Christmas Comforts

I feel like Christmas is so much better when you are surrounded by traditions and heirlooms. I love opening up my storage container of Christmas things. Pulling each ornament out one by one. Placing them on the tree. Reliving all the memories I have with that particular one. Going back to the container and doing it all over again with the next one.

Last year I bought a beautiful white Tree Skirt for our brand new Christmas Tree. I loved it. Until my dog peed all over it and I had to throw it out. There was no saving it. So this year I opened my storage container and relived all my memories with the ornaments. But I was a little sad I didn't have a tree skirt. It just doesn't feel like the tree and presents are complete unless they are on a skirt! I went to my favorite store and tried to find a nice one. But the cheapest (and I mean CHEAPEST!) one was "on sale" for $30. I didn't love it and it wasn't worth that much money. So I went home and figured "Maybe next year."

I happened to talk to my mom after that. She mentioned she hadn't put up her Christmas tree in quite a few years.She said I could have the tree skirt she had under her tree every year for as long as I can remember. It was the tree skirt my Uncle Timmy's mom had made for her. Now I know my uncle didn't make it, but seeing it under my tree this year just made me feel like he was here this year.

I'm pretty sure this Tree Skirt is about 20 years old!

 And then there are the ornaments my guy's mom gave me. They are an assortment of Disney Christmas ornaments. She had been collecting them for years for my guy. So it was really special to put those on our tree.

There is one other tradition I always loved. I loved getting my dad an ornament every year. I looked and looked until I found just the right one. I haven't gotten him one in a while because he doesn't really "do" the tree, so I switched to giving him books. But I still loved it. And this year we received quite a few "Baby's First Christmas" ornaments that I was able to put on our tree. Because I don't want to  over-do it, and I want to truly appreciate them, I didn't get yet another one. I figure next year we can add to it.