What is your most loved Christmas decoration?

[lynn]

The one that makes it Christmas? Mine is Byers Choice carolers.

[Annie G]

When I was pregnant w dd in 1980 I painted a nativity set and my sister built me a rustic stable to display it in.  Putting it out every year makes me happy. 

 

Next on the list is a tie- the German ornaments we have bought at our yearly visits to the Christkindlmarket in Chicago and the ceramic mugs/boots we have collected from drinking Gluhwein  there every year.  Those yearly family trips have been so much fun.

[Penguin]

A vintage one that belonged to my grandmother. It is a dark blue, elongated teardrop. The glass is sooo thin! I don't let anyone else touch it  :closedeyes: .

Edited December 1, 2017 by Penguin

[Alte Veste Academy]

It would have to be a tie between our LEGO Winter Village (we started collecting the first year, so we have the whole set) and our full-size leg lamp from A Christmas Story which we proudly display in our front window every year. We are a goofy people. LOL

[Annie G]

It would have to be a tie between our LEGO Winter Village (we started collecting the first year, so we have the whole set) and our full-size leg lamp from A Christmas Story which we proudly display in our front window every year. We are a goofy people. LOL

 

Youngest dd has begged for a leg lamp for years. She would be SO envious of yours!

 

ETA: I just told her about it and she's heavily campaigning for one.  She knows right where we should put it.   You know, every year I scramble to find a gift that she will really like...

Edited December 1, 2017 by Annie G

[ashfern]

I have a white sculpture of Mary holding baby Jesus with Joseph's arms wrapped around them both. It's about 10 inches high and lives on the mantle. I love it.  :001_wub:

[ScoutTN]

My Willow Tree nativity.

[4Kiddos]

I have this and it is so beautiful and I love them:

 

http://www.demetz-patrick.com/en/ulrich-nativity-49/ul-holy-family-4-pieces-12701.html

[PrincessMommy]

I have some beautiful and small ceramic snowflake ornaments that a friend gave me as thanks for watching her dog one Christmas break.  I have since lost touch with her and don't know how to find her (her name is common and she's very private).   I always think of her and say a little prayer when I hang them on the tree.  Sadly, I started with 12 and I think we've dwindled down to about 6-8 since she first gave them to me.  I try to be very careful but I think some have gotten lost in the tree and thrown out. :(

 

Also, my Fontanini nativity set that my MIL gave me when we were first married.  I've added on to it because I love it so much.  They're  very realistic, but plastic, so indestructible with little hands.

[JIN MOUSA]

I have a crystal tree topper, like this https://www.replacements.com/webquote/co_watxmstt.htm, that used to belong to my parents.

 

Also, so many of our ornaments are family collectibles/heirlooms, including some from my great-grandmother.

 

Putting up our tree, opening the ornament box and telling all of the stories is one of my favorite things about Christmas. 

 

This is also why I love having a fake tree. We usually set things up in early December and leave it up until early January, and I'd be so worried that a real tree would start drooping and drop ornaments. I like being able to tilt a branch upward, to be sure it will securely support the ornament. 

[Happy]

Practically everything is a sentimental thing for us at Christmas. We've collected all the years of our marriage--

​The first--the one I would run into a burning house to save if possible is the blue ball. :) The first year we dated, a social club at the Christian school we attended had a fund raiser making personalized Christmas ball ornaments. Since my hubby is both cute and charming, he sweet talked the gals manning the table into letting him personalize one for us. Our dark blue ball has both our names on it in a continuous circle. First ornament we put on the tree each year.

 

My other sentimental favorite is a Santa face my mother drew and colored when she was pregnant with me. 

 

The last of the true heart tugging sentimental things are our stockings...it's always Christmas when I get those out. 

​

[Spryte]

My parents bought a hand carved nativity in a tiny town known for Christmas carvings in Germany, in the 60s. I grew up with it, and through odd circumstances it disappeared for fifteen years. I collected nativities in that time, but nothing took its place. It was returned to me about ten years ago, and makes me so, so happy.

[umsami]

When my Mom and Dad got married, one of their wedding gifts was two handmade stockings.  They both have a Christmas tree on the stocking, with a little present that has a door that opens up.  My Dad's reveals a ballet dancer, and my Mom's reveals a doctor.  (Their professions when they met.)

 

Even though we don't decorate for Christmas in my house, those are special to me....and I hope to have them as a family heirloom some day.

[AimeeM]

My village :)

 

DH buys me a few more pieces every year. It kind of takes over at Christmas time, lol.

[Miss Tick]

Arthur! Plastic plug-in snowman from the eighties. He's about 18" tall and DH received him when he was young, I think. My twins were two when they mysteriously named him and he always makes me smile.

[Alte Veste Academy]

Youngest dd has begged for a leg lamp for years. She would be SO envious of yours!

 

ETA: I just told her about it and she's heavily campaigning for one.  She knows right where we should put it.   You know, every year I scramble to find a gift that she will really like...

 

Do it! It's the gift that keeps on giving! I got it for DH a few years back. We joked about doing it for a long time, but I never did because we didn't have a front facing living room. So now it sits in the glow of the living room (we keep the blinds open only in that window at night), and I hope that the neighbors have seen the movie. Otherwise, they just think we are the tackiest people in the world every holiday season. They're probably really confused too because I think the rest of our decorations are pretty traditional and sedate, green garland with red ribbon and white lights and two large, lighted wicker deer and a beautiful angel. 

 

I did not spring for the "Fragile" wooden box because it cost a fortune, but the lamp itself was one of the greatest things ever. 

[Alte Veste Academy]

My village :)

 

DH buys me a few more pieces every year. It kind of takes over at Christmas time, lol.

 

I had to buy a new folding table for ours this year.  :leaving:

[EKS]

An elf on a swing.

[Guest]

Well, last year, I made a decoration for my mantle that says, “Oh come let us adore Him†in scrolly script and with a silhouette of the nativity scene. It’s made on the rustic-board type of thing. I am very pleased with how it came out and my mantle looks so beautiful now. -

 

My second most favorite thing is the special decorations on the tree with the family - holding up different ones and saying, “Awww, look, this is when you were in Kindermusik when you were three!†And so on. Some from people who have passed on. Different ornaments engraved with the kid’s names and years. It is one of my favorite things about Christmas.

[Rachel]

A stocking my (step) Grandma cross stitched for me. She had done them for each of her biological grandchildren for their first Christmas. After my dad and step mom had been married a few years she made one for me and my siblings. I was a teenager and it meant the world to me.

[Selkie]

An old, ornately carved brass sleigh bell. I bought it one year when my kids were small and left it out in our front yard on Christmas Eve. The kids found it the next morning and were utterly convinced that it had fallen off Santa's sleigh.

[gaillardia]

Tree ornaments my kids made for the family (while at church) and wooden tree ornaments my mom painted, especially the little boy, all bundled up, holding a snowball, and the little girl angel. SO ADORABLE. And my ceramic nativity set that my aunt made and painted. 

[Lori D.]

No ONE favorite, as each year, each family member gets a tree ornament to add to the collection. Sometimes we have bought them in the spring or summer when on a special vacation, so the ornament reminds us of that special trip. :) Other special ones are things DSs made as pre-schoolers.

 

One that is so fun for me to hang each year due to sheer "kitsch" factor is the very early 1960s "space age" tree topper in gorgeous late 1950s colors of pastel teal, pink, and silver mercury glass that my parents bought for their first Christmas. It looks a lot like the attached, but pink instead of red, and the tall pointed shaft has indented sides with a swoop of pink in it. I still have the box, too (just like the attached photo) -- with a little price tag sticker of 59-cents! :laugh: So retro fun!

[Vida Winter]

We have this Star Trek Ornament....it talks.

 

https://www.ornament-shop.com/2004-Star-Trek-City-On-The-Edge-i1041155.html

[HollyB]

My nativity set. My godparents made it for us as a wedding gift. My godfather passed away recently, so it will be a little bittersweet to put it out this year.

[Pippen]

No ONE favorite, as each year, each family member gets a tree ornament to add to the collection. Sometimes we have bought them in the spring or summer when on a special vacation, so the ornament reminds us of that special trip. :) Other special ones are things DSs made as pre-schoolers.

 

One that is so fun for me to hang each year due to sheer "kitsch" factor is the very early 1960s "space age" tree topper in gorgeous late 1950s colors of pastel teal, pink, and silver mercury glass that my parents bought for their first Christmas. It looks a lot like the attached, but pink instead of red, and the tall pointed shaft has indented sides with a swoop of pink in it. I still have the box, too (just like the attached photo) -- with a little price tag sticker of 59-cents! :laugh: So retro fun!

 

This would be so perfect for my tree! 

 

Some year I'm going to do a space age tree. I have plenty of ornaments, but my kids doth protest.

[CAJinBE]

I have a lot of sentimental ornaments collected during our travels, but my favorite decoration is the candle arch I got in Germany. It has a beautiful nativity scene and the candles are little light bulbs. It takes two seconds to put out and plug in and really brightens up the room. 

[HomeAgain]

My favorite is a pinecone hedgehog.  I fell in love with it when we were walking the Salzburg Christmas markets and dh went back and bought it.  The thing is just so darn cheery and cute!  And it fits in so well here.  This summer I had a very fat real hedgehog trying to eat my garden.  He stopped after he discovered the pepper plants, but I actually looked forward to seeing him.  We didn't have cuddly looking wild animals at our last home.  The snakes, scorpions, and spiders took care of anything that moved. 

[shawthorne44]

It is this cheesy dime-store Santa.   He had been a music box but that broke so long ago I don't remember what song.   Santa has one leg and one arm in the air like he is dancing.   He is just sooooo happy.  He also tilts a bit because he isn't attached to the music box.  

 

I once read a newspaper article where they'd asked people to send in a photo of favorite Christmas decorations.   It was charming.  Every last one looked like an old dime store decoration.   Sometimes in the background of the photo you can see a fancy house with fancy decorations.   

 

Second favorite is my nativity scene.   My grandfather made the building using apple tree branches of precisely the same diameter.   It truly is the best looking nativity building I've ever seen. by far.   The people/animals is that Italian set made out of some resin.   I have so many of those that I dubbed it "A crowd scene" instead of "A Nativity Scene".  

[happi duck]

a nativity scene that DH gave me and our ornaments

[gardenmom5]

I'd say the uncle mistletoe doll - but my sister got it, so I don't' have it.   I'd buy one, but the newer ones aren't as nice, and the old one's in good condition - with his hat (mom's was in good condition when she gave it to my sister.) are way more than I'm  willing to pay - if you can find one.  (even in fair condition without the hat is more than I'm willing to pay)

next would have to be these italian glass diorama ornaments from the dime store my mom bought when I was about four.  I ****begged**** her to buy them.  she hated them, and didn't want to spend the money.  but hey i ****begged**** for them.  I have them, and they do have nostalgia for all the years.  (another thing generally more than I'm willing to spend to replace.)

some other ornaments I have from my childhood. 

[Joyofsixreboot]

Not exactly a decoration but I traced and painted my kids' hands onto the tree skirt every year. Makes me wistful every time I see it.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

[gaillardia]

I'm a little bummed there aren't too many links or photos of these favorites.

 

I haven't gotten my Christmas stuff out yet but when I do, maybe I will post a photo of one or two of the ones I mentioned.

Edited December 3, 2017 by Gaillardia

[nixpix5]

This is rather silly but 22 years ago I was in a Christmas Surplus store and saw this fairly large stuffed camel with 3 Wise Men puppets. I loved it but it was expensive so I passed it up. That Christmas my mom got it for me. Every year he comes out and is part of our decor. The kids love him. Funny aside but about 10 years ago during a move we lost one of the wise men. I was crushed because I knew I would never find a replacement. The following summer my DH and I went to a garage sale out of town. I looked down and on a blanket with a bunch of other stuffed toys was the exact same missing wise man. Only one and the one I needed marked 10 cents. I could have cried with happiness. So now the crew is all back together and right now sitting on my console.

Edited December 3, 2017 by nixpix5

[Garga]

A beat up tiny nativity set. I loved it as a kid and my parents let me have it. I still love it. If you saw it for the first time now, you wouldn't be impressed, but it has a lot of sentimental value for me. I used to play with it a lot as a child.

[sassenach]

I make a small photobook for each Christmas. I started in 08, and every year I put them out on the table. They're so fun to look through each year.

[Pippen]

I have a hard time choosing just one favorite. I'm not a decorator type at all, and I don't put much out for the holidays beyond the tree, a nativity, and a few outdoor lights. But I love having my tree up because it's loaded with memories.

 

Thin, glass ornaments and an angel from my Oma and Opa's tree. I used to put theirs up for them when it became too hard. This year my mom also gave me a piece of cloth that was woven from fibers my Oma spun and dyed and that will become my tree skirt.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-NATIONAL-TINSEL-SPUN-GLASS-ANGEL-HAIR-PAPER-ANGEL-TREE-TOPPER-WOW/162775491973?hash=item25e62ce585:g:4tcAAOSwUchaGwgs

 

Ornaments from the first year I was out on my own and I was so poor that I didn't have enough to fill up the huge blue spruce I cut down from our back fields. Red and green bulbs, cut tin, plus many that I sewed. I filled in the rest of the space with gingerbread men, but alas, they softened and plopped to the floor during a rainy spell.

 

Old World Christmas ornaments--my aunt who is gone now started giving me one each year. (I keep the tradition going with my daughter. This year she discovered the nighttime sky and she's getting Saturn.) 

 

An etched glass manger scene ornament given to me when I was student teaching. 

 

Jesse tree ornaments I made when my kids were little. White felt and glitter and simple, but lovely.

 

Treasures my kids made when they were young. 

 

I'm wrestling with what to do this year because I have a young, energetic cat in the house for the first time in years. He's done well with just the tree and lights up this week, but it still seems risky.

[Xuzi]

A cheesy keepsake ornament my DH bought for our very first Christmas together. He's not a naturally sentimental guy, so I was surprised he even thought to buy something like that. It's the very last ornament we put on our tree, at the very top just below the star, and we put it up together. :)

[shawthorne44]

This is the happy dancing Santa I mentioned earlier.  

[lmrich]

Two things - a nativity set I bought while a poor college student and an ornament I made for my then boyfriend, now husband. 

 

My kids love that I have an ornament that says "from your star student" and it has a place for the kid to put his/her picture in, but the kid never did - I do not know who it came from so my son drew a picture and put it in the frame. It makes us laugh every year. 

[BarbecueMom]

I don't have it anymore, but this Santa in a Cage was my favorite Christmas decoration growing up.  I played with it a TON.  It was probably lost in a flood in 2008.

 

I bought a Santa hat at Lowe's this weekend that says "Bah Humbug" on it.  That's probably my current favorite.

[Jaz]

The way I've been evaluating things lately is what would I take to my beach condo. (Don't have one or plan to, but the dream is fun)

 

I saved my dc's matching Christmas pjs after they outgrew them. I'm waiting for a few more pairs then plan to have a big Christmas quilt made. That will be my favorite decoration. 

[Carrie12345]

I have a rustic sled/snowman that hangs on the wall.  It's one of those "we didn't have much money" kind of stories where I splurged on something maybe I shouldn't have, but it made our house homey.  He's not in the best shape at this point, but my daughter spruced him up a bit this year.

 

I also love my collection of ceramic houses that I painted mostly before dh and I got married.  Some aren't even totally finished, but they go up anyway.  I had hoped to have my kids adding to the collection, but they're not as readily available as they were when I started them 20 years ago.

[J-rap]

Our oldest decoration is a German wooden caroler that breathes smoke when the incense is lit under him.  I suppose if I had to pick one decoration, I'd choose that one.

 

 

[happi duck]

Great thread!

[shawthorne44]

We need photos!   
I can say that, because I posted a photo of mine

 

[*Jessica*]

Our stockings, which were made by my parents. They are huge!!! Filling them costs a fortune. But it doesn't feel like Christmas without them.

[shawthorne44]

I have that exact topper in your photo.

We don’t have many ornaments, I have a few wooden ones from my stepdaughter’s toddlerhood, a few glass ones from when my son was young, and the ones we got in honor of our deceased pets, along with a few other fancier ones.

My most cherished one is a cheap plastic sleigh with 2 tiny reindeer. My grandparents sent me one when I was in elementary school; they were incredibly poor cotton farmers and I think it was the first time I realized that it was the love instead of the gift that mattered. This same year my other grandmother sent our fancy gifts wrapped in $5 bills. My mother knew how much I loved that sleigh, and she gleefully told me she threw it away my first year away from home. I found an identical one at a resale shop many years ago and it’s the first thing that makes me cry when I unpack and then pack away the decorations every year.

 

I think there is a level of hell reserved for people that would do that.  

[Lori D.]

I have that exact topper in your photo.

 

liking this! :)

 

My most cherished one is a cheap plastic sleigh with 2 tiny reindeer. My grandparents sent me one when I was in elementary school... My mother knew how much I loved that sleigh, and she gleefully told me she threw it away my first year away from home. I found an identical one at a resale shop many years ago and it’s the first thing that makes me cry when I unpack and then pack away the decorations every year.

 

but am HORRIFIED at this (your mother's action and attitude)!  :eek:   SOO happy you found a replacement! :)

Edited December 4, 2017 by Lori D.