Unpacking the Christmas tree ornaments each year is like a trip down memory lane. In many ways, these small tokens mark the passage of our lives.
This one was given to me by my best friend in high school in our senior year – over twenty years ago (yikes!)
There are a good many from my teaching days…..
This beautiful one was handmade by someone I worked with for a couple of years prior to our having children. The Santa Claus design is actually painted onto a light bulb.
I have three of these balls, one each for Joy, Hope and Peace, which were given to me by a former boss and his wife.
A beautiful scene painted on a sand dollar was given to me one year by another boss.
We have quite a collection of angels, commemorating our true firstborn – a baby girl, born in December, who is now in heaven.
A number of ornaments are marked with the year 2000 – another December birth, this time of our now almost-nine-year-old daughter.

These days, our tree is filling up with a variety of handmade ornaments that our two daughters add each year, treasures that will someday mark the passing years of their lives.
Is your tree filled with some special, memorable ornaments? Let me know what some of your favorites are!
You have some beautiful ornaments. I like the handpainted Santa!
Awww. I love this! We have sentimental ornaments as well. Every year my daughters get a new one on Christmas eve so every year we LOVE unpacking our ornaments!!
Beautiful post!