(ended) Countdown Contest: 11 Days Till Christmas

[sunshinecindy]

By now everyone has their house decorated for the holidays. There is one ornament or special Christmas decoration that means something very special to you. Tell us what that ornament is and why it is so special.


contest runs till midnight, same rules apply

[bbangel]

I still have my first ornament from when I was a baby. It is supposed to be a mouse holding a candle, it is absolutely hideous and yet it has to go on my tree every year :)

[Blessing and Miracle]

We have our first child's Christmas stocking that we put out every year. We've since turned it into a card holder and we have every card we've collected over the last 20+ years in there. Every year we go back and read some of the Christmas wishes. A lot of the senders are deceased, so it's a very emotional and heartfelt tradion. :)

[spring]

My Christmas tree is full of ornaments I collect during my travels, so it is hard to pick just one. As I put up each ornament, I have flash-backs to where I bought it. Looking over my tree, I have two favorites. One is a glass teardrop with different Nativity scenes around it. There is a hole in the back to insert one of the tree lights into it for illumination. I got this one in a little gift shop outside of Notre Dame Cathedral in Montreal.

The other one is a handpainted teardrop ornament I got from the Delft factory in Holland. Naturally, one of the things painted on it is a windmill.

[askomsky]

Mine are a series of ornaments. The kids get to decorate the tree for the most part then I save a few special for last.
I have one precious moment for the year that they were born. When I pull it out we talk a little about their very first Christmas then they hang it on the tree. Then the preschool that they all went/going to make really nice cute ornaments for us each year. There is something from the kids whether it's a fingerprint, picture etc. We then talk a little about that particular year before they hang it on the tree. I really enjoy hanging those ornaments up bc it gives me time to remember what they were like at that age/stage and they like hearing about it and usually learn something new each time.

[jo93]

My favorite is an ornament that says, "Our First Christmas Together". It has a picture of my husband and I in it from our wedding. It's special to me because it reminds me of our wedding. :love:

[disneymomma]

I have a Little Drummer Boy drum set ornament that I got when I was a baby. It's falling apart but it's still special.

[rumrunnergirl]

Not one in particular - but the ornaments I made when the kids were really little. I have ones made using their hand and footprints, and the pictures of them I put in baby food jar lids I painted green, glued to juice lids, glued to felt w/sprinkles, laminated and then put on colored beads, etc. They are so tacky yet so sentimental, LOL.

[catnapfan]

My favorite is the stuffed fabric nativity set that my grandma sewed for my son. When he was a toddler he always wanted to play with my good nativity set so grandma made him one of his own. He's 14 now but is still in charge of that nativity.

[Pooh's Pal]

I have a ton of AnnaLee ornaments and decorations up...most were my Mom's. They are all dated with a tag and some of mine are from the 60's. They are made in New Hampshire, cute hand painted little faces. I'm sure Sunni knows of these. One of my favorites is a 3 inch Santa sitting in a boat fishing, I had gotten for my other half the Christmas before he passed away.
They are just adorable and bring such joy to my DD's and my holidays.

http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/mistletoenholly_2029_153819248

[missymouse]

My tree is filled with special ornaments. My mom would buy each of us an ornament every year and then when we moved out she gave us all the ornaments so I have a whole collection of ornaments from that. I have carried on the tradition with my children getting them an ornament that has something to do with their life that year. But if I had to pick one ornament it would be an antique glass ornament that was one of many similar ornaments on my parents christmas tree growing up. Only 3 of them survived so mom gave one to each of us kids. It is sort of teardrop shaped and has what my brother called a "spyeye" in the side of it. When we were small he would sneak by the tree so that the "spyeye" wouldn't see him.

[mollyeilis]

We don't have any Yule decorations up yet, but once we do, there's an ornament that I grew up with and just love. It's a big ball ornament, made of paper, with an old fashioned Santa on it. It opens, and my mom always hid it on the Eve, and it was stuffed full of chocolate coins. We just loved finding it, it was the last thing we would do. :)

[sarah4770]

I have a Santa Bank that was given to me when I was a child. I keep it in my china cabinet, and bring it out each Christmas. I can't believe it is still in one piece.

[mmm611]

My parents started a tradition when I was born that all of us kids got to pick a new ornament or two each year. My most special one is really silly. It's a wooden clown ornament that I got probably when I was a toddler. When I was 3 or 4, I decided that since his head was tilted to the one side, it was crooked and needed to be fixed. I fixed him all right -- I beheaded the guy! LOL, my dad glued him back together and I promised him that he would ALWAYS go on the tree as penance for my mistake.

BTW, his head is STILL crooked to this day!

[aknight373]

mine story is a long one so i am going to try to make it as short as i can.

I used to have a pink baby's first christmas ball with angel hair in it. That was always the first ornament that was put on the tree. Well when my mom passed away my dad said were not going to do christmas this year. Well he ended up (while i was at school) bought a table top tree and just that ornament and one for my mom on it. The following year my dad passed away So i did the same thing i had my ornament, my mom's and my dads.

I will never forget them, sadly i no longer have them. When we did a cross country move, we never found that box. I still to this day believe we left it by the front door of the old house :(

[Arky]

I love all my Christmas decorations. We put our tree up on Tuesday and I am just so happy now.

I have several ornaments I absolutely love. If I were to choose just one, it would be the ornament we got at Disneyland last year. It mickey-ear shaped with the castle decorated for Christmas. Our trip was so perfect and we all remembered how great that trip was when we decorated the tree this year.

[zummi525]

we all pick out new ornaments every year so our tree is over flowing but if i had to pick one it would be one of the two with my girls pictures on it we had made at walmart so pretty:love:

[jakeandsophiesmom]

Of course I love all of the homemade ornaments that my children make, but the most special ornament that I have is one of my grandmothers. My grandmother had the most hideous, gaudy ornaments on her tree and she loved them all. The one that I have is a big rubber mouse that is dressed in an elf suit. When she passed I made sure that I got this ornament. Every year I make sure it is displayed on the front of the tree to remind me that the "hideous, gaudy" ornaments are the most special of all.

[piglet-for-me]

I have one that was made for me long ago by a great-aunt. It's out of green & red beads and shaped like a Christmas bell. It always goes near to top of the Christmas tree.

Scond would be the ones the kids have made throughout the years. I love to see how their creativity had emerged, just like them.

[kimntrent]

A Pickle.

A Pickle is a German tradition and whoever finds the pickle gets a special gift. My pickle came from Germany in WDW and has been a tradition on our tree no matter what the theme of the tree is.

P.S. My tree is only about 1/2 decorated.

[kimbih]

After my grandmother passed away, we found a whole bunch of ornaments that she made. She was always making different crafts and stuff for everyone and I always loved receiving them. I have several now on our tree and around the house. They always make me smile when I see them:love:

[mseg16222]

Oh my there are so many that have been handed down but I would have to say that the one that is fought over every year to put up is "IN MEMORY OF". It has a picture of my mom in it. She passed away 3 years ago, at the age of 51. I had an ornament made with a saying on it and I placed a picture of her in it. The kids make sure that it is in the middle front of the tree, they said that way Grandma gets to watch over them at Christmas.

[Soccer Princess]

My favorite would have to be the bride and groom Minne and Mickey ornament we got on our honeymoon in WDW. It reminds me of the great time we had as newlyweds! :)

[disney_girl]

Mine is our "First Christmas" ornament. It's the first ornament we ever got and it is always the first one to go on the tree!

[OhMari]

Me and my dh have been married for 27 years.
We got married in August.
We didn't have any money when we got married. Soon after our wedding my dh got laid off, but we still survived.
I had to work on Christmas Eve day till 4:30.
We had a tree but no decorations.
I remember walking past a Woolworth Store and saw some red ornaments for a dollar.
I had a dollar in my pocket because I didn't have to buy lunch that day. Everyone bought something in.
So I went in and bought those 12 red small bulb ornaments.
So those bulbs hold a special place on our tree every year.

[jendon1997]

I love the cinnamon photo ornament my DD8 made when she was in kindergarten. It reminds me of when she was younger.(although it was only 2 years ago!!)

[arob414]

It is a cross between Grace's first Christmas ornament (I waited 40 yrs to be able to hang that one) and a glass, snow covered Christmas bell that I quit hanging the year after I hung Grace's first ornament. The Christmas bell dates back to when I was very tiny (I think my mom said she bought that particular box of ornaments at Sears, when I was one). I love it, my mom had two. My sister has the other. I quit hanging it because during Grace's 2nd Christmas, she nearly pulled the tree over. I nearly had a heart attack. I still don't know if I was scared for my baby or my ornament. :blush: I thought I would hang it, again, when the girls got older. But, Cookie thinks the tree is his personal nest. So, ah, no. :rotfl:

[zoodoyle]

I have 3 favorite ornaments - one of each child's baby picture for their first Christmas !! :love:

[shmily1]

My favorite ornaments are the ones my children made in elementary school!! :love: I guess my very favorite one is the one my DS made that is a circle with his picture in the middle and covered in small puzzle pieces painted green around it. He was a snaggle-tooth!!!! These ornaments are always on the front of the tree!:love:

[Sahmy]

A vintage bell shaped ornament. I don't know why - I just love that ornament.

[penn19]

Back in 1999, I had 2 miscarriages within a few months of each other. That Christmas, my husband bought me an ornament from Pier 1 I think, and it has an Angel on the front. He said the Angel represents the 2 babies that I lost. So every year it has a place of honor in the front of my tree. It is very special to me.

[sselig2000]

Mine would have to be the ceramic ornaments that my brothers and I made as children, now my girls compete about who gets to hang these on the tree. This is a pic of the one that my brother Scott made, and I am posting the pic of his as my favorite because he is no longer with us.
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b8cc32b3127ccec58f761e51b000000130O00CctGjZyyZMg e3nwk/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b8cc32b3127ccec58fc0eed02b00000090O00CctGjZyyZMg e3nwk/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/

[Belle]

My gingerbread ornament from kindergarten.

[memanana]

My oldest daughter made a jack-in-the -box with plastic canvas when she was in kindergarten It is on the tree every year

[bartleby1]

My favorite is a handmade ornament that my husbands great aunt made out of plastic canvas. She was always making gifts for the family. She passed away quite a few years ago, but I always admired not only her handiwork, but the way she was always giving to others.

[linanglab]

My favorite is the Disney ornament we got at WDW 3 years ago. It was our favorite vacation together as a family. It has the castle on it with our last name and date.

[jd3921fl]

From 2006, Our first and only child (to date:-) Lindsay's First Christmas stocking ornament. It reminds me how blessed we are to have her.

[juliokirkland]

Mine are the lenox annual ornaments I get each year for my kids. They've gotten one every Christmas to put on our Christmas tree. DS's is the santa annual while dd's is the teddy bear annual. I figure when they grow up and move out or get married they'll take it with them and add it to their own tree. In the mean time, they are hanging gracefully and beautifully on my very expensively :rolleyes: decorated tree. Ds currently has 11 and dd has 8. My, how fast they grow up.

[chrissylou2]

My most favorite ornament is the one I got for my anniversary from Disney last November, it is so special because we were in Disney enjoying all the Christmas decorations and it reminds me of that special vacation.


Chrissy

[pbhall13]

On of my favorites is the one that I made in 1978. My cousin Christine would take me to ceramic class with her (this was so cool because I was only 10 and she was the cool older cousin)......I made this for my mom.........it is a dove the I painted and also made sure that it was holding a branch with holly on it....and just to make sure that my mom knew who it was from on the back is my name (hey she had 3 kids she might forget someday!) with the date and Merry Christmas. I remember all the fun painting it and how my mom gave it to me when I got my first apartment.... (and my girls love that they can see my artwork from long ago)

[speechteachri]

My favorite is an oaktag ornament with glitter that my dh made when he was in kindergarten with his kindergarten picture on it. Very cute...but he make s me put it in the back...stinker!

[lkturner]

My son's baby shoes ornament.

[sunshinecindy]

Congrats to the winner #3 BlessingsandMiracle.

You all had some great answers.


Lisa, open up a TT with your full name and addy to claim your prize.

[Pooh's Pal]

Congrats Lisa, very nice traditon. ;)

[wilsonfamily4]

Congrats

[spring]

Congrats, Lisa! I agree, you have a beautiful tradition.:sunshine: