost looks like jewelry - it's so pretty. We had the colored tree with all the fun ornaments when we were kids. For years, before my kids were born, I did a fancy tree, but it was not a fun tree. My sister started buying me tons of ornaments when my first son was born and she'd find the most whimsical, old-fashioned, glowy, sparkly, magical stuff. When Christmas comes, my kids love getting out the ornament box and pulling it all out. Has anyone ever used angel hair? I have an aunt that would flock her tree and use the angel hair on it and it was breathtaking. It would make the lights glow at night and words can not describe how pretty it was. There is not a tree on the planet that could compare with the tree she decorated at Christmas. It was massive and she would use beautiful fabric bows and birds and I can't even remember what else, but it was amazing. Her tree was truly a work of art. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nrg Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Our theme is homemade over the years. We have plenty, mostly Swedish stars, straw stars, wax snowflakes and cinnamon snowflakes, with a bunch of wooly angels and beeswax ones. This hodgepodge is accented with dried orange and dried, cinnamoned, apple slices. Add tinsel and lights and, well, we love it. This is the first year nobody is interested in creating anything new. They do grow all the way up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwjx2khsmj Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 I tried for a themed tree one year. Santas, red and white. Now I just enjoy the memories that roll out of the boxes as we put all our ornaments on the tree. We have ornaments from dh and my childhood trees, hand made ornaments, cinnamon ornaments with bites missing, Christmas letters from my Grammy, pieces of Christmas cards, daisies, mice and the occasional stuffed animal. We even have two tree toppers (the angel is hung on a star) because we couldn't reach a consensus one year. My only requirement is that the lights are white and that they don't flash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cougarmom4 Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 I guess our tree theme would be homemade memories. While growing up, we would always make a new ornament for the tree--and my Mom made sure she had five--one for her & Dad to keep, one for each of us 4 girls to take with us. So when I started with my own tree, I had a box of ornaments all ready for me. Since I've been married, I've continued that tradition and usually do a new ornament (but I make 6-12...not that I'm going to have that many kids, but I don't want an empty tree when the kids take all the ornaments!). Also, years ago while dh was in law school, a group of ladies in my area started an ornament exchange. If there were a dozen of us, we'd each make 12 homemade ornaments, come together at a party, and go home with 12 different ornaments (you know, one of each person's). It has made decorating our tree into one of my favorite things...as we put these ornaments up I talk to the kids about the memories attached. I always shed a few tears...thinking down memory lane. And my kids always laugh at me a bit...I guess it's tradition. I think the themed trees look pretty in the stores, but I guess I prefer the homemade, craftsy, cutesy type of ornaments...more of a homespun type of Christmas decor at my house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Hmmm. I've gone the other way this year. I've never had a theme tree until this year. It's always been a mish-mash of ornaments. And, (I know I'm in the minority) I've always hated it. This is my 17th Christmas being married and I've hated my tree for 17 years. So, this year, I went ahead with a set color scheme (not really a "theme"--just matching balls.) And for the first time in 17 years of marriage, I love this tree. And my boys (who are 4 and 7) love it, too. I was afraid they'd be upset, but they just love it and keep saying how beautiful it is. It has absolutely NO personality, but it really is pretty. I'm happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 DH and I started buying 1 Hallmark ornament each year since we got married. So each year we go pick out the family ornament. Now that it's been 12 years we 12 family ornaments from Hallmark and then a bunch of fun ones from Hallmark that we got when the kids started coming (things like 1 fish 2 fish red fish blue fish, baby's first for each of the kids etc.) When we first started out DH and I had our lonely Acorn with 2 squirrels inside "Our first Christmas" hallmark ornament and a bunch of cheap ball ornaments from walmart, now the tree is a majority of hallmark ornaments but that acorn always goes at the center top just under the star. When my oldest son was 4 he wanted a nutcracker so bad, we bought one and it happened to have the year printed on the front of the base, well that became a tradition too, and now we have 7 nutcrackers standing at attention on our fire place hearth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paintedlady Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 (edited) Our tree is also a collection from the last 16 years together. Everything from fun & whimsical to delicate glass blown to paper snowflakes, and it has to have colorful lights, not white. And most years, with the exception of a couple when the kids were tiny, we have a real tree. The only theme like thing on our tree are the ribbon and tree skirt kind of match. The ribbon is a red & white candy stripe and the tree skirt looks like one of those swirled peppermint candies. Our tradition for the tree is that after it's all lit and decorated we watch daddy put the angel on the tree and all ooh and over her. We've had her since we first got married, and although we've discussed replacing her with a new model, no one will ever agree to it. She's there to stay I guess. :001_smile: Edited December 8, 2009 by Paintedlady Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usetoschool Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 (edited) Well I am going to be the downer here as far as special ornaments and happy family memories :glare: Didn't inherit any ornaments, didn't have anything nice so 15 years ago we made it one of our traditions to pick a theme and decorate the tree every year. The kids take turns choosing the theme but everyone has to agree. Last year was garland made of old fashioned salt water taffy (yes, yes it did take a really long time to make - we tied it together with yellow and pink and blue curling ribbon), pastel candy canes, tinsel and some other stuff I don't recall at the moment. Other years it has been elegant red and gold or country green and red. We don't spend a lot of money, try to use stuff we have or can make fairly cheaply. The biggest expense has been the different kinds of lights - colored old fashioned ones, small white, round pearly looking ones...It is fun for us to choose the theme and come up with the ideas, and we don't decorate the tree until our little family party on Christmas Eve so it is fresh and fun and beautiful and kind of new and awe inspiring on Christmas morning. This year we are having a wedding reception for a friend so the tree will have to be decorated early, but her wedding colors and my daughters bridesmaid dresses chose the theme for the tree for us - the fact that we don't have a regular set of ornaments made it really easy to decorate for her reception! Edited December 8, 2009 by jcooperetc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annabanana1992 Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Well it's a bit out of control around here, but here goes... 1. Living Room tree - Fancy ornaments from when we first got married (we were married at Christmas) Silver, crystal, china etc. 2. Family Room tree - all the kids homemade ornaments from over the years 3. Dining Room - "joy tree" big silver wooden letters spelling "JOY" and complementing white and silver ornaments 4. Kitchen - red/black with kitchen utensils, cookie cutters, etc 5. Laundry room - garden theme 6. DD's room - pink tree with girly stuff 7. DS's room - boys and their toys theme - sports, outdoor stuff 8. Kid's bathroom - Under the Sea theme 9. Plotting a sewing theme for me for the next tree... K-mart Martha Stewart is great for themes and we make a lot of the ornaments... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkInTheBlue Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 We've always had a family tree and I love it. Next year I'd like to have our family tree and a "pretty" tree. We'll see. I've been wanting to do that for years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty in Pink Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 We have a family tree with lots of ornaments, none of which really match, but they all bring up fond memories. We have a few ornaments that my dh made when he was a child, ornaments my children have made, 'family' ornaments that we have received as gifts over the years (the ones that are personalized with our names on them), ornaments that have been passed down by loved ones, a few whimsical santas, and this year we incorporated some red, beaded garland as well. We have a very large, artifical, pre-lit tree with colored lights. My dh strings the tree with bubble lights (a family favorite). Our angel is, dare I say, fiber optic! I know, I know. She is not my favorite but the children adore her. Our tree is pretty large so everything is nicely space, not too cluttery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cammie Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Well it's a bit out of control around here, but here goes...1. Living Room tree - Fancy ornaments from when we first got married (we were married at Christmas) Silver, crystal, china etc. 2. Family Room tree - all the kids homemade ornaments from over the years 3. Dining Room - "joy tree" big silver wooden letters spelling "JOY" and complementing white and silver ornaments 4. Kitchen - red/black with kitchen utensils, cookie cutters, etc 5. Laundry room - garden theme 6. DD's room - pink tree with girly stuff 7. DS's room - boys and their toys theme - sports, outdoor stuff 8. Kid's bathroom - Under the Sea theme 9. Plotting a sewing theme for me for the next tree... K-mart Martha Stewart is great for themes and we make a lot of the ornaments... :drool: Wow. That is just awesome. I thought my mom was big on Christmas but I think you just won the prize!! BTW - where do you put a tree in the bathroom?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Well, for the last 12 years (since having kids), ours has been decorated with 95% handmade, 100% unbreakable ornaments, multicolored lights, and assorted beads. One of these days, I'd love to bring my beautiful glass, crystal, and otherwise precious and fragile ornaments back out (but not with a cat and a 4yo). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vida Winter Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 I use blue lights and white, silver, and blue ornaments. Plus a few homemade and novelty ornaments (like the Star Trek one that talks). I love to look at the tree at night with no other lights on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaT Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Our tree is a mismatch of ornaments the kids have made, our yearly ornaments that are dated, all of our "baby's first Christmas" ornaments and just a general hodgepodge. We have ornaments that my sil made for me before she passed away. We love our tree; it is full of memories. We have a tradition of decorating the tree together with Christmas music going in the background. We have fun looking at all the ornaments and remembering together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 I did not want to take out all decorations this year. I had purchased some red and silver ornaments at after Chirstmas sales last year and that's my theme for my tree this year except for a few older ornaments the kids insisted on adding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Well it's a bit out of control around here, but here goes...1. Living Room tree - Fancy ornaments from when we first got married (we were married at Christmas) Silver, crystal, china etc. 2. Family Room tree - all the kids homemade ornaments from over the years 3. Dining Room - "joy tree" big silver wooden letters spelling "JOY" and complementing white and silver ornaments 4. Kitchen - red/black with kitchen utensils, cookie cutters, etc 5. Laundry room - garden theme 6. DD's room - pink tree with girly stuff 7. DS's room - boys and their toys theme - sports, outdoor stuff 8. Kid's bathroom - Under the Sea theme Wow! We have one real tree in the sitting room with all the ornaments we have picked up over the years. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 (edited) Oops! Double post. Edited December 8, 2009 by JudoMom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Our tree is sparkley. I grew up with a Hallmark ornament tree, but the thing I remember most is how it sparkled when I snuck down to check out what Santa left in the middle of the night. So now our tree has white & colored lights, thin gold & silver tinsel, ropes of small "disco" balls, and white and silver ribbon. The ornaments are mostly ornaments that my Mom has given us over the years, with some gold, silver, and red glass balls, and glittery white snowflakes mixed in. The angel on the top is a gold beaded angel I bought at Target 9 years ago. Our first tree was topperless, and I fell in love with this angel but couldn't afford it. I woke up early the day after Christmas and went to their after Christmas sale and they had one of these angels left and I was able to get her for a steal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annabanana1992 Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 :drool: Wow. That is just awesome. I thought my mom was big on Christmas but I think you just won the prize!! BTW - where do you put a tree in the bathroom?? Um... like I said, a bit out of control...:lol: Just in the corner of the bathroom on a stool. The tree is only about 4 feet high... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Well I am going to be the downer here as far as special ornaments and happy family memories :glare: Didn't inherit any ornaments, didn't have anything nice so 15 years ago we made it one of our traditions to pick a theme and decorate the tree every year. The kids take turns choosing the theme but everyone has to agree. Last year was garland made of old fashioned salt water taffy (yes, yes it did take a really long time to make - we tied it together with yellow and pink and blue curling ribbon), pastel candy canes, tinsel and some other stuff I don't recall at the moment. Other years it has been elegant red and gold or country green and red. We don't spend a lot of money, try to use stuff we have or can make fairly cheaply. The biggest expense has been the different kinds of lights - colored old fashioned ones, small white, round pearly looking ones...It is fun for us to choose the theme and come up with the ideas, and we don't decorate the tree until our little family party on Christmas Eve so it is fresh and fun and beautiful and kind of new and awe inspiring on Christmas morning. This year we are having a wedding reception for a friend so the tree will have to be decorated early, but her wedding colors and my daughters bridesmaid dresses chose the theme for the tree for us - the fact that we don't have a regular set of ornaments made it really easy to decorate for her reception! I love it! What a wonderful tradition :001_smile:! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 We have a tree in every room. I know that is a little much, but when we moved here (on staff at a church), they asked us to be on the tour of homes. It was the easiest way to quickly decorate. Our main tree in our living room has all the sentimental ornaments. We started a few years ago collecting ornaments on our trips, so that has been fun to add in. Our dd's tree is white with pink/blue ornaments to match colors in her room. Our ds's tree is decorated with candy garland, candy canes, and gingergread people. The top is a gingerbread angel with a star. The tree in our playroom is decorated with lights and icicles, and ours if red. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 We have high ceilings, so our one tree in the living room is usually about 8 feet tall. We buy it at Home Depot most years, and only pay about $35--this is after years of living in Dallas and FL, where the trees are so expensive! Decorating the tree is one of my favorite Christmas activities--not because it is themed or coordinated, just because each ornament is meaningful--truly! We have some handmade things from the kids; a special wooden heart made by a friend that says "Halfway," from our time in Seminary when we were halfway thru the 3 years; paper and sequins ornaments made by Dh's mom when he was living in Columbus and had no money for ornaments; some from our childhoods; etc. The last ornament is a plastic and glitter bird with metal "fringe-y wings" that I found in the street when I was about 10--it's missing some glitter and all, but it's been on all my trees since I was 10, so hey, why stop now? lol Most of our ornaments reflect our faith. To each his own, for sure, but I don't put many secular ornaments on. We finish with metal tinsel, and a star on the top--we used to have an angel--she held two little lights in her hands and one time, we stuck them in her orange hair--she looked like the Bride of Frankenstein, so we ditched her...:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 I almost got sucked in to the theme thing this year. Then I realized that I have a theme already - Our Family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdie Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Our tree is a hodge podge of ornaments - handmade, children crafts, gifts and store bought. I love it that way. For the rest of the home I try to buy holiday decorations that I love using a color scheme - burgandy for the color, gold for the metalic and velvet for the texture. It kind of keeps the rest of the house tied together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjzimmer1 Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 When I was a kid someone gave me a kit for making Christmas ornaments with beads and sequins that you push into those styrofoam balls covered with colored threads. I was completely hooked. In high school and college I made many ornaments (some from kits and some my own designs). They are very elaborate not the kinds you find at stores now. I have a star tree top that took over 40 hours to make that single piece. Each piece is unique. I have over 100 of them. I haven't made any new ones in 12 years since my oldest was a baby. Too many small pieces and trays of stick pins to mix well with small children. But I have boxes of supplies, some day I will make them again. So "my" tree would have all my ornaments with sparkly colored lights on the tree. However, we have never had good places to display a tree and keep the kids out of arms reach so usually we have a hodgepodge of homemade things, pictures the kids drew attached to strings etc, whatever we felt like making that year. Honestly it's ugly, but it makes my kids smile seeing their work on display and so I am happy to do it and make memories for them. When they are grown up and can respect my ornaments, I can have "my" tree again. They are little for such a short time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coralloyd Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 A hodge podge famliy theme here also (love it this way!). Along with the yummy flavored candy canes that we go and pick out each year as a family. We each pick our own flavor, and snack on them throughout the month :D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie4b Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Ours is a motley collection and that's the way I like it. We decorate with little white lights and larger colored lights, candy canes, and ornaments that the kids have collected or made over the years. I'm not into themed trees, and don't think I'll be into them even after the kids are grown. I hope to have grandkids' homemade ornaments then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsrevmeg Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 I really like themed trees. I like white lights and gold and white ornaments/bows etc. Yes, they are boring, but I think they are beautiful. We have three sons. Sons who love to make things for the tree. Sons who like to run in the house, even thought they are told millions upon millions times NOT to run in the house. So, my nicer ornaments have been broken over the years and replaced by things made of glitter, craft foam, popsicle sticks and light bulbs. I have really hated the tree, until this year. I started thinking about how much they love the colored lights. And what would I do with the ornaments they have made over the years? Some of our ornaments may not be much to look at, but there was a lot of love put into them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 For many, many years, I had a tree with a blue and white snowman theme. White lights. A few years ago, dh confided in my how much he HATED this tree and how it didn't feel like a "family" Christmas to him with such a "perfect, I can't touch it" tree. Now, we use colored lights and hand made ornaments. I even used tensil this year (which I have not used in DECADES). I have to admit...it does feel more like a "family tree" now. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aubrey Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Dh & I had this discussion early in marriage. Then, being the *man* that he is, he had the *gall* to tell his MOTHER, "Aubrey *hates* *junk* trees." First Christmas we were married, *at* his parents' house, *while* helping them decorating their, ahem, "junk tree." She likes me anyway, thank goodness. In dh's defense, mil was offering me dh's handmade "ornaments" from when he was a kid. I was already bracing myself for the day when we'd have to hang our own kids' homemade ornaments on the tree. Now, though? I've mellowed. Iow, we have a "junk tree." And our dc aren't in ps, so there aren't any construction paper ornaments. (But still, I can only take it for so long. All the junk on the tree screams at me the same as clutter, begging to be cleaned up.) Last yr, I made a felt tree, & the dc & I ea made a felt ornament to stick on the tree like a felt board. I figure that's the tradition now, since they've all (incl dh) asked about it this yr. At least they're all felt, though, right? ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindyg Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Purple ornaments + horse ornaments. Lights are purple, blue, green, and white. It's *very* pretty. I consider it eye candy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest janainaz Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Well it's a bit out of control around here, but here goes...1. Living Room tree - Fancy ornaments from when we first got married (we were married at Christmas) Silver, crystal, china etc. 2. Family Room tree - all the kids homemade ornaments from over the years 3. Dining Room - "joy tree" big silver wooden letters spelling "JOY" and complementing white and silver ornaments 4. Kitchen - red/black with kitchen utensils, cookie cutters, etc 5. Laundry room - garden theme 6. DD's room - pink tree with girly stuff 7. DS's room - boys and their toys theme - sports, outdoor stuff 8. Kid's bathroom - Under the Sea theme 9. Plotting a sewing theme for me for the next tree... K-mart Martha Stewart is great for themes and we make a lot of the ornaments... I thought my stepmom was the only one that had this many trees! I love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 We decorate it different each year. We have white lights, colored lights and red pearls. We have large pomegranate colored balls and dark green balls. Sometimes we use them both, sometimes we use one color or the other. We have fancy ornaments for each kid per year. I started with a bell theme for ds15 but so most of his fancy ornaments are Wallace, Lenox or crystal bells. DD10 has snowflakes by Lenox, Svorski, or other fine makers. DD3 has Lenox crosses. I also collect a fun ornament yearly for each kid that they pick out themselves. I plan to give them these when they move out to a permanent home (get married, buy a house, etc). These are indicative of their ages...cute teddy bears when they were little, moving into finer items as they have gotten older like hand blown glass balls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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