O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree!

My favorite Christmas decoration is our Christmas tree.  

I like swags and wreaths and angels and stars and everything else, but I truly love our Christmas tree the most.  It is densely covered with lights and glass ornaments and it sparkles and glows even on the gloomiest winter days. We light it up first thing in the morning and it stays on til the last of us goes to bed, throughout the Christmas season.  

When I was growing up, I remember my Mom carefully unwrapping her family antique glass ornaments one by one and carefully hanging them on the tree.  They had a patina that was luminous. 

Years ago, we were lucky enough to be invited to a fabulous Christmas party in a Grand vintage colonial on the Lake Michigan shore.  Our hosts had a two story entry filled with a two story tall tree, bedecked in multicolored lights and hundreds and hundreds of shiny glass ornaments - 

the sight of it took my breath away!  

And thus began another collection....

 Here's our tree!

 I made three of the stockings above when our son was very small, and I set aside the rest of the fabric in kind of a hope chest, for when we might have another child... 

Seven years later, I got to make the fourth stocking.  She was worth the wait!

Here is a close-up showing how I hang them so sparingly on the tree...

And some favorite glass ornaments....

Here is Santa arriving in his sleigh:

There are lots of snowmen ornaments.

Love these guys!

 I love Santa ornaments too...

Although this one looks kinda serious...

 

And, surprise, surprise, I have some cottage ornaments...

A Colorful One...

You know it's hard to keep up with the Jones' sometimes...

This jaunty cottage looks like it came straight out of Who-ville!

 This rooster is quite regal.

 This guy is newer, but he reminds me of an old family ornament I remember from my childhood.

Mr. Grand likes to call the squirrels in our yard "Tree Rats"

but they are pretty cute in glass...

 This one makes my mouth water...

 These guys are too cute!

I Believe!

 I make an exception to the glass ornament rule for a select few ornaments.  

There are a few that my kids made- the kind with popsicle sticks and rice krispies - 

you all have those, too, I'm sure.  Precious and so sentimental.

My Mom gave us this set of Wizard of Oz ornaments when we were first married, and they're a charming bunch!  

And timeless.

From our house to yours,

We wish you a Merry Christmas

and a Happy New Year!

Linking to:

DIY SHowoff - Showoff Your Christmas Tree

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