Crafty corner

I finished with the lights yesterday and unpacked boxes with ornaments and decorations.  I placed a few very special items on the tree myself, then Katie came along and did hers and a whole bunch more while I watched (and dozed) from a chair.  Ali and Maddy have yet to hang their ornaments.

St. Nick brought the girls S'more ornaments a few years ago and I was thrilled to find a knitter for myself this year!  The cross-stitch ornament was an unexpected gift from my SIL.  I always remember her giving it to me and telling me that she just couldn't resist because it was so perfect.

The inscription from Grandpa & Grandma is on the bottom of a ceramic "holiday" igloo.  It has cut-out windows and colored plastic pegs that look like lights on trees when illuminated -- some of the pegs are broken, damaged or missing altogether.  There's been a big crack from the bottom edge to nearly the top and I handle it with extreme care every year, wondering if it'll be the last.  I imagine that when it does eventually break, I'll have not choice but to glue it together.

Katie broke (beyond repair) her 1988 ornament from Grandma & Grandpa last night.  It wasn't one of her favorites, but it's still very sad.  I told her that I broke mine from 1977 a long time ago, too.  I still remember.  It was a cardinal.

Comments

[kmkat]

I love remembering the stories associated with individual ornaments -- the sparkly felt/sequin/bead ones my mother made one year, all the ones I've acquired on trips, the needlepoint ones I made, and others I can't remember right now. Gee, I guess we should put the tree, huh...

[Deb]

That's my favorite part - telling the story of each ornament as it goes up on the tree. Oh, and making up stories of ornaments we don't have any story to tell about!

[ann]

I adore your Smore!

[Karen]

It's so sad when they break. We have some Hallmark ones that don't move anymore (no matter how many times we smack them). I have some very special ones my mom gave me that I will always hold dear.

[Carole]

I have a couple of smore ornaments but I haven't seen the knitting one. I'm going to be on the look out now, though.

[Christine]

Love the smore ornament!
Our family ornament tradition is a little different.
I wrap everyone's gifts in a different color or pattern of wrapping paper and there are no name tags, just three different papers, one for each family member.

No one knows which gifts are theirs until Christmas morning, when they get up to find their new ornament on the tree, and the corresponding gift paper tag. It keeps the kids from poking and prodding at the gifts so much, and they adore hunting for their new "special" ornament. We also have MUCH speculation going on about which wrapping paper belongs to whom. It's a lot of fun!

I just love taking out the ornaments each year and reminiscing. It's like seeing old friends.

[Susan]

Knitting s'mores! Yarn and chocolate together. I love it!

[Birdsong]

The smores are my favorites out of your photos, but I can relate to the sentimentality of the ones from grandparents...that it part of what keeps me setting up the same sort of tree each year, getting to unpack all those memories.

[Carol]

Don't ya just love the ones from long ago? Christmas is made for memories!

[jenifleur]

Aaaahhh! The smores! I found the Smores ornaments last year and bought the camping/fishing ones for our camping buddies, I will definitely make the trip back to that store to look for the knitter. You've made me quite happy!

[kelly jo]

I cherish all of my ornaments! They are so special! I'm a HUGE fan of the smore's ornaments, and I got the knitter one this year too! I love it!