We don't have a lot of family traditions in my family and Duane and I haven't established too many traditions of our own either. We do have one that began when I was a baby and is something that I continued with my kiddos. Check out the photo below...
That's right the words on the bottom say "Baby's First Christmas 1983". This was my first Hallmark Christmas ornament that my parents bought me my first Christmas. I have an ornament from every Christmas since 1983 until I got married. Each year my mom would pick out an ornament that represented a milestone in our lives or something that we liked/were into and some are just cute ornaments with less of a "deep" meaning! When I grew up and married, my mom passed the ornaments on to me to decorate my tree with. I love unpacking my past in the form of ornaments every year when we decorate our Christmas tree!
When Emma came along it seemed only natural to continue the tradition that I had enjoyed as a child and we bought her first Hallmark Christmas ornament. The ribbon says "Baby's First Christmas 2007".
We have purchased a Hallmark ornament every year for her and now she is getting to an age where she loves to hear the story behind why mommy chose a certain ornament for her. I try to get one that represents who she is that particular year. This year Emma received a "Tangled" themed ornament which represented her first movie theater experience and her beginning phase of "princess obsession"-- I knew it would happen eventually! :)
Of course, when our bundle of love Mason arrived, the tradition continued! The price tag on the onesie reads "Baby's First Christmas 2010". This year Mason received a Little People Fire Truck Hallmark ornament to represent his rough-n-tumble start into toddlerhood... and it was just so stinkin' cute!
Decorating my Christmas tree is one of my favorite things to do because it truly reflects who we are as a family and has a lifetime of great stories to tell. Duane and I also buy ornaments for our milestone events as a couple. We have a "Couples First Christmas 2004" and "First Home 2010". By the way, the ornament care is taken very seriously-- every onament is repackaged in its orginal packaging with original bubble wrap-- I mean I am my mother's daughter :)
My Grandmother bought us ornaments from the time we were born until we got married. My Gram passed right after Ethan was born, but my mom has faithfully gotten her grandchildren one in the same way. She has also gotten us the milestone ornaments as well. I'm very serious about there care as well. Ethan's first Christmas is a Lenox and when I was pregnant with Olivia - I dropped it and broke it, thankfully they have a lifetime replacement guarantee. I was mortified that I broke it before he was even old enough to decorate the tree. I was just thinking this year that I need to get mine from my parents.
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