Christmas traditions and a few of my favorite things.....


                 
          (This years ornament to commemorate the completion of our new barn)  
                            
I love the Christmas season... The family traditions and rituals that we celebrated in Christmas's past live on in our celebrations of today. Now that our three oldest children/girls have homes and families of their own, some of our families traditions will evolve/grow and be carried on.
        
                              (Our 1st ornament bought 35 years ago)

 In our home Christmas usually starts the weekend after Thanksgiving. The hubby brings in the ever growing boxes of decorations and sets up our tree in the stand. After that, the job of decorating falls to me and who ever is home to help. This year our son Nick was home from college and our daughter Ashley and boyfriend Matt were home for Thanksgiving so I had lots of help. 

                                    (One of my favs, Patriotic Santa)

 One tradition I started our 1st Christmas together and that lives on today is purchasing a family ornament and a ornament for each of our children. Now that we have grandchildren they too receive a yearly ornament. Each year I try to give a ornament to represent something that happened in our/their lives, or something that they were interested in that year.
                                                                                                    

                                    (Bringing home the tree)

   My collection of ornaments has grown through our 35 years of marriage and are some of my most cherished possessions. Especially the handmade ornaments made by the kids. They are added each year to our tree to celebrate Christmases past.  As our daughters ventured out and started their own lives and homes their ornaments went with them to adorn their own trees to carry on the tradition. Here are just a few more from my collection.

                                  
                                    (A tree without a horse or two)


                                  (In celebration of the new century)

                                                                 
                                        (In  commemoration of Nick's first year of dorm life.)


                                                          ( Nicks 1st Christmas)
                                               
                              (Nicks 2nd Christmas. I was into Classic Pooh)


                                         (This one winds up, plays music and the train moves.)

    With Christmas just around the corner I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!!  Lori

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Feel free to comment... I love reading your thoughts... Lori

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