Atlas Insider
Atlas Insider: Shiny Times
The other day, Allison showed up at World Headquarters with a long cardboard box and a twinkle in her eye.
She opened the box, and out slid a supershiny metallic tree, complete with lights already built in.
We all took a break to figure out where to put it. Chris scrambled for his never-ending cache of extension cords (he has miles of them), and before long, the tree landed in the middle of the Three Wise Women: Allison, Ashley, and Hannah.
We worried about what would be the right tree skirt.
Basically, What Would Kaffe Do?
He would use a Garter Stripe Shawl. Obviously.
It is magnificent. It looks like what the Jetsons would have: the Tree of Tomorrow, Here Today.
We will be decking the halls with increasing fever in the days to come. We’ll have ecumenical decorations too, given how many of us celebrate this winter season in differing ways. Not sure where to put the Festivus pole, but we’re working on it.
Meanwhile . . .
Allison, who loves holidays (all holidays, any holidays) in a way that we can all admire, set us up for a bit of office Secret Santa. Because this is 2021, she found a Secret Santa app for cooking up the matches of giver and recipient. This gave us a thrilling moment when we opened our emails to see our recipient and we all went “Oh! Wow!”
It’s going to take some serious poker face to get me to December 20 when the big gift swap happens. I have such a great recipient. Game ON.
A Giveaway
The prize? Pom pom makings for your holiday or not-holiday decorating: a Loome Tool for making tassels and pom poms, along with a batch of cheerful yarns.
How to enter?
Two steps:
Step 1: Sign up for our weekly newsletter, Snippets, right here. If you’re already subscribed, you’re set.
Step 2: In the comments, tell us about your most treasured holiday decoration.
Deadline for entries: Sunday, November 20, 11:59 PM Central time. We’ll draw a random winner from the entries. Winner will be notified by email.
One of my most treasured decorations is a small garland of white tatted snowflakes and tiny silver beads. I received it long ago as a small Christmas gift from my boss at the time, and it is even more special since it was made by her mother.
My most treasured Christmas decor is a birdhouse with “I’ll be home for Christmas” written over the perch. From my mother about a year before she passed away. ❣️
My most treasured is a candle wicked Christmas tree skirt that took me me 20 years To finish. I started it the first year of my marriage to my first husband. He looked at it and stated that would never go around a tree in his house when my marriage ended after 10 years I finished the skirt. It was around the tree when he came to pick up the kids and said “that is the best tree skirt, where can I buy one”
My most treasured decorations are the snowflakes my mother crocheted for me about 30 years ago. I use them every year.
My most treasured Christmas decoration is a tiny nativity I needlepointed many years ago.
My most treasured is a papier-mâché and fabric Siamese cat Angel tree topper I bought at a bazaar over 40 years ago, when I was inspired to have an all feline tree!
My favorite decoration is my nativity set. It has a real straw roof with a real stick and wooden frame. The figures are hand painted. My mother had the set when she was little so the set is rather old! I set it up every year.
An ornament made by my daughter where she just stapled paper and stuffed it with Kleenex. We laugh every year when we find it.
Most treasured is a soft felt angel doll given to me by my godfather for my first Christmas 75 years ago.
It’s a Santa candy jar — so cute and it makes everyone smile.
My favorite ornaments are all the ones the girls made when they were little 🙂
When I left home many, many years ago I took A small red plastic disco -ball looking ornament with me.
I didn’t ask permission, I had placed that ornament on our Christmas tree for as long as I could remember.
It has been with me my entire life , no matter how many times I have moved, no matter where, it still brings me joy when the two of us have made it to another Christmas!
My favorite is a photo of my son when he was 3, mounted in a tiny round frame.
A small clay nativity scene from Kenya
My most treasured ornament is a basswood 4” stylized evergreen tree my dad hand-carved when he was in his seventies, when he took his first workshop at JC Campbell Folk School. We lost dad to ALS in 2000.
Our menorah.
A tree ornament with our then 9 month old daughter’s picture in it. Such a special time. She is now 32 and expecting our first grandbaby on December 27th.
Congratulations!
My mother had a collection of Christmas decorations, which were split up between her 5 children when she passed away. My favorite is the 4 little ceramic elves, which was my gift.
The large ceramic nativity set I made about 7 years ago. The camels are about 12 inches high and it’s painted a beautiful creamy white.
One of my treasured decorations is an ornament made by my Nana. She was all things wonderful and so, so special. She was always creating, and ‘making do’ with what she had, improvising, and having fun. One year she made ice skate ornaments out of paper clips and bits of yarn she crocheted for the ice skate boots and laces. Those skates go on the front of our tree every year.
Beautiful (and funky) snowflake cut from paper
Pick any ornament off the tree. It was a gift, marked a specific Christmas and brings memories of happy days in my grandmother and mother’s living rooms.
My most treasured decoration is a tabletop ceramic Christmas tree that my grandmother had made in the ‘70s. Plug that baby in and we’re decorated!
Same here! Except it was my mother-in-law who made it. Some grinchy years it’s been the only Christmas decoration I’ve used.
Buying decorations for my friend Deirdre, who went with me to the 2021 NY Sheep & Wool Festival!
A coworker 45 years ago gave me a beautiful tree ornament made from a goose egg she had blown out. It’s amazing that it survived 4 children and 6 moves.
What a wonderful post…all of the lovely stories are putting me in a holiday mood! I’m sentimental about all of our Christmas decorations but my favorites are the vintage pieces that we had growing up that are now at my house. So many happy memories! At the top of the list is the beautifully made felt stocking my mother sewed and beaded for me in the 1960’s (Mom made one for my sister too with different designs) along with several beaded and sequined felt door ornaments. Grandma found the patterns and on a pre-holiday visit around 1970, Grandma, Mom, and I spent a fun week making the “door hangers” shaped like bells, trees, stars, and wreaths.
A girlfriend and I have exchanged ornaments since we met in university more than 20 years ago. The first ornament she gave to me is a delicate silver and blue metal angel, and every year I get very nostalgic when I place it on the tree.
I knit a new tiny red stocking from the same ball of yarn for our tree every year, so you can see how many years we’ve been married, in ornament form. This will be sock #11 and I can’t wait to have so many that I run out of yarn!
I say a big YES to a wooden pom-pom maker! Some of my favorite childhood holiday ornaments were pom poms made (and purchased) in Mexico as hair decorations. Long after that family trip we hung those pom poms on our Christmas tree, where they looked happy and festive dangling from the branches.
My most treasured decoration is a Christmas Tree Skirt I made. It is so beautiful! I took a class on Craftsy and it turned out so much better then I could have hoped-for . The design, the fabric…all just turned out so lovely! I am so proud of that tree skirt!
I have two… my son’s handprint in clay from when he was a toddler (he’s now in his mid-30’s), and a reindeer tree topper made by my daughter in grade school.
My most treasured ornament is made of brown card stock hung on a long strand of gold curling ribbon. On it is written,”All is well.” It was given to me, along with the children’s book of the same title, by a dear friend and mentor when I was going through a rough spot in my life. It has had a special place of honor on my tree for the past 30+ years.
The series of pictures (slides) my dad took of our Siamese cat, Zeke, as he determinedly dismantled our silver Christmas tree and reduced it to a pile of rubble in the corner of the living room.
My most treasured decoration would definitely be one of the handmade ones by my son when he was little. Every year it is such a joy to pull them out and remember making them together.
a skeleton who decided several years ago to stay out of the closet and joins us (appropriately attired) for most holidays now.
My most cherished Christmas decoration is a nativity set in olive wood that my oldest brother’s in-laws gave me and my husband for our first Christmas.
I made a garland of tiny knitted fair isle sweaters and socks. I guess comments doesn’t let me post a picture.
My son made a Santa in early elementary school. It’s made out of plaster of Paris. There is no face, just the back of Santa with many different colors. I hang it on my tree every year. Hopefully when I am gone he will keep the tradition alive!
Beautiful glass ornaments my father treasured. I have fond memories of us setting up the Christmas tree and waiting for the small box of bright glass ornaments to be brought out and hung on our tree.
I have many Christmas decorations that I treasure, but probably the nine counted cross stitch stockings that I made for my husband and me, our children, their spouses and the grandchildren are the ones I’d be really sad if something happened to them.
A plastic two-sided Santa face. It has been part of my Christmases for over 60 years. My parents bought it when I was a young girl and when I got married my mother gave it to me to put on my first Christmas tree. It just wouldn’t be Christmas without that Santa smiling at me from my tree!
Either the Darwin bust ornament or the Airstream camper!
I had some treasures that were lost during a big move so now in my new life am making new treasures.
My answer is “various” based on the fact that anything from my childhood tree would have been wonderful (even though I can’t remember a single item now, the total effect was always wonderful). And an idea that just popped into my head inspired by the stapled ornament commenter. I never knew what to do with a darling little pig my daughter created in her little girl days which had as it’s “skin” an all over pattern of pink punched-out poster paper circles. That she would have the patience to punch out dozens and then paste them onto the body in an orderly way as an eight-year-old never failed to amaze me. It held a place of honor for several decades until it slipped through my fingers in a recent move, As a tree ornament “it coulda been a contendah!”
My most treasured holiday decoration is the set of advent sacks I knit 13 years ago. It seemed like a good idea at the time, until I realized I needed them all done before December 1. I was feverishly knitting all November, but got them done. Some still don’t have their drawstring to this day, and now many of them have holes from being so near the fireplace, lol. I love watching our boys open them every morning to find their tiny toy.
A tree ornament my mother made from necklaces she took apart that she wore when I was a child.
My most treasured Christmas tree ornament is a small mercury glass bell that was on my mothers tree as a child. It is the only surviving decoration from her family and has a small burnt hole in it where someone placed it too close to a bulb. It always get pride of place on our tree.
My most treasured Christmas decoration is a cross stitch sampler that says: Never a Christmas morning, Never an old year ends, But someone thinks of someone, Old days, Old times, Old friends. It’s framed in red and I’ve put it up every year for over 45 years.
If I only put up one decoration for Christmas, it would be the ceramic tree my mom made when I was first married. It has survived a lot of great family get togethers!
The glass ornaments we bought in a craft shop, carefully chooosing them to balance the colors. Some go on the tree, some go in a clear glass bowl, with tiny white LED lights lighting from inside.
One of my most treasured Christmas decorations is a wooden stable that my grandfather built. It houses our nativity figures. It has an amber lightbulb which gives off a warm glow to all the statues.
Although I firmly refuse to acknowledge xmas until Santa Claus arrives at the end of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, I do love the decorating part – my favorite is a fat, tattered tinsel garland that has followed me through many moves and is the crowning touch to whatever holidayscape I’ve put together for the season.
A petite handmade pinecone angel with golden string hair. A Secret Santa gift from my French teacher in high school. (Sacred Heart.) And a flock of origami cranes that came to me via the thrift store.
A angel doll tree topper that has a long flowing skirt. Given to me by my staff over 30 years ago.
In 1978 waiting for the birth of our first child I was busy adding embroidery to some felt Vogue pattern ornaments. Our son arrived on December 18th and we treasure these ornaments, as well as two pinecones from our 1950’s childhood tree that we kids called ‘potatoes’. Thanks and Happy Stitching!
Years ago my friend’s sister was painting goose eggs with Christmas scenes. I have one with a Victorian Santa and one with a cowboy on his horse pulling a cut down tree behind him. Irreplaceable and precious.
My ceramic nativity set my Husbands mother made for me. It is the first thing I put out for the holidays and the last to be put away.
my most treasured decorations are those made for me by my children when they were in day care. Every year I reflect on those wonderful, magical times when they were still small boys.
Our electric Menorah, that went in the window as soon as the electric pumpkin came down after Halloween. It was festive for the neighbors to see and us to enjoy!
We used to have one of those when I was a kid. I loved that thing. Unfortunately, I have no idea where it went.
There are two actually:. The nativity scene my grandfather bought for my grandmother. It wasn’t Christmas until that was set out. And a set of tatted snowflakes from a kind grandmother I knew in my college days.
My favorite Christmas decorations are my cheerful, gnome man and woman given to me by a friend whose slightly nutty mother is a potter. She made the woman figure in her own image.
My most treasured holiday decoration is my grandma’s Christmas Village. As kids we would all sit by the tree and play with the little village residents while the adults chatted and waited for the big meal.
Some yarn elves with styrofoam heads that I made 45 years ago for our tree. The kids always made fun of them and dug their fingernails into the heads making big holes.They all have at least one now hanging on their own tree…..everyone’s favorite!
I kind of love them all, but maybe my favorite would be the three blue blown glass ornaments that have survived from my childhood.
My kids’ Christmas stockings, even though they are all grown and gone now. Lots of memories there!
I like the tomte gnomes, and my son and I make some very year that we decorate with, and when we entertain, everyone gets to take a gnome home with them. We also hand paint a new ornament every year, so as we hang up ornaments it is a trip down memory lane.
A tiny little gnome that clips to the end of a branch. He’s been with us since our first Christmas tree 40 years ago.
I have a few Christmas decorations made by beloved relatives who have since passed on. My great-uncle used to carve me wooden toys when I was a child. When my mother was downsizing her house, she gave me the two Santa statues he carved. I also have a small church with a music box inside, cross-stitched on a plastic frame by my great-aunt.
The 1st thing that comes to mind is the Hallmark ornament I bought for my soon to be husband and I for our first Christmas together, 1982. As he is no longer with us, I cherish it all the more. And then, all the sweet little decorations our daughters made in early grade school;)
My favorite Christmas decoration was knit by my grandmother long ago when I first lived away from my childhood home: a family of 3 snowmen, complete with hats and scarves ⛄️
My Hanukkah menorah. Bringing light into the darkest time of year for eight nights.
The tin star tree topper which was used on our tree from 1947, my parents 1st Christmas together, until the .
The tree ornaments, all of them either given by students and staff that I taught and worked with for 28 years, ones I made myself, ones purchased on vacation as souvenirs, or that my husband and I gave each other. I also have antique ornaments from my grandmother and mother-in-law that grace my tree every year. My tree is a memory of the past and I loved decorating it each December.
My mother when she was in her seventies had a small, live Christmas tree that we brought in from her porch for pride of place on a coffee table every Christmas Eve. I would carefully tack a bit of red yarn onto two dozen uncracked walnuts and carefully tie them to the tree along with an equal number of German Christmas candles. We would light the candles and watch the tree until the last candle burned out and then wish each other a very merry Christmas.
It’s a hanging glass tree ornament in the shape of a skein of yarn in red with long knitting needles whose knob ends are covered in silver glitter. Merry Christmas is written on the front of the white skein wrapper. Nice!
I have a bracelet of small jingle bells that I used to out on my cat’s neck. My current cat will not tolerate that kind of humiliation, but I remember Sweet Pea jingling around the house.
The Loome tool is the one I’ve been coveting for ages! My most special ornament is a pink, paper banjo that my son made (with help from a babysitter) when he was 4 (he is now in his 30’s). He made it with his father in mind, who plays banjo and owned a music store at the time. I reserve the top, front, center spot on the Christmas tree for this beloved bauble.
Loved Kay’s Secrets to Great Pom Poms. I, too, would like to live in a “pom pom rich environment”. So I will have to buy a Loome Tool if I don’t win the drawing! Oh, and my favorite Christmas decorations are the needlepoint Christmas stockings I made for the family.
My most treasured decorations are ornaments made by my daughters when they were in the toddler / pre-school range. Or really any ornaments that the made by hand. Memories……
My most treasured decoration is an ornament my mother gave me right before she passed. I was 19, and she had us open on Xmas eve. I will treasure it always
My most treasured is a ceramic Christmas tree my grandmother made. It has a light bulb inside and lights up little ornament and lights
The angel on our Xmas tree
My most treasured ornament is handmade by my youngest sister. It is made out of toothpick to look like a house and there is a picture (cut from an old Christmas card) of a nativity.
When I was in High School my Mother and I took down the Christmas decorations and somehow, by accident, a box of glass ornaments were put out at the street to be picked up as trash. By the time we realized it, we found most of the broken we were able to save two that weren’t broken. Those are my dearest and most favorite ornaments
Mine is the blown glass tree topper that my parents bought together for one of their first Christmases. Mom hasn’t used it in years, but she’s not ready to pass it on to me yet.
I have a hand sewn advent calendar that my mother, my daughter, and I put together.
A little angel tree topper that I made. It was our first Christmas and we were so poor. She’s made out of fabric scraps and old white panty hose (I was a brand new nurse). Her wings, get this, are piston rings off an old truck
I love this!
My parents’ original nativity set, well banged up from being played with. Joseph’s staff is a red and white pipe cleaner. One Angel, whom we call Gloria, (because she holds a banner that says “Gloria”) is meant to hang above the stable. But since it’s long gone, she hangs from a ribbon suspended to a lamp or whatever nearby.
Most treasured, an ice cream cone made out of paper, stapled together and stuffed with one cotton ball. Made by my daughter when she was four.
We have collected so many meaningful ornaments over the years that the most of the ordinary ones from early in our marriage have been culled away by now. As our trees have become smaller, we look at them all but hang fewer. For some reason, I just love when I come across the little bundle of tissue paper that holds the strings of tiny glass-bead garland that came from my MIL’s collection. Very old, fragile and still very beautiful. A must for the tree!
I have a musical Santa that my family has had since the year I was born. 1946. It’s a treasure
A few precious antique ornaments from my parents, vintage 1950’s. Since I was born in 1952, I guess that makes me an antique too!
One of my most treasured decorations is not in my home but my parents’. I sewed three little dimensional Christmas trees of quilting cotton when I was 15 or so, stuffed them, and added ribbon bows to the branches. They’re so cute and innocent. Really makes going home for the holidays feel like a peek into childhood.
Too hard to pick just one. It’s either the ornaments my children made in elementary school, my (embarrassingly large) collection of multiracial angels, or the one that says “Dear Santa — I can explain.”
A 1930s painted glass ornament that was my grandmother’s
The Christmas Dalek made by my son at nursery when he was small. It’s an angel for on top of the tree but it was christened the Christmas Dalek by my best friend whose daughter also made one. We both still have them, and always will! They remind me of my mum’s egg box decorations that my sister and I made when we were small that she’s still hanging on her tree.
My most cherished ornament is an angel tree topper that was always on my Grandmas tree
glass birds that clip on the tree, or great grandmothers little glass grapes ornament and bells from the sleigh
My husband arranges my collection of hippos into a creche scene
One of our most treasured ornaments is one my sister had made for my husband and I for our first Christmas together. It has our wedding picture on it, unfortunately my sister is no longer with us but the Christmas ornament reminds of her every time I look at it.
My most treasures holiday decoration was a flat, oval, glass ornament with a photos of a reindeer in it. It was one of the first ornaments my husband and I bought together. Unfortunately it got smashed a few years ago and I’ve never been able to find a replacement.
My most treasured holiday decoration is the ceramic Santa with his sleigh and a reindeer. It is the first gift my dad ever gave my mom. They have both passed, within days of each other but were together for over 60 years. They both loved Christmas.
My mother and my aunt both made Christmas trees out of old costume jewelry glued to red velvet and framed. I remember when they made them and how much fun they had. This is one of my favorite things..
A silver tree brings back memories. What fun!
I have a fabric Father Christmas with a white felt beard (cut in wide strips), made by a local artisan. Unfortunately, one year, some mice got at him in our crawl space and started eroding his beard for nesting. I cleaned up, and he got a beard trim. Now, all Christmas ornaments and decor are stored in big Rubbermaid totes.
Just thinking about my treasured Christmas decorations has made tears stream down my face. I have a set of vintage German metal deer and a miniature vintage set of a wooden cherub band passed down to me from my parents and grandparents. However you celebrate, cheers to the season!
My favorite, among others, is my nativity set. The roof is made of straw with a frame that is made of wood pieces and sticks. The figures are hand painted. My mother had the set when she was young so the set is rather old. I set it up every year with pleasure and fond memories.
Oh, this is easy! My favorite holiday ornament is what we call psychedelic Christmas. It’s one of those huge balls made out of flashing colored lights in clear cups that one of my husband’s patients made for us years ago. The kids in the neighborhood look for it in the front window every year.
I love Christmas decorations! Snowmen are my favorite – I have several of different sizes and materials. My favorite decorations are the needlepoint ornaments I’ve done over the years – with stockings at the top of the list.
My moms tree alway had this little, 3 in. Plastic nativity. It was very basic and likely very cheap but as long as I can remember I got to put that on the tree. So it went right in front and it got higher and higher as I grew up. It now holds a place of honor in my tree.
My favorite ornaments are a set of over 50 intricately sewn and stuffed felt ornaments made by my grandmother. I remember watching for hours as she sewed on beads and sequins. She was also the grandmother who taught me to knit. Every year the ballerina mouse and Mother Goose vie for prime positioning on the tree. Little Boy Blue suffers from peanut butter fingerprints left by my son who was three at the time. Such special memories.
A plastic needlepoint 3 dimensional bear head that the mouth opens to put a treat inside
I treasure most a little knitted figure in a stocking hat and winter clothing that my Mom gave to me many years ago because it looked like and reminded her of me.
I have a beautiful little angel made out of white string that goes on top of the tree every year.
Definitely the Christmas Bacon. Oldest grandchild, helping us decorate our tree, insisted on hanging the ‘Christmas Bacon…..It’s my favorite, Gram!” Christmas Bacon? WTF/
Turns out the kid, who at 6 had never seen traditional ribbon candy, thought the glittery red and while ribbon candy ornament was special bacon for Christmas. It’s been a favorite of the whole family ever since….and the next year, he was given a whole box of the real ribbon candy to share. (He prefers bacon to ribbon candy, but at least he knows what it is now.)
Oh my gosh, I love that!! I laughed out loud. I will never look at my ribbon candy ornament the same again!
My most treasured holiday decoration is a small ceramic ornament of a VW Beetle driven by Santa. My Aunt Mary was a gifted maker – ceramics, quilts, knitting etc. and this ornament is part of dozens from her that I treasure. And there’s also a large ceramic Christmas tree.
I have so many favorite ornaments it would be impossible to close just one. But I can say that anything my Oma made hold special importance to me. Christmas has not been the same within her
My treasured ornaments were made by my mom.She bought kits with pins and beads to make pretty ornaments. Putting them on my tree brings back memories of her working on them.
Favorite decoation is a knitted garland hung above the hallway door.
My favorite is the collection of star ornaments given to me by friends the year I had my first solo tree.
Ah, decorations. So many beautiful ones in our collection, but the ones I treasure the most are some plain glass balls that were my Grandmother’s. They barely have any colour left, are almost transparent yet when I hang them on the tree they evoke wonderful memories of my Grandparents and Christmases past.
My treasures are the menorah’s painted by my children.
One of my most treasured Christmas tree ornaments is a small couple made from wool that I purchased when I was an exchange student in Peru. (33 years ago, such impossible numbers!)
My most treasured Christmas decoration is a tattered angel tree topper. She was the one I looked forward to seeing every season, and the one I was allowed to place on top of the tree every year, starting from when I was very small.
My favorite tree decoration is a set of tiny, antique shiny balls
I have an ornament I made as a child from a kit. I also painted the animals and people for our nativity scene.
A nativity scene which is now four generations old. Joseph has a chewed spot on his robe from the family dog.
A beautiful sort of free-form menorah.
The wreath and Christmas tree my kids made out of macaroni make me smile each year. Memories
My favorite ornaments are the ones my son made in preschool & early elementary school. They’re “rustic” but so dear to me.
The Santa that my grandparents had when I was little!
I have a menorah that belonged to my grandmother, and then my father. I use it every year.
Pick only one most treasured decoration?!?!? Ok. The set of framed little photos of my son from his preschool teacher.
One of our (now adult) kids was on a kick to make a new chanukiah every year. There was the one made of concrete (that cracked – still have the pieces), and a duplicate that’s still in tact, but my favorite is the first one, carved from wood. Hello, this is something you put candles in, and once they are lit you can’t blow them out! That one didn’t last the whole eight days.
A teddy bear dressed as Santa ornament and a tiny angel. They are almost as old as I am. The teddy bear looks like a teddy bear I got when I was two and was much bigger than me. I still have the teddy bear. My mom had to rescue the angel ornament more than once after she realized the tree was out for trash with the angel still on it.
My most treasured Christmas decorations would be the engraved sterling silver ornaments my Grandmother would gift to my Mother every year. Tradition was that each year after the Thanksgiving meal was complete & we were all relaxing over our stuffed tummies, she would bring out the box containing the ornament for that year. We were always excited to see what the shape would be – round, bell, star, teardrop, pinecone… Regardless, they all either jingled or had wind up music boxes in them that played a beloved carol. The weekend after Thanksgiving my brothers and I were responsible for making sure the previous ornaments were polished and ready for the tree. These were always the first ornaments to go onto the tree. When my Mother passed, my Father gave the collection to me. I decided to share them with my 2 brothers. My older brother got the ornament from the very first year, I took the second and our younger brother got the third. We divided the 30+ year collection in this order. In just under 2 weeks, our collections will come out, be polished and ready to go on our trees.
So many favorites! My long passed mother made muslin and knotted cord ornaments and glamour balls,or the painted clothespin figures my kids made decades ago,antique tin ornaments my late sister gifted me – all favorites! And I just this week moved into a new apartment with enough space for a tree, so ornaments can come into the light for the first time in three years!!
Mine is my mother’s fancy Bradford star topper. It has a spinning drum that reflects colors all over, & it definitely reinforced my love of bright colors
A clay menorah made by my rabbi’s son.
A calico quilted wreath my mom sewed for the door.
Right now it is my pallet tree!! I wanted a pallet tree and my husband said no and he would not help me. He went fishing with our son. I took out the circular saw fired it up and started cutting…. about an hour later after some hammer and nails for the stand…I had my tree. I put it up in the living room, decorated it and when the boys got home…they loved it!!! It is on display at the basement doorway and can be decorated for ever season!!!
A Santa, given to me as a child 55 years ago. His beard is in distress and his boots keep falling off, but he is special and loved.
My favorite tree ornament is a red and green paper chain made by my son in kindergarten. (He’s 33 now). It has exactly TWO links!
My favorite and most Christmas ornaments are the ones made by my children when they were small.
A ceramic angel silhouette wearing a lavender gown blowing a golden horn. My mother gave it to me in kindergarten and I can not believe it had survived more than 15 moves, two children, one granddaughter and my husband who breaks something almost every week. I can’t wait to unwrap her for another holiday season
The first ornaments our children made of paper and Elmer’s and glitter and photographs jOY
Pink flamingo christmas tree ornaments, which I found in Macy’s many years back. They were part of a pink theme for decorating the tree, which was white. I did it for my mom, who had M.S., which had left her bed ridden, quadriplegic, and on a ventilator. We took care of get at home until she passed away one Christmas Eve.
The Christmas stockings I embroidered so many years ago for my husband and myself. Great memories of all the silly things we stuffed them with.
My most treasured decorations are the linen Christmas stockings my daughter and I made for our family.
A twirly aluminum shaving that my husband’s father brought home from his lab when he (my husband) was a boy.
My most treasured holiday decorations are the Christmas tree ornaments my parents and I have picked up from places we’ve lived or travelled. Not always traditional ornaments: Japanese kokechi dolls, Portuguese roosters, dutch wooden shoes, etc. They remind me of family, of places and of fun.
A corn husk Angel from Rwanda which reminded us of our time in East Africa and the connections in the world. Sadly last year our puppy knocked the tree, the Angel fell and became a chew toy. Memories linger
When my daughter was very young, maybe 7 or eight, I was a single mom with very little money. I made all the decorations for the tree, whether sewn fabric stars or spray painted pine cones, all were hand made. My daughter is 35 now and I still have those decorations I use on the tree.
A branch of a tree hanging from my living room ceiling that went up during Covid lockdown for my grandchildren. It’s held fabric hearts, crocheted snowflakes and, currently, hand-painted leaves and stuffed felt Halloween creatures (well, it’s hard to climb up and take them down!). Soon it will be dangling menorahs, stars of David, and dreidels.
The beautiful brown glass bird ornaments I found several years ago.
The ornaments my aunt cross stitched every year..
My two most treasured Christmas decorations are my parent’s white Avon nativity and my tree skirt with 10 years of my kids handprints on it.
Every year when dad was alive we would go Christmas shopping for my mothers presents- just the two of us. It was a special time. Even though they had limited income my father was the most generous man at Christmas! I always felt it was my job to keep him in check! He always bought me something for going along. My favorite is a tin sparkling Santa ornament with wings! It always reminds me of him.
My hand knitted Christmas stockings for the whole family(ies)….now numbering 13. I love looking at them lined up, and seeing the progression of my knitting skill over the years. Makes me smile thinking about them, thanks for asking!
Every year since my son and daughter left for college (except last year) we have waited for the last to arrive home and then go choose our tree together. Last year, we used facetime and zoom to choose and decorate our tree. My favorite decorations are the laminated photos from pre-school days and the small wooden animals that we got for our very first tree.
My grandmother gave me a tiny red bird ornament the Christmas after I was married. My grandmother loved Christmas and this ornament always reminds me of her and her joy in the season. It has survived 42 trees, an attack by a kitten (I can still see the tiny tooth marks) and my son and nephew trying to make it fly when they were 3. It wouldn’t be Christmas without my little red bird on our tree.
One of my most treasured Christmas decorations is a cross-stitched stocking my mom made me when she was 65+. It took a long time to stitch and it is absolutely beautiful!
A little black cocker spaniel dog ornament. I bought it in honor of my precious dog, so many years ago. I still cry after 25 years at the mere thought of her.
An antique brass angel that my son had (now 54) had given my mother when he was small.
One if the first quilting projects I made was a table runner with Christmas fabrics for my mom. It’s now mine, and I cherish it.
A Santa head ornament given for my first Christmas and a spray-shellacked Swiss Bratzeli, from the last batch of Bratzeli a dear friend was making when she died.
My most treasured decoration is a tabletop papier-mache piece of 3 snowmen. They were white when my florist aunt let my 9-year-old self select something from her shop to give to my mother. Decades later they are a very pale grey but still have a a place of pride by my front door just as they did in my parents’ house. I open the door and they make me smile.
A Precious Moments angel given as a gift from my family.
Two ceramic ornaments from my first date with my husband, a school Christmas dance during our senior year of high school. They were given as favors. They’ve survived 38 years and multiple moves and are always placed next to each other on the tree.
Five little flying plastic swallows — pastel brights, with wires at their feet where I fixed them to the tree — to my mother’s simmering horror. A TREE needs BIRDS. Sixty years later I have them still.
My husband’s cousin made us an ornament when we were first married, 42 years ago. It’s a tiny, wee little mouse, sleeping inside of a tiny half of a nut shell. I think fondly of her every time I hang it on the tree.
A fabulous, plexiglass, very modern, light up, menorah. A work of art and beauty that even though purchased at a garage sale, it had no history. We enjoy the beautiful light as we create a new history for it each year .
my nesting dolls and pickle ornameny
Our first Thanksgiving together, my husband and I traveled to Lumberton, North Carolina to see his Aunt Alieen. While there for the weekend, we went “antiquing” which meant we looked at, but didn’t buy, lots of beautiful things. We were both still poor college students. However, on this trip, we saw these tiny Angel ornaments, one made from and acorn and one made from a tiny pine cone. We had to buy them for our very fist Christmas together.
We still have them 49 years later. When we put the ornaments on our tree, we always stop a moment to remember that first year together.
Those angels must have watched over us to keep us together and happy for so many years.
I have a Currier & Ives glass Christmas ball ornament my grandma gave me when I was a kid – I don’t quite remember how old. When I hang it up, I think of her, and the Christmas Eves in the house she lived in during those years. It’s hung on my tree for 50 years or so.
Ah, what fun! Hidden in the ornament box, a clear plastic Energizer Bunny ornament, bass drum and all. From our first Christmas together… 29 years ago… Wow! Anyway, my boyfriend’s car ran out of gas on our way to his mom’s house on Christmas Eve. On our walk to the gas station we stopped at a hardware store to get a gas can. The clerk gave us a pair of those ornaments for free I think, though I can’t think where the other one is. When we get to the bottom of the ornament box, and see that one, I lift it up gently, and we pause to give each other a silent nod, and shiver a little shiver, and return it to the bottom of the ornament box. Good times, those!
My favourite Christmas decor is a tiny string of warm white lights that just fits across a mantelpiece. It was a gift to my partner from my sister because he admired hers so much. It’s available as a dollar store product, runs on a battery that lasts all season and adds charm to any windowsill or lampshade, coiled or flat. And it doesn’t look ridiculous at any time of year, so I often find my partner has moved it to a place he can see it once Christmas lights are put away.
I have a simple brass menorah that my grandfather gave me.
Still the one I prefer to use.
My daughter has always had a mind of her own and decided to make her appearance 2 months before her due date. I was already prepping hand made Christmas gifts and was smocking a tree ornament while in labor. Each little smocked tree on that ball has its own tension.
A menorah from my grandfather that is treasured even though it is kind of beat up 🙂 and A dog Christmas ornament I made for my mother when I was 4. I found it when she passed at 93 wrapped up like fine crystal.
A straw owl. She flies in my living room all year long, because we seldom have a tree for her to hang on. Over the years, she has been joined by several other ornaments that also need Pride of Place throughout the year.
I love this question because I love to tell about my most treasured Christmas decoration. I am 79 years old. When I was a baby, my uncle (who as I grew older became my favorite uncle—the uncle my father asked to take care of me and my mother when my father was ordered to active duty in Europe in 1943 (WWII)—gave me a ceramic Santa Claus who is about eight inches tall and can hold a candle in his left arm. That Santa today looks as if he has been through the war himself.
He once was dropped and his black boots broke off. Super glue to the rescue. My mother (sister to my uncle) managed to fit the pieces back together again. Santa stood again! Another year, Santa’s tall candle was lit and he was forgotten. The candle burned down low enough to single Santa’s white beard which now is sort of a motley beige/brown.
My own children who are now 51 and 46 always make sure Santa is out on the mantle piece for Christmas. If they can’t join us for Christmas, they always ask “Did you get Santa out.” I have no grandchildren, but if I did, I am sure they would want Santa on the mantle, too.
The dear uncle who gave me my Santa 79 years ago died years ago. His sister, my mother, died in 2007. I’ll always miss both of them. I am so fortunate to have Santa to remind me of their love and their kindness each Christmas. And each Christmas I say “thank you, Uncle Jon and Mom for my dear Santa.”
Is it any wonder that my battered, broken, burned, 79 year-old Santa Claus is my favorite Christmas decoration? He, to my eye, outshines all the new shiny, glittery, expensive, decorations I’ve acquired in more recent years as an adult. My Santa is my treasure.
Thank you all for the opportunity to tell his story.
Barbara Tabbert
Barbara, this is so lovely. I hope you and Santa have many more happy holidays together!
I have a small handmade crèche set from Ireland that I really treasure. It’s tiny!
A small snowman family my grandmother gave me before she passed. We have a very large family so she didn’t give very many gifts to the grandchildren. She found out I collect snowmen for Christmas and had to get it for me. I will always have that little family to remind me of her.
I’ve raised Siberian Huskies for 25 yrs & Ive collected Husky ornaments from all over the world. Every one is dear to me and carries a memory of sled dog races or dog shows, pot lucks, barbeques. Every ornament is about a special time & the people I shared it with.
From the time I was a very small child, it was my ‘job’ to put up one ornament, a small wooden bird made of a sphere for a body, a smaller sphere for a head, with a flat beak and tail slotted in appropriately – all rolled in dull gold glitter! Now, over 60 yrs later, I still put this sweet little folk bird up each Christmas. It is a little battered & much less glittery – I get that!
a vintage angel from my grandmother’s cache of holiday decorations!
I have quite a few hand painted Ornaments that my best friend Jenna has given to me over the years. I just love them.
Maybe the pottery creche from Spain in 1971, or maybe the many tree ornaments made by hand by me, family, or friends. It’s too hard to choose one favourite!
I have a hand carved olive wood nativity set that I purchased with my first post college pay check. We reverently take that set out and pack it up each year. I’ve now owned it for over 45 years.
My vintage Shawnee sock darn lady that comes out of the display cabinet to be my tree topper.
My father was a scroll saw crafter in his retirement years. While I treasure all of the things he has made for me, my favorite is a Santa that hangs on our tree.
A really kitschy Christmas stocking I knit for my husband 40 years ago, complete with his name spelled out in sequins.
The first year my husband and I spent Christmas together we bought a tree from a local farm (we’re in Maine). Upon setting the tree up in our apartment we found a tiny bird’s nest hidden in the branches. We’ve carefully saved the fragile thing and placed it in every Christmas tree since (going on 21 years now)!
Last year I completed a home made advent calendar. Sewn tree in the background and 25 knitted ornaments.
A needlepoint stocking from my grandmother who has passed.
I’m not sure I only have a single most treasured decoration. I have a sterling silver nativity pin that I wear everyday that helps me to remember to keep the season’s meaning in proper perspective. So, I think, it will be the one I will be sure to pass to the next generation.
A folding Santa in sleigh from my first Christmas, one year into WWII.
Sappy mama here….my newborn daughter had almost no hair on her head for her first two years….but loved having me brush the wisps with a small, very soft baby hairbrush. Once her thick mane of curls arrived, that brush became useless….but I couldn’t bear to just toss it. I wrapped yarn around the handle and it hangs on our Christmas tree each year. I never fail to tear up, remembering the soft weight of that baby in my arms and her coos as I brushed her bare little head.
(She’s 28 now, more hair than any 3 people should have, and would be mortified if she read this!)
My favorite… a pink glass ball ornament with a frosted image of the three wise men riding camels into Bethlehem, complete with a palm tree. Belonged to my Nana. Getting rather faded/worn with the gold coming off of the little end cap, but always front snd center on the tree.
My favorite decoration are the ceramic reindeer & Santa on a sleigh that my Grandmother made ages ago. I put it on the mantel every year with greens and twinkle lights.
A ceramic table top Christmas tree that was my grandmother’s.
Knittingnmaine@yahoo.com
When I was newly married (and just-out-of-college poor) I crocheted snowfalls in white and gold, then stiffened them (probably diluted glue). They still go on our tree every year and they’re my husbands favorite ornaments.
My most treasured ornament is the one my grandmother carried with her from Hungary to the US when she came here alone at Age 14 from Hungary.
I have so many treasured tree ornaments— all made over the years by me & my children or friends … but I still love a little wooden troller ( a model of a commercial fishing boat) that a friend made many years ago…since I worked in the commercial fishing industry in Alaska from age 18- about 48… I still treasure that cute little boat she made… and gave me about 40 years ago. She worked as a fisherwoman also for many years— and we are still very good friends.
First Christmas ornaments for our children now hand on their trees!
Back in the day, you had to get up at the crack of dawn the day after Christmas for the good sales. You crowded around the door and then ran across the store to the area you wanted to shop in hopes that what you scoped out before was still there. I treasure the expensive ornaments I was able to snag at deep discount. I could not have afforded these beauties otherwise.
I have a Christmas ornament from my grandparents tree! I had two but I broke one last year. I was heartbroken ! I treasure the one I have left!
A pair of handmade Santa mugs with inscriptions from the 1940’s that I purchased at goodwill many years ago. Even thought they were not from my family, they are very unique and fun and were obviously made with love.
My favorite ornament is a pink sparkly ball my husband and I bought our first Christmas married in 1972. It was a “splurge “ at $4 ! The rest of the ornaments that year were $1/dozen boxes.
I have some angel ornaments that were my grandmother’s.
Love the tree! What a lovely idea!
Most treasured decoration is a ceramic tree with lights that belonged to my grandmother.
A blue and silver bell I’ve had since I was a little girl. Hangs high on the tree every year and reminds me of my childhood Christmases.
When my children were 6 and 9 they presented us with a nativity set they had made out of clay, painted, and even covered the sheep with cotton fluff. It was secretly made, hidden away until Christmas morning, and is displayed in our glass enclosed table all year round. The entire tableau is there – Mary, Joseph, Jesus in a manger, wisemen with gifts, camel, and the shepherd with his sheep.
My favorites are my Santa collection from Possible Dreams.
A tiny teddy bear made of applesauce and cinnamon mixed together. Made at a church Christmas craft party many years ago.
Whatever I cut out of my back field. Usually some white pine branches, swamp alder berries, maybe some dried flowers or seed pods depending on the weather. One year I had a little bird nest too…
I have a hand-crocheted swan that my mother made for me. It’s been on every tree I’ve ever decorated.
Mine is a small delicate bird (60 years old) made out of the same glass as old fashioned round Christmas balls. It has a long white silky tail. It’s my absolute fav!!
The menorah I lit when I was 7 years old during my brother’s bar mitzvah party. It is now over 60 years old and I treasure it and all its memories
I had my son very young, and we were poor for our first Christmas. A friend’s mother gave us a box of home made ornaments that included small lifesaver packages with yarn threaded through them and tied into arms and legs with a small styrofoam ball head with sequin eyes. There are only a couple left now, but they make me smile every time I see them!
I think my more treasured holiday decoration is not really a decoration but my collection of Christmas mugs. It’s been a tradition since 1994 to collect a new mug every year, present it on Thanksgiving AFTER dinner. For years it was a sisters thing with my in-laws, and now it’s a tradition between myself, my BFF and our daughters and grand daughters. Each mug in the collection tells a story.
I don’t own any decorations that are associated with any holiday or season.
Some day though, I will inherit my parents’ most cherished decoration, and it will instantly become my favorite as well.
My brother JB (RIP 2017) made it in pre-school and it’s gorgeous.
I’m sure we could sell it on Etsy today and make hundreds of dollars! Kudos to the child-minder circa 1974 in SE Wisconsin who brought this craft project to life before the Internet.
Here’s how to make your own flashy but classy holiday lantern for votive or tea lights:
Take a classic box grater, paint it your favorite color then cover it in as much or as little glitter as your sense of good taste can stand.
May the sparkly glow it throws off in your space warm up your homes as much as it does ours!
I have a glass ornament with my son’s tiny glittered handprint, made at daycare many years ago. It’s got a bit of tinsel to hang it with. He’s a teen now and taller than I, I always linger over that bauble while decorating the tree.
The pine cone wreath made in the 70s that has been reworked every year.
I treasure the red felt Christmas stocking with my name in white letters that Mom made for me when I was a tot. One year I left a walnut in the toe as it was packed away in the attic. My 10-year old self patched the mouse chewed hole with green felt and wonky stitches. I still hang it every year, 5 decades later.
“Christmas Bug”. My son made this ornament probably in about 2nd grade, 25 years or so ago. It’s an old-fashioned clothespin, painted green and blue. Glued onto that is some shiny iridescent plastic for wings. I think the idea was an angel, but in the family it immediately became Christmas Bug”.
My favorite ornament is a piece of ribbon cable – old flat computer cable with individual wires arranged in a rainbow. It’s the first ornament that my husband gave to me, back when he was designing computers in the 80s. I’m always happy when I put that on the tree.
My most treasured Christmas decoration is the stocking my mother knitted for me 60 years ago.
The series of pictures (slides) that my dad took of our Siamese cat, Zeke, as he determinedly dismantled our silver tinsel Christmas tree to a pile of rubble in the corner of the living room.
A hand painted glass blown ornament representing my two children in the arms of an angel.
Long before “elf on a shelf” my sister and I had matching elves to put on the tree. At some point they were lost, likely when my mom’s house burned in the 1991 Oakland fire. Years later I found the exact same-ish elves at a thrift store. Bought both and gave one to my sister. Each year I use it out brings memories of Christmases long ago.
My tree skirt was quilted by my grandmother, so it is definitely treasured! It was a bit of a joke between us that she would quilt me non-quilts only: several quilted stuffed animals when I was little, and the tree skirt, pillow covers, and two knitting bags when I was older. All cherished 🙂
Our menorah. It brings a warm peace to me when lit, but also when on the shelf all year long.
I’m somewhat competent at sewing, but I don’t enjoy it at all – but sometimes I want the Finished Object so badly that I will subject myself to an episode of sewing. That happened in December of 2000, when I found a pattern for a sewn-and-stuffed felt-and-fabric snowman. I loved it, so I sat down for a whack of sewing, and … he’s so cute. He’s 21 years old next month, and still SO CUTE. He has a little hand-sewn sack of treats and decor, and I always wrap a length of tinsel garland around his base (to hide some slightly incompetent sewing; don’t tell anyone). His name is Jake. I’ll haul him out of hibernation the day after Thanksgiving!
An ornament of my mom’s that you hang above a light and the heat makes the blade twirl
The heirloom Christmas stockings I knitted for my Grandchildren as they were born. So beautiful.
We will be married 60 years on December 30! Everything on our tree has memories, a few ornaments from our first Christmas, many others made by me and lots of gifts from friends and family. Decorating the tree is a trip down memory lane.
My most treasured Christmas decorations are stockings that were made by my mother-in-law. They’re done in cross stitch. Unfortunately, there is no need for me to knit Christmas stockings . . . yet.
My grandmother used to make ornaments for each of her grandchildren. When I moved back to my hometown my ornaments were among the eight boxes of my stuff that my parents had saved for nearly twenty years then gleefully dropped off on my new doorstep. I didn’t keep all the old schoolwork or the sweet valley high books, but I’m SO GLAD I have my ornaments from my grandmother, labeled with my name in her pointy handwriting. The quilted heart, the little bear in a hand knit sweater, the tiny rag doll with a sewn face…
Once upon a time my mother got package from Nieman Marcus wrapped in a silk ribbon with a silk red rose. Every year after, someone in the family would get a special package wrapped and decorated with the Nieman Marcus rose. Often it was for me! Now I look forward to wrapping a special package and adding the Nieman Marcus rose. It must be close to 70 years old now, looking a little shabby, but still a special memory and a treasured decoration.
The first decoration to go up every year is the Mistletoad who hangs in the doorway between the front room and kitchen.
The Christmas Pickle of course
I have two. A rudolph ornament my grandfater made for me and a glass ball my 4th grade teacher painted with my name on it
My Santa Christmas stocking knit by my mom 70 years ago! I copied it and made one for my grandson to carry on the tradition.
I was just gifted crystal ornaments from a friend who was downsizing. They will surely become my most treasured decorations.
I have my mother’s creche. In 1941, as a newlywed, she purchased one figure each month with money she set aside from her grocery budget. I’m not particularly religious but each year I follow her tradition of settling the baby Jesus into his crib late Christmas Eve.
The white porcelain Christmas tree with little lights from my mother. She’s been gone a long time but it still amazes me how ahead of her time she was in terms of holiday decor!! Not just standard red and green Christmas at our house even in the fifties!!
My most reasured holiday decorations are the Christmas tree ornaments I bought for each of my children’s first Christmas. There’s a flowered glass ornament for my daughter and a satin drum for my son. My children are long grown, but the ornaments always evoke the memories of their first Christmas trees and the wonder reflected in their eyes.
my favorite decoration is a tiny wooden nativity scene from Germany that was given to me by an elder woman who had immigrated after WWII. The tiny baby Jesus is made out of wax and has been with me for 40+ years.
Our silver dreidel salt and pepper shakers.
My most treasured decoration is my ONLY decoration! About 12 years ago after moving into my new house, in a neighborhood where everyone decorates for Christmas, I bought a gorgeous large silver and white wreath for our front door. The day after Thanksgiving, we decorate with gusto. I walk the wreath from the back of the closet door to the front door and ceremoniously put her in place. We take multiple pics and put on FB. They are invariably beautiful and we are DONE decorating!! And the best part—after Christmas we do the reverse and are done taking down the decorations—in about 2 minutes!! Merry Christmas!!
I guess I like decorating with things I find outside — and then return after the holiday. No need to store things that way and it’s always new and exciting.
My most treasured ornament is a small, blown glass walnut that was my mother and father’s first tree ornament. When we were small my brother and I always fought over who would get to hang it on the tree. It was always the first ornament we hung on the tree. I am quite old and my brother lives several hundred miles away, but we always mention the walnut at Christmas. It is old and frail now and lives with me a treasured ornament with its treasured memories of Christmas past.
We have a ceramic Christmas tree made by my husband’s aunt at least 40 years ago. Last year I knit a tree skirt for it. Turned out great!
The ones my kids made when they were little.
I have a ceramic Christmas tree my parents bought at the local hardware store when I was a baby. I love it!
This is a difficult one for me. I’m lucky enough to have so many! I have a drum ornament my Aunt Martha Lou made from an orange juice can. I have a cute bird ornament my Aunt Rose made. I’m going to say my most cherished is a small wooden Nativity my father-in-law made. It’s only 5 inches by 6 inches . All of the pieces fit into the stable. It’s fun to take out & put the pieces back in. I love it!
My favorite Christmas decorations are the personalized, hand-knit, “retro” Christmas stockings my sister-in-law got for each of us in my family about 40 years ago. She doesn’t knit, but loves to crochet and she ordered and bought them from a work friend.
My favorite: the first fair isle stocking I knit 🙂
The ornament that is most special to me is a carved nativity ornament that I purchased when I was in Bethlehem.
The tree top angel I crossed stitched in the 1980’s is special. A friend made the same angel, but when we compared them, we discovered that I mistakenly stitched the back of the angel’s head brown (thinking it was suppose to be hair). Of course it should have been gold for the halo! We had a good laugh and called mine the tainted angel. I left my angel as it was and chuckle every time we decorate our tree!
The dopey index card I wrote at age 8 to remind us all how to play dreidel.
i have so many favorite Christmas decorations that it is hard to choose. One of my most precious one is the one my mother put on the tree for my 2nd Christmas. It is blue and shiny and scratched and the label on it is faded but it is still beautiful.
My entire family loves the cross stitch advent calendar that I made over 30 years ago! It has little wooden charms to add to each box of a calendar which is under the cross-stitched tree scene.
Ours is an Angel for the top of the tree. She was made by a child 30 years ago, out of a paper plate. Priceless.
I smile when I see the dough-art octopus made by my child decades ago. The octopus has only 6 remaining legs, but the memories are intact.
I have so many that are truly important to me. I think I can narrow it down to three, so, in no order of preference because I just CANT decided:
1. The 2´ tall pink tinsel tree I got from Santa in 2005. This tree has been in every home I’ve had in December. It’s what makes Christmas be at home, and some years it was the only tree I had! The star on top is just cardboard wrapped in tinfoil!
2. Granddaughters first Christmas. It’s my first Christmas ornament and is such a cute little bear on a swing!
3. The Church. I don’t know how old this is. My grandmother just gave it to me this fall. It was always something to be admired and not touched. The excitement I had when, at about 10, I was allowed to DUST this beauty! It’s plastic and was once white, but is now very yellow. A true family heirloom.
I love the yearly ornaments for my daughter that showed her milestones & interests. The usual Disney characters, a cash register when she got her first job, an Eiffel Tower for her first trip abroad…Wonderful memories as we decorated over the past 31 years.
My favorite ornament is a heart shaped frame with my daughter’s picture that was made by my granddaughter in memory of her mom on the first Christmas without her mom. It tops our tree every year (2006-present). Jill
My fave is our out light globes made with hanging basket planters.
A lighted woven-wicker star that my son put atop the tree every year, a tree only as tall as he could reach.
Favorite is a wreath made with my son’s green handprints on a piece of muslin when he was about four. Berries are red finger dots. Simple poster paint but holding up well after thirty plus years!
The best are the sweet little handmade ornaments from the boys’ kindergarten days. So precious and special. (The “boys” are nearly 40 now!)
Blown glass balls that look lovely like soap bubbles.
My most treasured decorations are mostly far away, in the homes of my children. I can’t remember when I started knitting little tchotchkes to commemorate family in-jokes or special times we had together — a bat, a sloth, a Covid germ, a pirate mouse with a parrot, a nudibranch, baby stockings too small for a newborn, an aardvark, a Tardis, some birds, a Death Star, a flaming dumpster (that would be the 2020 commemorative), and more. Kind of a switch on the usual ‘kids making ornaments for the family tree.’ but I love it.
My favorite is my Princess House Nativity…it is so beautiful with Greens and Lights
An angel we got for the top of our Christmas Tree 38 years ago.
My most treasured decoration is from a study abroad trip to Switzerland I took as a 15 year old. My host family gave me a set of pine cones tied with raffia. They were never meant to be Christmas-related (I stayed there in July!) but somehow they find their way into the tree every year.
My sister gave me and my brand-new husband a sterling silver bell ornament for Christmas; It went with us on our West Indian honeymoon and hung on our first tree. This will be the 53rd year it has helped us celebrate Christmas – as always, we will hang it first.
I have a couple of Irish ornaments that mean a lot to me – reminds me of my grandparents.
My most treasured decorations are the couple of ornaments that I have from my childhood tree (a very tall version of Allison’s aluminum tree but without the built in lights). The ornaments are the old glass balls with glitter and painting on them. The colors have gotten rather strange over the years but they will always be beautiful to me.
My most treasured ornament is a salt dough piece. It is two large (mama and papa) bears, with four smaller ones in the front – they are each named for one of our four children! One of those DEAR CHILDREN broke it one year (probably playing soccer in the house) but I was able to glue it back together and it is very carefully wrapped and stored away each year after the holidays.
The angel tree topper that my dad got from the five and dime when my parents were young marrieds. She looks a little like my Grandma Vivian, his mom.
My son’s sweetheart loves Disney. Her tree is ladened with Disney decorations; But my favourite is the topper- Santa on his sleigh flying in circles around the top of the tree.
All the ornaments that I collected over my lifetime were each special in their own way -from handmade to purchased to received from friends and family. But several years ago I gave them all away to my son and his wife as they started their family. It is fun to see the ornaments when I visit them and see their tree. I am done with holiday decorating! Such a relief.
It has to be the glass icicles I hang on the tree. I just love them.
Long years ago when I left home for collage I ended up with a tumble weed as a tree in my dorm room. Seemed right at the time. I bought my first ornament. It is a clay horse. Again not really sure what I was thinking. I had moved from Ga to TX on my own so not sure what was making sense. The rest of the tree was gumdrops. I love that horse and it became the first of one each year for me then each of my children got one so the tree got full.
The ornaments that my kids have made are my most cherished.
We have 2 of the old clip on candle holders from my great grandmother. We don’t ever light the candles but they are a part of my family.
A straw star which made my youngest son at the age of four. He watched me making some and made one of his own. Someday it will desintegrate into dust, but until then… 🙂
My favorite ornaments are the ones gifted to me by students, friends and family, especially the ones from my husband.
My favorite is our Moose Menorah. When my kids were little I had them make paper candles to put in it because cleaning it after real candles was a nightmare.
My favorite decoration is a Santa figure that was my Great Grandmother’s.
I have a Christmas forest that grows every year, a collection of small trees that takes over my home each December.
I have I quilted runner with Santa’s that a dear friend made for me. It’s officially Christmas season then that comes out,
We buy an ornament when we go to a new destination. Always fun to pull them out and reminisce about fun family adventures.
My cherished ornament is a small, glittery elf. My mother gifted it to my grandfather when she was a young girl with a gift certificate for a hat. Remember when men wore hats? That has been awhile! I place the ornament in a place on the red each year where I can sit, knit, and view it.
One of our favorite holiday tree decorations is an ornament made by my husband many years ago in elementary school. It’s a white plastic kool-aid powder scoop with a garishly painted tiny plastic rocking horse laying atop a cotton ball and adorned with bric-a-brac. A close second is a fabric tree from the 1970s that has still retained its fake pine scent.
My most treasured ornaments are the old red glass, teardrop shaped baubles. I can’t hang them anymore because they are so fragile. Always reminds me of my mom and dad and the fun we had decorating the Christmas tree. And, of course, always makes me cry when I unwrap them. Great memories.
A handmade Christmas decoration of a Victorian Caroller that I made for our first Christmas together 40 years ago.
In grade school my son made a snowman out of a white sock. Very vanilla school craft item … but! The cheery snowman smile exposes vampire fangs. What can I say, I love me a vampire snowman!
I have a small set of German blown glass angel with real glass glitter. My grandmother gave it to me when I was born! I am a December baby
Both my treasures are stockings and they are inextricably linked. The first was appliqued and embroidered by my grandmother, with my grandfather’s handwriting as the template for my name. The second is a little muslin stocking that my husband decorated for our first married Christmas, when it became evident that my grandmother’s stocking had not made it into the mail to be with me in our new home for Christmas.
A menorah.
I have a blown glass menorah that burns lamp oil. My mother gave it to me years ago, and it is very special.
Definitely the Star of Eddie, a paper cutout Christmas tree my husband made in first grade, with his name scrawled on it, lo those many years ago.
The ornaments I made with my boys when they were little bring back the best memories. I treasured moments of being together, having holiday fun.
I have my Mom’s four carolers with wide, flat faces that I love. She laughs because they were just Woolworth’s purchases but I love them nevertheless. Merry Christmas!
My favorite decorations are the stockings I knit for our family, including the dog.
The menorah used by my family
My favorite holiday decoration is a simple felted 18×24 wall hanging that my mom made the year I was born (early 60s), featuring Mary and Joseph traveling over hills towards a very simple star. When it’s hung, we know the holidays are here, but that we should keep them as simple as this wall hanging.
My favorite decorations are the handmade ornaments from my grandmother. She was an artist with fiber. She tatted many snowflakes which I lovingly place on my tree each year. Her tatting was so beautiful, so fine, so delicate. She taught me how to tat but I never kept it up, unfortunately. She passed away in the 1994 but I often think how proud she would be of me when I finish another knitted project. She crocheted my sisters and cousins and I many toys and sewed us many clothes. When I finished knitting a little bear for my first grand daughter, I thought I was truly following in her footsteps. 🙂
Love the tree! We had a silver one when I was a kid, color wheel light and all. Sadly, the tree did not wear well and only lasted a few seasons.
My favorite holiday decoration is the nativity set sent by our grandmother when I was a child. It was lovingly set up every year and I eventually inherited it. It is my treasure and symbol of what Christmas means to me.
I like your idea of a Kaffe Fasset shawl for a tree skirt. Years ago I was looking for a new skirt and they were costing $85! I found table linens on sale and found a round table cloth with red poinsettias appliqued on it. I cut a slit to the center and hemmed the rough edges. Voila—a new tree skirt for less than $10!
My grandmother’s ceramic Christmas tree with multicolored lights. My mom shipped it to me last year, and it broke in transit, but a little super glue fixed it right up.
A cross stitch i did many years ago called, “Santa and the Forest.”
I have many treasured ornaments, but I think my favorite is a garland of Swedish and Norwegian flags. They’re made of paper, and the garland is very fine thread. They were my mom’s and she always had them on our tree growing up and once I became an adult. Since she died 5 years ago, I inherited them along with all her other beautiful ornaments!
I don’t know that it is most treasured – but my favorite is an angel that my mother-in-law made out of a tin can lid about 40 years ago. Still going strong!
Mine is a tiny flocked elephant about the size of a thimble. It used to be inside a delicate glass ball. My dad picked it out. I picked out an Angel and it broke before I got it on the tree. I was heartbroken and my dad gave me his. A few years later the ball broke but every year I set the little elephant in the branches
Cardboard stars covered in fabric and edged in gilt rickrack. I remember making them with my mother when I was a child.
The porcelain unicorn ornament I got when I was 8 was so treasured at the time, and now, even though its no longer to my taste, it’s a testament to the joys of my childhood, and the staying power of a fragile ornament that has lasted more than 40 years!
A fridge magnet made by my daughter in preschool, popsicle sticks, red nose pompom and googly eyes make Rudolph!
Our favorite – and the first item out and the last to put away – is a little wire tree with a tiny light at the end of each wire branch. The colored lights are beautiful in the front window, and it reminds us of our dear neighbor who gave it to us when we lived across the street from her during a long spell in Virginia. She is still there, but we moved back to our home in the mountains of Northern California. We still write to each other ‘across the lane’, even though it now means ‘across the country’. Fond memories!
I cross-stitched my husband and myself Christmas stockings when we were first married 26 years ago. I then stitched ones for our children as well. They bring me joy each year I hang them. I recall all the love that went into each stitch.
My most treasured decoration is an ornamdnt my Mom gVe me nearly 40 years ago.
Mine is a 4″ Santa I bought for 10 cents to put in my hope chest.
Thanks for the fun memories and the giveaway.
The putz houses I got from my mom’s collection that are at least 70 years old.
My Most Treasured Christmas Decoration is candy cane holders my Mama had crocheted. I can just close my eyes and picture Mama with her crochet hook and her arthritic hands working on these ornaments for all us kids ! I have them on my tree every year and now my granddaughter looks forward to finding those special candy cane ornaments!
So many glowing candles on our kitchen window, telling everyone about the Miracle of Chanukah, stood my favorite Menorah. Each candle would gently burn and drip down leaving layers of waxy colors that we would have to scrap off the next day in preparation for that evening. I remember the simplest gold menorah and every Chanukah I can still see the reflections in the windows…..
All the handmade ornaments are my favs.
I have a lighted Christmas tree that was my great grandmothers. The base is wooden and holds a light bulb. The tree has branches with pieces of glass poking out the end to simulate Christmas light bulbs and the star on top is also glass. When plugged in the glass pieces glow softly and it looks so pretty! There are some small metal bulb ornaments attached to the branches as well. It has lost some of it’s greenery over the years but it always finds a place of honor when I decorate.
I also have some snowmen I made from two by four’s and some old socks after one’s my brothers made for my mom. The socks make hats and I used a skinny piece of felt for scarves and drew on the faces. They are the perfect size for sitting in a window and peering out at those who walk by. They make me smile every year!
I have a porcelain Christmas tree night light my grandfather gave me when I was really young – it’s always been my favorite and seeing it lit up makes it really feel like Christmas!
I think my favorite decoration is a conservative cross stitch rendering of 3 Santas from school house press
À garland of cats holding plumpouding ( bought in UK in 1998…..) Remind me of good times spent with my friend Eilein
My most treasured holiday decoration is a handmade Hawaiian nativity set that belonged to my grandmother.
My mom passed along a creepy set Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus that are folded out of an old phone book. I picture is worth a thousand words in this case! Use your imagination! They are now going to make an appearance on my very own piano top for the holidays (btw, we are a Jewish household!)
My most cherished Christmas ornament is ‘Betty Boop sitting on a crescent moon.’ My ’90-yr old’ dad gave the ceramic figurine to me many years ago, knowing how much I liked the Betty Boop character. The ornament hangs permanently in my studio/office in wait for decorating our yearly Christmas tree.
my favorite tree ornaments are the ones my kids made in Kingergarten. They all had the same teacher, and they made little sparkly star ornaments with their picture inside!
I have some of my parents Christmas ornaments which I treasure. They are a bit tattered after all these years, having survived many holiday seasons with the five of us playing with, but they always have pride of place on my tree and table..
Also some felt ornaments I made with my grandmother!
The ornaments my mom kept intact & passed to me from her grandmother!! Ancestral, simple, silvery shimmer worn to matte. So delicate I just breathe in awe every time I use them.
My most treasured decoration is a set of 6 of the first plastic ornaments ever made around the WWII era. My Dad bought them for my Mother that year.
A red robin, crocheted by my grandmother, is my most treasured Christmas ornament.
There are two. A Seasons Greeting postcard circa 1961 with a photo of me, my brother and baby sister sitting on the staircase. I now keep it in a frame. The other is a needlepointed Christmas card I did with my family name on it in the 1980’s. My other framed it and now I have it.
My most treasured piece of holiday decor is a crayon-colored, cotton ball festooned Santa, whose body parts are fastened together with metal brads, created when I was in kindergarten.
A jointed St Nicklaus made by my mother-in-law from a picture cut-out from something (a magazine?) and pasted onto pieces cardboard – then cut out and jointed together
My daughter and I made dough ornaments one year back in the late 90’s. We cut them out with cookie cutters, painted them with acrylics and embellished with glitter. Mine were very representational – think green trees carefully shaped with fine lines of glitter garland. Veronica’s were what I considered at the time more slapdash – rough around the edges and painted in non primary colors that didn’t “go together.”
Over the years mine have been relegated to the fill-in-the-bare-spots-if-we’ve-run-out-of-good-ornaments pile and hers take center stage.
There are so many favorites! I love my handmade ones and those that were my Mom’s, especially the Nativity scene. But one of my favorites is a tabletop snow globe that depicts Santa with all the woodland creatures (and more) surrounding him in front of a fireplace, which actually glows and flickers. It is very detailed and beautiful.
I have a tiny silver tree with red and green lights.
The golden angel tree topper from my childhood.
My most treasured holiday decoration is the candles we put in each window of our house. They make the house look so pretty at night!
My favorites are fingerprint ornaments made by my children.
A ceramic angel. One of a set given to each of us as little girls, individually crafted.
I have collected and received many ornaments over the years. A cardinal ornament that I delayed buying for myself, first of Hallmarks’ bird collection became the Holy Grail. Found by my sister on Ebay one summer and given to me immediately to complete my collection. My new grail is 1991 Reed and Barton Christmas flora, boxed set. Don’t know why I missed that year but it turned out to be the last of a set.
I don’t decorate much so my decor consists of a little brass menorah and a ceramic Christmas tree that my mother-in-law gave us years ago.
My favorite is all the ornaments the kids have made (especially the ones with photos in them).
My mother made us several cross stitch ornaments. Also my mother-in-law gave us a new ornaments several times. They are all full of love and wonderful memories.
I designed and made a santa wall hanging a few years ago, and his beard hangs about 4’ long. The exaggeration makes it so cute—I made a few more as gifts.
My grandmother’s angel tree topper. It’s large and fragile and made of mid-century synthetic materials. Always been too scared to try to balance her on the tree-top, but love to have her out…
…but wait, for the 40+ years I’ve been married, we’ve always had Mr Snowy (a stuffed snowman) and a plain gold star (plastic, from Woolworth’s, and stripped of its garish trip) on our tree. Maybe they are more important now.
A star cut out of Birch bark that my husband and I made to top our first Christmas tree together.
One of the ornaments I enjoy hiding in the tree is a beaded spider. It came with a story saying it’s supposed to bring good luck.
Ceramic nativity set, hand painted decades ago by my dear great aunt. So beautiful and such a labor of love.
I love the Santa Claus that stood under my Grandmother’s Christmas tree. He’s faded red and white plastic and he’s riding a reindeer that’s lost one leg but it’s still magical to me. It’s magical because it represents all of the magic my Grandmother put into Christmas for us.
My fave would have to be the wooden ornaments painstakingly painted in the 70’s. My friend and I would ignore the chaos of the kids around us and lose ourselves in the moment.
I think my must treasured decoration is my nativity set. It was a wedding present from my husband’s grandmother, who passed away a few years ago, and is the one decoration that is out out every Christmas. It even went to the hospital with me when I was on bed rest with my twins 18 years ago!
My most treasured Christmas ornament is from our very first Christmas tree, 54 years ago. We were still in college and didn’t have money to buy decorations so we covered the tree with white paper roses and red bows that I made. We still add the 2 surviving roses to our tree every year.
My most treasures decoration was my father’s copy of “Twas The Night Before Christmas”. It was framed and we took it out each year.
I love 4 dinosaurs that I bought in Los Angeles. They are small and covered in silver sequins. The stegasaurus is my very favorite.
A shiny hand-blown glass ornament from late 19th Century Poland. It looks a bit like a bulbous spindle. A elderly neighbor lady down the block from my family gave it to me when I was a high school student. She told me it was for my own house someday. She died a few years later. I keep it in its own box, carefully wrapped in tissue paper. Our basement flooded this summer during a severe rainstorm. We managed to salvage Christmas ornaments. Hanging it on our tree this year will be especially meaningful. It reminds me to keep paying it forward.
Hello, there is not one favorite Holiday decoration for me. The favorites are the ones I got as present and were selfmade. Two of them survived several moves around the globe and are still in use. They are an angel made by a mothers friend from a white hankerchief. She is kind of lobsided but flies every year high in the top of our tree , the second is a wreath made by my mother in law. It is made of christmassy fabric ( 3 stuffed ‘tubes’ braided and ends connected to form a circle and decorated with a bow)
Than we have of cours the numerous kids decorations which compliments our eclectic Holiday look. I think Kaffe Fassett would like it.
Happy Hollidays
When my niece was going through a ballet phase years ago, I made a felt ornament of ballet slippers decorated with felt holly leaves and beads for holly berries. It turned out so nicely that I made another one for my own tree. Every year, I smile to see the slippers on her tree and mine.
My favourite Christmas decorations are the ones my children made at school for the tree. Who wouldn’t love a photo of her child, surrounded by a wreath made of puzzle pieces haphazardly glued in a circle and spray painted green? These decorations bring joy and laughter every year when we decorate the tree.
The hammerhead shark I knitted for my son’s annual Christmas tree ornament gift
My most treasured Christmas decoration is a white ceramic angel holding a songbook that rotates and plays silent night when you wind her up. She was a gift from my grandmother more than 50 years ago and she still works as well as ever. She has a place of honor every year and hearing it brings back floods of memories of the most special time of the year.
Hallmark thimble ornaments
My treasured ornament is an old 1960s plastic elf – green. My brother had a red one and my sister a white one – they marked our places at the Christmas tree.
My favorite and most treasured Christmas decoration is a well-loved Santa doll on sitting on a wind up stool (that doesn’t play anymore). My brother, sister and I share him across the miles and he brings up memories of our childhood.
That would be my collection of wooly, handmade ornaments – last year our Norfolk Island pine was our tree and everything on it was made of wool!
My favorite holiday decorations are the simple and pretty red bows I hang on the top of almost every framed picture on my walls during the holiday season.
My most treasured decoration is a beautiful menorah my college roommates chipped in together to get me. I still use it every hannukah.
When I was 20 I spent Christmas overseas with a friend and her sister. Neither of them had ever knit, but we made each other Christmas stockings anyway. I still put mine out every year.
Clay angels from Kentucky.
I don’t have any favored decorations. When I was young, we had beautiful ornaments from my grandparents. Every year now, I remember them. Our tree was spray flocked with the ornaments on one year. I don’t know who decided it was a good idea to put the ornaments into the dishwasher. Yes, all the color came off and the ornaments, sadly, we’re thrown out by my dad.
I have two! A German nutcracker in the image of the Queen, complete with matching handbag. And a white crocheted 1950s poodle bottle cover—she’s holding a Christmas tree. Both are part of larger fabulous holiday collections.
I have a hand blown glass tree topper that was made by a co-worker in my dad’s chemistry lab and given to my parents when I was born, 73 years ago. Obviously it’s my most treasured holiday decoration.
I have a tiny hand-knit baby stocking from my great grandmother. My sister has the matching stocking on her tree. They were knit for my grandmother to wear as an infant.
I am the caretaker of the family stuff so there’s a load of things that stir warm feelings, but my most treasured is possibly the family’s nativity set. My parents started “building” it in 1968. What started with Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus slowly built up to include a rat (my dad thought it was a fitting addition!) and in my caretakers years a more multi-racial Angel choir. I’m not terribly religious, but I love a great story and this nativity tells quite a few!
A cross-stitch ornament my mother made when I was young
My favorite ornaments are the ones made by my children when each was in kindergarten.
My favourite ornament is a star for the top of the tree that I made with the kids when they were little. It is cardboard and wrapping paper and a lot of glitter glue.
A paper manger set that my parents bought in 1955 when they celebrated their first Christmas together.
My most treasured holiday decoration is my mother’s Hanukkah Menorah. It is quite “old fashioned” looking with the candle holders looking like oil flasks. To me, it is a memory of my Parents, sister and all our wonderful times growing up and celebrating this festive holiday.
The handmade ornaments from my daughters.
Last year I finally finished a sewn pocket advent calendar wall hanging that I’d been working on or losing pieces of (alternately) for about 20 years. Nearly every pocket has a little cross stitch patch on the front – mostly Christmas motifs but also initials for me and my husband. I can’t wait to enjoy it for all of advent this year!
I have an ornament that was my grandmother’s (Nana). She died when I was nine and I’m 73 now. It’s fragile and beautiful and makes me think of all the love she gave me.
A friend made me a felt tree skirt with sequin Christmas scenes all around the edge. The sweetest part is that her husband helped sew on the sequin holly leaves and put one on backwards so it sticks out the wrong direction.
A small Mercury glass silver acorn, that is from my Dad’s family home and was on their Christmas tree when he was a boy.
A gold ornament of Santa flying a plane. My Christmas tree is decorated with gold ornaments every year. I found the ornament when we were going through my dad’s stuff after he died. He was a private pilot and the ornament reminds me of fun memories of flying with him as a kid.
The ceramic tree my mom made back in the ’60s. Duh.
While all my ornaments have some special meaning, I would have to go say my tapestry style Christmas tree skirt. It was the first Christmas item I bought for myself in my very first apartment. I get so excited when I put it under our tree each year.
My most treasured is a baby block as my parents first Christmas with me they were away from family and could barely afford a tree but wanted my first Christmas to be special so strung my plastic baby blocks on the tree! ❤️♥️
A little etched-copper horse
My godmother knitted me and my 4 siblings a Christmas stocking. I thought we were special, but later in life found out she knitted the same stocking for dozens of people in my hometown! She then knitted the stocking for all of our children (9 in all). She’s still with us, but blind so no more knitting for her. But I found a very similar pattern on Ravelry and have knitted the stocking for our children’s spouses and their children….the tradition continues!
I have 2 Japanese washi eggs I made, one in green and one in red. Super-light to hang on the tree and fond memory of making them with a group of friends in Singapore many years ago.
My most treasured holiday decoration is a glass tree topper my mother used when we were kids. It isn’t an angel or a star, but a decorative spike. I don’t know if she bought it new or if it was handed down from a relative, but every year I closely monitor its placement on the tree and how it is packed away.
Mine is a very small tree from my childhood. It’s almost bare of artificial greenery. It sits on top of a light bulb it’s made every move with me
My most treasured holiday decoration is the menorah that was my parents which we used when I was a child.
A lovely white and gold table runner embroidered by my Mother.
My most treasured decoration is a wreath my sister made for me out of old ornaments that were on our family Christmas tree when we were growing up. It has old shiny bright glass balls, some 70s plastic elves and even an ornament I made in kindergarten!
My parents gave each of us children an ornament each year. When we married (or otherwise moved out), we took all our 18-20 ornaments with us to start our own Christmas traditions! Now my favorites are the ones my father makes with his awesome wood-working skills. I’ve bought a small tree this year especially to showcase those ornaments.
I have a small, plaster-of-paris angel that was given to me for Christmas by my grandmother when I was about 11 or 12 years old. It has a hook on the back and is on my tree every year, at the top near the star. As I am now 78 years old it is starting to show its age with a few nicks and scuffs here and there, but I love it dearly. It’s not Christmas without it up there watching over us all.
My glass bells that I have been collecting since I was a teenager. I put them out every Christmas.
My most treasured Christmas decoration is the Nativity set that was my father’s when he was little. It was always set up under the tree and my brother and I would play with it. It now goes under my tree and hopefully my grandchildren and my father’s great grandchildren will play with it one day.
Memories! All of my ornaments were lost.
When I was a child, we had the 7 Dwarves, stuffed, that clung to the tree. Sadly, they got lost in my parent’s divorce, when I was in my 30s. My husband has a fabric British soldier with the high hat, like at Buckingham palace, from his childhood. We had an adorable Precious Memories boy tree topper I bought when my stepson was part of my Christmas, and he has that on his tree now
A friend made me beautiful felt ornaments that are embroidered. I’ve tole my nieces and nephews that if they sell them in a garage sale after I die, I’ll haunt them.
Wow, I have more Christmas decoration than I do regular furniture! Ha! Hard to pick just one! But… I’ll have to say, it’s one my oldest son made when he was 6, “Jesus in a shoe box”.
It was a July vacation bible school project where the children did nativity scenes out of construction paper, cotton balls, pipe cleaners ( you get the picture). He brought it home and proudly said” look mom, Jesus was born in a Reebok box”.
He gave it to my mom for Christmas, she kept it out all year snd told the story to whoever would listen ❤️. Mom died this year and the box came home with me, I love it.
My favorite ornament is a clay impression of my dog’s paw print. She passed away two months before Christmas and I forgot to ask the people who handled her cremation to make the impression. Just before Christmas, I received a package from her vet. It was an impression of Chloe’s paw. The staff share that special place in my heart, right next to Chloe.
I have 12 Danbury Mint gold plated ornaments sent annually starting in 1977 from my mother, who lived far away. The first year, I was fairly newly married, just moved to a new state, broke and missing family. It was such a surprise and I had no idea that they would continue annually or for how long. It was so exciting receiving the new one each year and discovering the new design. All these years later, they are still the first ornaments to go on the tree and always remind me of her.
I have a beautiful glass ornament that was given to me by a parent of one of my students.
my favorite decoration is the aluminum Christmas tree we inherited from the ’50s!
Most treasured decoration is a delightful ceramic penguin ornament that was a wedding gift, 40 years ago!
I have a glass ornament that belonged to my grandparents. It is purple with yellow stripes and hangs from an old string. The paint is starting to flake off a bit, but your paint would too if you were over 80 years old. 🙂
I love the red and green ball fringe I got at a fabric store about 30 yrs ago. It looks great draped anywhere you’d drape some garland.
Every year my husband and I delight in hanging the decorations our daughter made when in elementary school. We always smile. (She is now 45 and quite a bit more sophisticated.) A close second is her “first ornament”, a gift from her grandmother.
I have a set of real crystal snowflakes that I look forward to seeing every year. Just the ritual of rediscovering special favorites in the decorations box each year makes me smile.
My most treasured decorations are 3 hand made crocheted snowflakes, that my Mom made for me. She is no longer with us, but I always think of her putting those gems on the tree.
A crystal star ornament
My most treasured holiday decoration was the crocheted angels Mom made years ago for me. Unfortunately they burned in the fire that destroyed my home last year. Mom passed a few months later.
A needlepoint holiday train that sits in the fireplace mantle…
I have a ceramic Linus (Charlie Brown) with chipping paint but it is the first ornament I bought for myself when I moved out of my parents home so it keeps getting a place on my tree each year.
My favorite decorations are the snowflakes my grandmother crocheted and the hanging tinsel snipped from old tin cans that are from my great grandmother.
Back in the ’60’s ceramics was a popular hobby. I made a few things but began to think they were rather “tacky”. Then I saw a small nativity set fired and then glazed to look like ivory. I made two sets. One for our immediate family and one for my parents. We have two sons who will inherit these and the whole family treasures them. The ivory finish keeps them from looking garish and I display them on a table in the foyer with candles.
Many years ago I scored on a raffle prize of a glass ornament featuring a granny knitting. It has been my tree topper ever since! If I could attach a picture I would.
Our most treasured holiday decoration is a Santa Claus tree topper that we bought at Carson, Pirie, & Scott in suburban Chicago the first Christmas we were married.
My most treasured holiday decorations are my collection of Hallmark Mary’s Angels ornaments. They have their own small tree in our stairway and I have a smile the entire month of December every time I look at it
My most treasured holiday item is an ornament my daughter gave me during a very difficult time in her life. She had dropped out of college and couldn’t find work. She came home for Christmas and could only afford ornaments to give as gifts. She turned her life around soon after!
ceramic Christmas Tree that lights up -made by my mother….its at least 50 yrs old.
I treasure the ornaments from Germany. They remind me of the years I spent Christmas in Germany and visiting the factory they were made and Kathe Wohlfart store in Rothenberg.
My most treasured ornament was made by my kiddo in preschool. The teachers dressed him up like an angel and took a picture, then he made a popsicle stick frame to go around it. Aww, most precious! He’s 20 now, and always rolls his eyes when I put it on the tree.
A Santa doll I’ve had since little.
Some glass ornaments from my grandmother’s tree!
A wooden cinnamon bear ornament from the local department store, circa 1960 ish. Runner up, beautiful glass ornaments with white gunk on them from the flocked tree, an extravagance for my Mom.
I have several, but one is a rustic nativity set made out of Alberta (Canada) barn board, purchased when we lived there when our children were small.
My most treasured Christmas decoration is my crystal snowflakes. My husband and I bought for our first Christmas tree. I thought it made for the prettiest tree I had ever seen.
Most treasured Christmas item is the angel tree topper made from white feather gown and yellow feather hair that has always been my tree topper since childhood.
Our inexpensive little village is the thing! My girls were ready helpers as little ones to help set things up and move the tiny figures around the village. But the magic truly happened when ‘Tiny Town Tales’ came to FB during Covid- daily updates about the goings on around the town- a murder, a mayoral election and more. It developed a great following of friends. We can’t wait to get set up again this year.
My favorite decoration isn’t even mine… our family holiday trove included little ceramic candy cane people in various poses. Yep, red and white stripes, little cherubic faces, and the crook end of the cane sticking out of their heads! My sister has custody of them for some reason. Haven’t thought of those in years, but it was the first thing that came to mind when I saw the question – a long with a smile and some happy holiday memories. Thanks for that joy today!
White lights – without question! All of which need to be on timers so they come on automatically and at the same time everyday.
I have an ornament that my maternal great grandparents brought from Germany. It is a fabric turnip about the size of a lemon. My sister and I used to fight about who would put it on the tree.
While I have a few favorites, one is a hand-crafted group of the persons and animals of the Christmas manger scene, made by a very good friend as soft sculpture when my (adult) children were small. They come out each year to a place of honor.
My husband’s first ornament that he created himself – a painted, sparkly toilet paper roll – from 1957. Unique and one of a kind!
What a fantastic idea.
Our favourite little decoration is a rather battered star made by our then 3 year old daughter. It’s soft card decorated with pasta shells and sprayed gold. It has moved all over the world with us and never fails to make me smile when I unwrap it to hang on the tree. So many sweet memories of a tiny girl with tinsel wrapped around her head.
Reading these comments has been a joy and gift in itself. Thank you so much. It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas…
My most treasured decoration is not actually a tree decoration; rather, it is a gift tag (a package decoration!) in my grandmother’s handwriting. It’s not a fancy tag, nor a homemade tag…just one of those you can buy at the store in packages of 25 or whatever…but it is the handwriting that makes it so very special. Unfortunately, I don’t remember what was in the package that this tag adorned (though it was most likely a crocheted item) but I have hung onto that tag for over 50 years. It still brings tears to my eyes and wonderful memories to my heart every time I look at it.
We have several flat, wooden cutout decorations with paper images of folks from the olden days decoupaged onto them. We bought the kit in the early days of our marriage, since we couldn’t afford lots of individual bobbles. They hold good memories of new adventures during young marriage.
A clear ornament filled with flowers from my wedding bouquet.
It’s hard to pick just one most favorite decoration, but there is a certain green plastic pear ornament covered in coarse white glitter to simulate snow that I have cherished since childhood. I look forward to hanging it on the tree every year.
My mom’s eight-pointed Christmas tree star. It’s like 3D stained glass, with metal outlines and the inner parts of the star made up of milky plastic (though as a kid I thought it was a kind of shell). You have to thread the lights through it and then it’s beautiful to see. Anything else on top of a tree just looks wrong to me!
My most treasured holiday decoration is an ornament I made when I was 4 years old. It consists of colored plastic beads, macaroni, large sequins all strung on a length of red yarn. I hang it on my tree every year. My mother has the other one that I made, and it’s on her tree every year. 🙂
My most treasured tree decorations are mercury glass ones that came form my grandparents. Several have been broken over the years, but there are still 3 left!
The kelly green Christmas tree skirt I pieced out of squares bought at Woolworth’s for our first Christmas! It’s looking a bit tattered, stained, and wholey (holy?) now, but my husband and I have used it around our tree ever since our first holiday together, celebrated in one of the surplus army sheds that served as married student housing when we were undergraduates. Working on 50–just six more Christmases to go! (Frankly, I’m not sure whether we just got lucky or whether we managed to raise each other, along with our two sons.)
My most treasured holiday decoration is a Christmas tree ornament. It’s a wool felt orange tabby cat wearing a lovely pale blue wool trench coat. He’s a very dapper gentleman and we like to think he is the way our departed cat Thurston saw himself existing in the world- a gentleman cat who thinks he’s people.
I love setting out the stockings! We have one each for my husband and I, and then each of our four animals gets one. They get really excited every year when the stockings come out, since they know that soon they’ll be getting new toys and some treats!
My favorite decoration/ornament/holiday item is a beautiful menorah that I took from my Mom’s house when she moved into assisted living. It is very simple in shape and style but the minute I look at it, it takes me back to Hanukah’s in my childhood. My mom has dementia now, so doesn’t celebrate on her own, but every year, my sons and I go to visit her at least one of the nights of Hanukah to light the candles. And I always bring this menorah
Most treasured holiday decoration is our Plastic Angel that sat atop our family tree while growing up. She was even there the year my mother decided we needed an aluminum tree. She still was on top of the tree..smiling down like she was at a disco club! I own her now and she’s priceless.
Handmade wool felt Christmas stockings from childhood.
A crystal hanukkah menorah from Poland.
As a single woman with no kids who has lived faraway from family for a long time, I’m not in the habit of decorating for the holidays. However, Karen Barbè just released a pattern for making snowflake ornaments using embroidery on paper. I plan to crank out a few for myself and more as gift tags for friends that can become holiday ornaments for them next year.
A little red yarn elf with a teeny cotton ball on the tip of his pointy hat. My Grandmother gave it to me.
My sisters and I each had a personal ornament we were allowed to add to the tree each year. Mine is still my favorite because it reminds of happy childhood Christmases.
One of my most treasured traditions was making gifts with my boys when they were younger. Over the years, we made soap, candles and ornaments, I was tickled last year when my son and his wife made soap for everybody for Christmas.
Most treasured are the two ornaments made by my daughters when each was in kindergarten.
Cross stitched round ornaments I made many years ago when i first learned to cross stitch.
My most treasured holiday decoration is a small Christmas stocking ornament that my grandma knit for me many years ago.
Hand made ornaments are my most treasured decorations. Hand crocheted snowflakes are beautiful on the tree.
My mom needlepointed tree topper angels for all us kids. They are a favorite on the tree every year for the kids and grandkids and especially for sharing memories of a great lady.
My favorite decoration is a triptych of the Wise Men that my mother made when I was a little girl. They are mad of burlap and fabric pieces with beads from some of her old jewelry decorating their crowns and gifts. I just can’t have Christmas without them!
My favorite holiday decorations are my hand-carved wooden Santas that my Dad carved for me.
My favorite decoration is a crèche scene made entirely out of bamboo that my husband and I purchased 48 years ago in Taiwan.
My most treasured holiday decoration are some vintage glass ornaments that my mother-in-law gave me.
My most treasured decoration is a set of ceramic candy cane elves that have always been set out on a table since I was a child
The most treasured holiday decorations are my menorahs. I have about 30 of them. I pull them all out and light many of them The ones that are strictly decorative are displayed around the house, unlit.
A pine cone garland I made with my kids. We picked up the pine cones throughout the year and strung them on wire interspersed with wooden beads we painted gold.
My kid in his knitted elf hat!
My favorite decoration is my nativity set. It is perfect as is.
Other than putting candles in our windows – a pair of them every Friday night for the Sabbath, and a big menorah for Chanukah — we Jews generally don’t do a lot of holiday decorating. So I’m going to go with my favorite holiday tradition.
On Thanksgiving morning, I get out my big box of colored chalk. On the sidewalk, I write something like “I am thankful for my friends.” I leave the chalk on the sidewalk along with a sign which says “Write Your Own.”
By the time the sun sets, the thankful comments fill my sidewalk and spill onto my neighbors’ sidewalks. They are wry, serious, silly, sometimes sobering, written by adults and by kids. The range of things passers-by express thanks for, go from “I’m thankful for chocolate,” ” to “…..for living in this beautiful neighborhood,” to “….for having a home” to “….for having an education” and once “……for being able to leave my abusive partner and start over.” At day’s end, only chalk stubs remain.
This is a lot of fun, but it doesn’t work if it rains.
One of my most treasured holiday decorations is a styrofoam snowman named Pierre. My parents made it for their first Christmas. They were married 57 years when my mom passed away this spring.
A smiley yellow clay face made in 8th grade at CCD by my now 56 year old art teacher daughter
My most treasured Christmas ornament is a skinny, soft cloth angel with a red dress and white wings, but she is full Sixties style, with Mary Quant blue-eyeshadowed almond-shaped eyes. She’s like the precursor to a Blythe doll, with that expression–she was the first ornament that I was ever given, at a time when we didn’t have much extra for indulgences at Christmas, so she came as a total surprise, and she is my personal icon to all Christmases past.
I have a small angel glockenspiel that we always put up at Christmas time when I was a child. I still put it out.
A most treasured holiday item is a glass “heart” sun –catcher i purchased for my grandmother who lived far away. I sent it to her for her Christmas tree and for use year round in her window. I could only afford to send it by regular mail, 2 days before Christmas, but through some kind of magic it arrived on time. When she passed away the relatives sent it back to me, so I knew then that grandmother had kept the sun-catcher and that it had been important enough for her to somehow make known to the relatives its origin. This sun-catcher both reminds me of my grandmother and of the strength if love.
My most treasured decoration is a set of llama ornaments I received from my sister in law for Christmas one year. I loved them then, and now that she has passed away they’ve become even more special.
It’s so hard to narrow down the list of treasured decorations! I think the most treasured ones are a set of Scandinavian-themed ornaments I made for my mother about 35 years ago. They came back to me after she passed away a few years ago.
Mine is a 12 inch tall :”Father Christmas” a member I didn’t know well helped me make. Through that shared love of creating we became best friends 34 years ago!
I have a nutcracker that wasn’t mine as a kid but boy did I love it. I turned a shoebox into its “home” complete with red and green drawings and air holes so that he wouldn’t suffocate while he was hibernating between christmases
My most treasured Christmas decoration is a mirror for my mantle, with scenes painted by my mother. ❤️
I have been collecting ornaments forever, so my tree is pretty eclectic, and it’s hard to choose a favourite. I am partial to ornaments made by my kids now that I have them.
My favorite decoration is a 25 ft long gum wrapper chain that I made when I was in high school. It’s a wonder I have any teeth left! I made it as a garland to decorate our tree, and I still put it up every year!
As a child we were given a brass bell at church each year at Christmas time. My mother sewed the bells to a wide ribbon and it always hung on the front door during the holidays. I have it now and continue to enjoy the happy noise it makes when friends come and go. This is the sound I associate most with Christmas. Even though mother is gone, she continues to make me smile.
So many favorites, but my most favorite is “Boingy Snowman,” who hangs from the ceiling on a spring cord and bounces up and down. His eyes wink when he bounces. Boingy Snowman sadly needs a new spring, as his is hopelessly tangled, but I still keep him in his box to look at every year.
My daughter made me a scholarly snowman, complete with tweed jacket and elbow patches, her senior year in high school pottery. He sits on my mantle all winter
My favorite ornament is a small Santa stuff doll my parents had when I was a baby. I discovered it while helping my parents move to a senior community this June.
I have some little stuffed felt ornaments, with sequins and beads sewn on, that were a project for my nieces on year…just love them.
Some of my most treasured decorations are beaded Christmas ornaments made by my grandmother.
My collection of carved Santa’s and trees
I guess I’d have to say that my most treasured holiday decoration would be a brand new silver menorah given to me by my adopted sons who are not Jewish. This was the sweetest gesture of all my “family members” who don’t even know when the holiday occurs each year.
A wooden reindeer that I painted in childhood, alongside my brother, who painted the mouse.
Every year I knit one or two little Christmas balls but never used them until this year, when I found an ornament hanger in a craft store. Well! all those little treasures from the past are finally on display. Each ball is special and is like a little gift to myself because each shows how my taste and skill has evolved over the years.