Christmas trees/ornaments

[nesser1981]

Let’s talk about them.

My TikTok is full of Christmas and honestly I’d love to get through Halloween before I start ready thinking about it, but, too late! lol!

Anyhow, tell me about or show me your tree(s).

I like to think our family tree is a nice mix of a classic Christmas vibe, with some fun ornaments mixed in. When the kids were little instead of doing an ornament based on things they’re into, each kid got a theme to carry on so it would be work for an adult tree. Keira has fairies, Coop has Santa, and Harper has snowmen.

And we have a Disney tree I adore, although I’m quickly running out of room on it.

The beautiful, fancy completely coordinated trees are stunning, but I just love the fun ornaments too much I think. Although I did put a really skinny one like that in our bedroom, but it’s pretty basic.

Tell me about yours! I love seeing everyone’s Christmas trees, I wish we had more people that came to our house during the holidays.

Also, if you have any online stores you find great Santa & Snowmen Ornaments, please share, you wouldn’t believe how hard that is getting! ��

Keira’s are a series from Hallmark, so easy.

[aussiegirl]

We have 1 family tree, but the girls have small ones that they put in their own rooms/at College.

We have so many ornaments (and until the girls start getting married, we are keeping them), that we do a different theme to our tree each year. I have a paper taped to the inside of the main ornament storage and I keep track each year so I know what the last few years were.

Some of our themes are Disney/Travel (although I could probably split this into 2 different years themes, we have so many), homemade, winter/snow/country, Precious Moments/Christian, Childhood. I don't know what this year is, but since we are going on a Disney Cruise, it will probably be Disney/travel. But I will figure that out when I open the bins to see what I marked for this year!

We have recently started purchasing a family ornament for the year. I figure in a few years, our family dynamics will start to change. It's good to have a record of our changing family as that happens!

Stores: I know you live in MI, have you been to Frankenmuth/Bronner's? It's a fun day trip! Otherwise, we get ornaments from Hobby Lobby or At Home (Novi is the closest to us). Also, we enjoy checking out Christmas stores when we go on vacation (and try to buy one on each trip).

[3BluEyedBabi]

I love decorating for Christmas, and I usually start Nov 1! It's when I really clean the house from top to bottom, rearrange some things, and it's something I look forward to every year. This year, however, I hurt my back really bad carrying in my huge potted plants and I'm really going to have to get help carrying everything from the garage & the attic, so it might not all happen when I want it to.

We have two big trees, one for in the living room and one in the kids' "playroom" where my desk & computer are. It's really not much of a playroom since my kids are now 14, 17, & 20, though! The tree in there is all the ornaments my kids have received over the years from us, mostly Disney. The living room tree is my favorite to decorate! I always use white lights and change the colors (using ornaments I already have) each year. Favorite combinations I have done over the years are: red & gold, blue & white, and red, green, blue & gold. I would LOVE to do purple & turquoise this year, but I don't have any purple anything! So, we'll see, I'm still trying to decide a combination. I have gold, white, red, green, blue, turquoise, & silver ornaments. ANother idea I would love to do is a gingerbread theme...but I would have to buy everything, and that just isn't happening this year!

My daughter puts a little tree in her room and she has some black, white, and silver ornaments she uses to match her room. My oldest son uses these glass ornaments I have had for years that are really pretty, but for a small tree.

My husband & I walked around Hobby Lobby the other day for something to do, but I really wasn't too impressed with their ornaments. Hopefully, they have more to put out.

Here is a LO of my kids decorating their tree:



I think year was blue, white, & turquoise:


Red & Gold:


Blue, Green, Gold, & Red:

[nietis]

With how small our apartment is, we only have 1 Christmas tree, though, if Lan can have a say, he'll opt out of it. But I need to have a Christmas tree to keep me sane with the fact that we will never be on holiday here during the festive season. They don't celebrate Christmas.

Our tree won't be up until after my birthday, which is in mid-November, and usually, I put them up on my own, while the kids are out at school. Last year, I had been slowly buying some nicer ornaments to replace our cheap ones from Zara home, because they were on crazy sale after Christmas. So this year, I am excited to see a different look on our Christmas tree. Even so, here is how our Christmas tree looked like last year:

[AmieN1]

Oh THIS is my thread! If you know me on social media, I've been counting down days until Christmas since the 26th last year! Lol!

We have 2 big trees that I put up- one slim white tinsel tree that I decorate in rainbow order in the office & a big one in our living room. I've slowly added decor over the years but it's all snowflakes & sparkly & glittery! I think I'm getting a new tree this year for my birthday that I've wanted since our old one has some broken branches that I have to be creative when decorating to hide. If I get a new one for the living room, I might use the old one upstairs in the playroom. I'm sure I have plenty of ornaments to spare! The kids each have small 3ft trees they put up in their rooms with their own ornaments too!

I love hobby lobby but tend to buy more at Homegoods or TJMaxx and target/walmart. I love that all the decor is coming out! It's the best time of year!

[Kimberly27]

I love, love, love Christmas and my decor has exploded over the years. We have a 9ft tree that we decorate in the living room. The ornaments are a collection of travel ornaments (we buy one everywhere we go usually instead of souvenirs). We also have ornaments that my MIL gave us and some that we gifted to us or handed down. There are some homemade ones as well. The travel ones are a mix of Disney, National Parks, cities and landmarks.

We bought a 6ft tree last year after Christmas that we will put in my office/library. I am thinking of moving the national park ornaments to that tree since our big tree in the living room is crowded.

We put up lighted garland in an archway as you come in the house as well on the mantel. I even have artwork that I change out for above the fireplace. I also have gnomes everywhere! I think we have 8 or 9 totes of decor and then 3 or 4 boxes of ornaments.

[bcgal00]

I'm so excited for Xmas in our new town! We moved here just before Xmas last year but we were so busy unpacking that we didn't celebrate Xmas other than a nice dinner. This year we are going to go light on the gifts and will do more with celebrating with all our new friends. My tree this year will be a white/red theme with birds (cardinals).In the Xmas store in Quebec City I found a snow covered cardinal decor piece and tin cardinal tree ornaments. Then I found wooden cardinal ornaments, so that started the theme. There are lots of craft fairs to go to, I went to the first one today. This Xmas season is going to be wonderful.

[LJSDesigns]

I have totally gone overboard getting ready for Christmas this year. With the new baby, we are starting some new traditions to make the holiday extra special.

We're having a family Christmas Party while my brother is in town for Thanksgiving, so it will be Thanksgiving on Thursday and Christmas on Saturday. I am hosting the Christmas party and will have two trees. One upstairs and one downstairs.

Upstairs, the theme is Mickey's Christmas Tree Farm, which for me translates to Disney, red trucks, buffalo plaid, lots of pine garland, etc. The tree will be in the living room and will have the same theme. Disney, but only Mickey in a santa hat or outfit, glittery disney icon ornaments that I made myself, red trucks, buffalo Plaid Balls and ruffled buffalo plaid garland, etc. I think it will end up feeling very country, but that is fine.

Downstairs is going to be Christmas Treats, with an over all gingerbread theme throughout the family room. The tree is going to have treat related ornaments and garland. I have been collecting the ornaments for a while now, with a special eye to Disney treats. In keeping with the treats theme, downstairs will be the cookie, desert and hot cocoa buffet.

This will be the first Christmas in the last 10 years that I have even put up a tree, much less two and decorated the house to boot. LOL

[nietis]

Lorie, your trees are going to be super festive and beautiful! How exciting!

[Brendazzle]

Originally Posted by LJSDesigns

I have totally gone overboard getting ready for Christmas this year. With the new baby, we are starting some new traditions to make the holiday extra special.

We're having a family Christmas Party while my brother is in town for Thanksgiving, so it will be Thanksgiving on Thursday and Christmas on Saturday. I am hosting the Christmas party and will have two trees. One upstairs and one downstairs.

Upstairs, the theme is Mickey's Christmas Tree Farm, which for me translates to Disney, red trucks, buffalo plaid, lots of pine garland, etc. The tree will be in the living room and will have the same theme. Disney, but only Mickey in a santa hat or outfit, glittery disney icon ornaments that I made myself, red trucks, buffalo Plaid Balls and ruffled buffalo plaid garland, etc. I think it will end up feeling very country, but that is fine.

Downstairs is going to be Christmas Treats, with an over all gingerbread theme throughout the family room. The tree is going to have treat related ornaments and garland. I have been collecting the ornaments for a while now, with a special eye to Disney treats. In keeping with the treats theme, downstairs will be the cookie, desert and hot cocoa buffet.

This will be the first Christmas in the last 10 years that I have even put up a tree, much less two and decorated the house to boot. LOL

Sounds as magical as a trip to Disney!

[nesser1981]

I love reading about/seeing everyone’s trees!

I’m still holding out until after thanksgiving to start decorating.

[nesser1981]

I have been to Bronners, and maybe I’m just too picky, I’ve never found anything there that I liked very much. Other than maybe Jim Shore, and some of those types.

Or maybe there are just too many things to see.
[QUOTE=aussiegirl;1063194749

Stores: I know you live in MI, have you been to Frankenmuth/Bronner's? It's a fun day trip! Otherwise, we get ornaments from Hobby Lobby or At Home (Novi is the closest to us). Also, we enjoy checking out Christmas stores when we go on vacation (and try to buy one on each trip).[/QUOTE]

[Tree City]

My work laptop's background is a photo from Bronner's.

My DH grew up going to Zehnder's for Sunday dinner cuz Frankenmuth was a halfway-point (kinda) between his family and his grandparents. So a couple years ago when we were up north to visit, we took our kids to Frankenmuth. They didn't believe that we were excited to show them a Christmas store, but it made sense when they walked in and saw how big it was lol.

I like their personalization. DD and DS have uncommon names, so we got them a name ornament after each was born. (Well, my mom picked up DS's for us since we weren't living in MI anymore lol.)

Originally Posted by aussiegirl

Stores: I know you live in MI, have you been to Frankenmuth/Bronner's? It's a fun day trip! Otherwise, we get ornaments from Hobby Lobby or At Home (Novi is the closest to us). Also, we enjoy checking out Christmas stores when we go on vacation (and try to buy one on each trip).

Originally Posted by nesser1981

I have been to Bronners, and maybe I’m just too picky, I’ve never found anything there that I liked very much. Other than maybe Jim Shore, and some of those types.

Or maybe there are just too many things to see.

[bienejen]

I love going to Bronner's! I will say we don't ever buy much though because the ornaments are all so large. We switched to Fraser Fir trees several years ago and they just can't hold a lot of weighty ornaments. We have some bigger Hallmark ones like Grinch, Rudolph, Heat/Cold Miser types but there's only so much room on the thicker branches near tht top. A lot of the rest are Hallmark minis or smaller/lighter ornaments.

[LJSDesigns]

Is it me or are the Hallmark ornaments getting smaller in general?

[LJSDesigns]

Originally Posted by nietis

Lorie, your trees are going to be super festive and beautiful! How exciting!

Thanks, Sheryl. I am very excited and hope they come out like I have them pictured in my head. LOL

[LJSDesigns]

Originally Posted by Brendazzle

Sounds as magical as a trip to Disney!

LOL, nothing is as magical as Disney, but this grandma is doing her best to make it magical for my baby. Of course he is way too young to get much out of it this year, so I am calling this a practice run. LOL

[JillW]

I love seeing and hearing everyone's Christmas themes!! Please share more pics!!

I just dug Christmas stuff out today and got a good start on it. Hubby could really care less - lol! He says we don't need a tree in the living room (just had a baby one last year) but will be purchasing one in a week or so. I did put up a slim tree in my office that will have a retro-inspired theme. I have the decorations, just don't have the energy today to do it! Ha!
I've gone with a red / white theme for the rest of our home. This is what I did this morning, with more to go.
One corner of the kitchen counter:

Above a little hutch on the opposite side of the kitchen:

I have some additional Santa mugs and other red goodies above the cabinets on the soffit (too hard to get a good pic).

[stephc777]

One of our few Christmas family traditions was to get our kids a Christmas ornament every year - either they chose them or I would get them one that somehow connected to their past year. I stopped buying for our oldest 2 when they moved out, but I still buy for my kids that live at home. I only buy vacation related ones for my dh & I. I plan to give my kids their ornaments when they have permanent homes (not in the moving from apartment to apartment stage of life lol).

We had a nice bigger tree prior to 2020 but it broke. I ended up buying what I thought was a slim tree and ended up being an ultra slim tree. My kids told me the tree looked hungry lol It would be great for a second tree, but it was not a good size for a main tree - we have too many ornaments.
Exhibit A:


So this last year, my husband bought me a Costco easy set up tree. It love it - it is perfect size for our room & has plenty of branches for ornaments.
Exhibit B:

[Cheryl Ashcraft]

I saw this thread but was in the thick of designing and didn't see it again until today.

We've always used an artificial tree. We started out with a tree bought our first year married in 1993 from K-Mart. It lasted for a decade before falling over in the middle of the night. We thought someone was breaking in! LOL

After that, we had a pre-lit spinning tree, followed by a pretty big non-spinning, and then down to the skinny tree.

In addition to decorating our own tree, we have decorated my MIL's, my aunt's, my Mama's, and one time I helped my sister with hers.

Here's my Mama's tree from 2023, which is a conglomeration of ornaments she collected and/or were given to her over 30 years of teaching. Her back porch color scheme and decor are always perfect for her tree. She passed away in March, and I'm not sure my sister nor I are ready to put up her tree without her this year. I think our hearts will be ready next year.



Here are some of our tree decorations:

[Saar]

Originally Posted by AmieN1

Oh THIS is my thread! If you know me on social media, I've been counting down days until Christmas since the 26th last year! Lol!

We have 2 big trees that I put up- one slim white tinsel tree that I decorate in rainbow order in the office & a big one in our living room. I've slowly added decor over the years but it's all snowflakes & sparkly & glittery! I think I'm getting a new tree this year for my birthday that I've wanted since our old one has some broken branches that I have to be creative when decorating to hide. If I get a new one for the living room, I might use the old one upstairs in the playroom. I'm sure I have plenty of ornaments to spare! The kids each have small 3ft trees they put up in their rooms with their own ornaments too!

I love hobby lobby but tend to buy more at Homegoods or TJMaxx and target/walmart. I love that all the decor is coming out! It's the best time of year!

I LOVE your countdown on instagram.

[KristinCB]

Our tree is just a hodgepodge of randomness. Artificial tree and the funny thing is sometimes i miss our wobbly tree with broken branches that we had when the kids were little.

[AmieN1]

Originally Posted by Saar

I LOVE your countdown on instagram.

Thank you

I just finished our living room & tree- working on the other two! I did get a new tree for my birthday & I LOVE it- it's so pretty!

My new tree!


Mantle- I frame & put up all the Santa pics from over the year of the kids- so fun to look back on how they've grown & changed!

[Cheryl Ashcraft]

Amie! The tree and decorations are gorgeous!

[craftytam]

Christmas ornaments are one of my treasures. We've been married 37 years this year and have collected at least one ornament each year (usually more. lol). It's so fun to decorate the tree because it's kind of a scrapbook of our years together.
We also bought an ornament for each of the kids every year. They picked the ornament out and it usually reflected something they were interested in. They're all grown now and have a collection of ornaments for their trees.
We put up 2 trees - the big one in the front window and a smaller one in the family room. The family room tree has been our Disney tree for the last several years.

[LeeAndra]

The Christmas tree is my favorite tradition so it is a big deal for us. We take the kids to cut down a tree the day after Thanksgiving and then decorate it that afternoon or evening. I've bought the kids an ornament every year since they were born, and for the last 3 or 4 years, my cousin has made them their ornament. DH and I buy an ornament when we go on trips or something really important happens (so that when the kids take their ornaments with them as adults, we have some left!). We listen to my 11-hour Spotify Christmas playlist and wear Christmas-themed hats/antlers/headbands while we decorate and talk about all the ornaments and the stories behind them. There are no generic ornaments on the tree. The kids' new ornaments for the year get put in their stockings and then immediately hung on the tree.

I also have a pastel rainbow tree in my office with hot pink lights but no ornaments + an extensive tabletop Christmas tree collection. Home Goods had a light-up card holder this year in the shape of a Christmas tree that I'm going to put on the buffet table to display Christmas photos of us over the years.