Right now, I have pumpkin pie and harvest menus on the brain, plus the excitement of the Halloween weekend is just days away! My kids have finally settled on their costumes (a black cat and Stormtrooper) and we’ve even made our plans and travel arrangements for Thanksgiving.
But I have a confession to make. It’s absolutely true that I have already fondled and nearly purchased admired a few sparkling Christmas baubles on display at local retailers, and I may or may not have made the decision to deck my halls with mostly blues with mixed metallics this year. Yes, it’s true, I was quietly humming a holiday tune earlier today. So it goes without saying, I’m definitely looking forward to my copy of ‘Holiday with Matthew Mead’, which will be mailed to my doorstep next week!
"Holiday with Matthew Mead is a book-azine that encompasses all that I love about the holiday season: the traditions, celebrations and magic that is the holiday season. The pages of ‘Holiday with Matthew Mead’ are filled with fresh, easy ideas that can be achieved in two or three steps. It’s a novel approach to almost everything holiday, and I hope you take a chance to pick it up and see how these updated ideas might inspire you.
With 144 pages of holiday inspiration – featuring well-known and admired designers, bloggers and top-notch stories – and printed on beautiful paper (while not drowning in ads!), we consider ‘Holiday with Matthew Mead’ part book/part magazine – a publication that you will keep from year to year and add to your collection of holiday decorating, crafting and cooking magazines and books."
~ Matthew Mead, author and stylist
Matthew Mead is a expert stylist and regular contributor to Better Homes & Gardens (I always look for his table settings and seasonal vignettes!). He is also a co-editor of Flea Market Style.
Want to win yourself a copy of the book-azine ‘Holiday with Matthew Mead’?
Well I have two copies to giveaway!
All you need to do is leave a comment answering this question:
What is your most prized holiday decoration? Is it your inherited vintage ornaments, your nativity, or your novelty Santa doll that shakes his booty to the tune of "Jingle Bell Rock" ? (Our family has one of those.)
Eligibility to win one of two free copies of Holiday with Matthew Mead:
1) Leave a comment naming your most prized holiday decoration.
2) Want a second chance to win? Either tweet or post about this giveaway on Facebook, then leave a second comment telling where you linked (FB or Twitter).
Giveaway ends Thursday October 28th at 8 p.m. PST (so the winners can be included in the first mailing). If you simply can’t bear to wait, you can purchase a copy here and it will be in the mail to you next week!
Tomorrow, I shall return to my autumn state of mind.
See you then!
.
I have a beautiful collection of glass fruit ornaments that I hang from a chandelier over our dining room table. (I know it sounds kind of random, but it looks REALLY neat!) Anyway, I love them and enjoy finding new ones!
This book looks fabulouse!!!!
I love my nativity scene. I am so excited for Christmas and the holidays. Hope I win a copy of the book!
My new favorite Christmas decoration is this awesome advent calendar that is shaped like a villiage that we picked up at Costco last year. I love filling it with small little gifts and watching my daughter open one every day!
The custom made christmas stockings my mom made us are my favroite christmas decorations. Great giveaway!
I have a couple of sets of glass ornaments that were my grandmothers, who passed away when I was 18. They are nothing expensive or fancy, as she didn’t have much, but she always had a Christmas tree and as long as I can remember these ornaments were on it.
My favorite decorations are my Buyers Choice Christmas Carol Carolers. They were my mom”s and I remember buying her a new one every year when they first came out in the 1980’s. She was so happy when I asked to display them at my house at Christmas!!!
My most prized Christmas decoration is a fragile glass tree topper that was my grandmothers. It is so old fashioned…completely beautiful and chic! I love unwrapping it each season. Janell
Anything made by my son in school!
When my brother and I were little we each had mini-trees in each of our bedrooms that Santa would visit before going to the ‘big tree’ – my parents gave me all the ornaments that were for that tree, including all my first christmas ornaments – that is my most favorite x-mas decor.
My most cherished holiday decoration is my willow tree angel nativity collection that my mom bought me shortly after I was married. It so pretty, simple and white.
My most prized decoration for the holidays would be my mom’s white sparkle pine tree forest I inherited — but I am torn not calling my favorite thing my Mister Magoo santa!
Hmmm…my most prized holiday decoration is a kitchy metal Santa that stands about 3 feet tall. He’s more abstract than the traditional look of Santa, but he greets every guest that comes through our door at the holidays. Best part: $2.50!! I was shopping at 75% off after Christmas sale. Santa was originally priced at $100.00. The cashier rang it up incorrectly and I pointed it out as she gave me the grand total. She waved her hand and told me “Happy Holidays!”
I love my nativity set. It is the center of our Christmas celebration. I do also love my tree when it’s all put up and decorated.
Great giveaway. Thanks.
My teddy bears! As my children outgrew stuffed animals, I couldn’t “bear” to part with them all, so I stored them away. One year I dragged them out, dressed them up in Christmas bows and they became an annual hit. As my holiday decorating style changed over time, I’ve been able to keep them updated to fit in by changing where I put them, the color of their bows, what ever it takes!
Barbara
My mother has a christmas village that she brings out and sets up every year – I know it’s not mine but I love it. As for my stuff, my favorite is the angel that used to go on top of our tree every year that has been passed down to me and will now adorn my tree every year! Lucky me!
Thank you for the giveaway!
My most prized holiday decoration is the Lladro angel tree-topper that my parents gave me as an engagement/shower gift. A friend threw us a Christmas bridal shower, and many of my most prized decorations were gifts that day. 18 years later, I still get emotional when I put that angel on top of the decorated tree.
I love pulling out our ornaments. We try to purchase one on each vacation and it always brings me back to that time and place!
I posted this on twitter @quiltinjenny
Pick me! Pick me!
It is so hard to pick my favorite one, I love them all. Probably the angel that my mom made for me. Or my collection of snowglobes.
My favorite christmasdecoration is a tiny porcelaine angel which belonged to my husbands grandma!
I don’t have a most prized holiday decoration because I’m still in college and don’t have any decorations, but I would say I love my parents’ nativity scene!
A carved wooden nativity set that was a wedding gift traditionally has the place of honor on a buffet table in the center of our home. It’s by far my most cherished decoration for Christmas. Simple and beautiful.
My favorite holiday decorations are the handmade ornaments that my son and nephews made growing up. Our Christmas decorations were in the attic of our home which was flooded during hurricane katrina, and are the only pieces of art I have left from my son’s childhood.
My most cherished items are my portraits of my babies’ first Christmas. My son is wearing a Santa hat, my daughter in a red tullt tutu. Precious! Thanks for the giveaway!
This is actually the first year of our marriage that we will be in our own little home for Christmas…and my first opportunity to decorate (with the help of my 19 month old and soon-to-be newborn). I’m looking forward to transforming thrift store finds into personal treasures with things like spray paint, pictures of my little one(s) and mod podge. Mostly, though, I can’t wait to see what a 19 month old little boy can create with glitter and glue! I bet I’ll treasure his creations the most. Those are what’s priceless after all.
My husband and I were married in June. This is our first Christmas together where WE will decorate OUR home. Although we only have one holiday decoration so far, it is already our favorite- an ornament we bought in Italy while on our honeymoon! :)
I think my most treasured Christmas decor item is our Nativity set. It reminds our family what Christmas is all about… not to mention it’s beautiful!
my 2002 swarovski annual ornament. Someone gave it to us as a wedding present, which started us on our first holiday tradition of buying an annual ornament each year of our marriage
I have a reindeer that used to hang on my grandmothers tree. Its tiny, and missing one leg, but I lovingly place it on the tree each year and think of her.
My favorite holiday decoration are my Christmas tree ornaments. They have been compiled from all over some hand me downs from my Mom & Grandma, some my daughter and I found. Just breaking those out brings so many great memories and brings a smile to my face.
Since I have simplified the holidays by paring down my decorations, my most prized decoration is my white Christmas tree. I pour all of my creativity into the tree. My hubby stands it up in our living room and I set about filling it with all my favorite pink and aqua ornaments, then we sit back and enjoy the happy and peaceful sight every night until Christmas.
Sherry @ A Happy Valentine
My most prized Christmas possession is a snow globe that has a little angel inside that was my mother’s. She passed away a year ago. So it holds a very special place in my heart.
I have four mercury glass bead garlands ( very special) and my Margaret Furlong bisque ornaments.
My grandpa used to give me an angel ornament every year – I always place these on our tree last as the perfect finishing detail!
My most prized Christmas possession is the insanely gigantic Christmas tree that we inherited after my husband’s grandfather passed away.
My snowman collection is definitely my favorite! I love that it’s always growing!
My favorite is my very first Hallmark Christmas ornament…a pretty little glass bell with the year that I was born engraved on it. It’s always been special to me :).
My favorite ornaments are those that I made with my mom when I was a child. She passed away 10 years ago, so I cherish things that bring back fond memories of her. :)
Mine is the angel that my dad bought me for the top of my tree the first year we were married. It’s one of those keep it forever things!
My favorite Christmas decorations are my ornaments for the tree. I collect ornaments when we go on trips. So looking at them every year are like memories of the time we got engaged, went to the beach, went on our honeymoon. I LOVE it!
Since we are just starting our family out I have been slowly collecting decorations for our house but I would say the two things that are specail to me are my childrens” first christmas” ornaments. We get them a special ornament every year that represent important milestones or events, just like my parents did with us:). But Christmas would not be Christmas without home made candies!
My favorite ornament is the one I bought 3 years ago of two little birds in a nest. It was the first ornament my husband and I purchased together and now it is a tradition for us to go out after Christmas and shop the sales for the perfect ornament.
My most prized holiday possession is a Mexican nativity set purchased at a market in Los Angeles. It is fabulous and I can’t wait to get it out every year!
I have a ceramic tree that my grandmother passed down to me that’s totally not my style but I love it because it came from her and it holds a special place in my heart!
I have two favorites…one is a white pearly nativity set that my mom made in ceramics class when I was a little girl. The second is a round ornament that I painted when I was 3 years old, using every color in the rainbow. My first born was putting it on the tree last year and dropped it, but I quickly repaired it with glue…it has so many memories!
I made my dude a stocking one year and it is my favorite holiday item. It was my first embroidery project and first sewing project without using a pattern.
Is it too early to start listening to holiday music?
My most cherished holiday piece is the creche that my family always displayed during the Christmas season. It is from Madagascar, where I grew up, and it brings back so many memories every time I put it out.
My most prized holiday possession is an ornament I bought at the Käthe Wohlfahrt Christmas Village in Rothenberg Germany. My mom grew up over there so the town is special to her. One day I will inherit all of her Christmas decor, most of which is from Europe and her grandparents! I love my Christmas decor that has meaning and isn’t just something I picked up at the store (although those decorations are gorgeous also).
My most prized and favorite holiday decorations are my Nativity Set and Christmas Wreath!
Our christmas tree wouldnt be complete without our Nativity Set…It truly reminds us all, specially the kids – what the true meaning of this special holiday is…Our Wreath also plays a major part, because it greets our family and friends and brings a smile upon their faces as soon as they walk up to our front door.
Mine would be my tree topper. It was the first holiday decoration I purchased with my husband. It’s nothing fancy, but it always reminds me of that first Christmas.
I have a red star I inherited from my mom to put atop the Christmas tree. It reminds me of childhood Christmases.
Also, I posted this on FB! :)
My favorite Christmas decoration is the old felt sequined stocking that my aunt made for me when I was a little girl. When I was in my 20s, my mother and I finally sewed the front of it onto a new velvet stocking so that I could keep using it without it totally falling apart.
A couple of Hershey ornaments my dad bought for me in Hershey, PA.
My most prized holiday decoration would be the ornaments my mother saved for me (and my sister) from when we were kids. I don’t always put all of them on the tree each Christmas, but I absolutely cherish unwrapping every single one of them each year, and remembering all those special moments trimming the tree with my family as a kid.
I feel like I have several prized possessions when it comes to the holidays; however, the first that came to mind was a Christmas tree ornament from my husband’s godmother. She passed away a few years ago from breast cancer.
I have a victorian style beaded ornament that our family was given when I was a child. It is always the last thing I put on the tree, and I love it.
My most prized holiday possession is my baby ornament that my mom bought when I was born in 1980. <3
My favorite decorations are our tree ornaments. Some have such great memories attached to them.
My most prized holiday decoration would be my collection of Christmas ornaments from my childhood. I love unwrapping each one and remembering when, where or who I got the ornament from.
My most cherished Christmas items are our stockings. My grandmom made all of her kids and grandkids one using the Bucilla felt kits. When my husband and I got married I made his and when I was pregnant with my son I can remember nesting in the couch watching the olympics and making his.
MY most prized decorations is the homemade tree skirt my mom made for me! :-)
As much as I’d like to decorate my tree with all coordinating ornaments, my favorites to pull out of the box each year are the ones my kids made. Especially the ones with their picture shoved inside an egg carton. :)
xo
My favorite holiday decoration is my collection of Snow Village started in 1988. Each year I either purchase or am gifted a piece to commemorate an event that year…pet shop when we got our lab; school house when my daugther graduated college with a teaching degree; art store when my second daughter graduated with an art degree, etc., etc. Most memorable is Christmas 2001. My brother, an FDNY captain was pulled out of the rubble, barely alive, at ground zero of the Word Trade Center. There were no elaborate Christmas plans that year; and on Christmas morning, my children presented me with the Snow Village Fire House. Assembling my village each year is a cherished and poignant holiday ritual. Thankfully, my brother survived his injuries.
….BTW, I also have and love my booty-shaking Santa! Love your blog, CG! Thank you!
My collection of Christmas salt and pepper shakers is my most prized holiday collection. A second is my Lenox Christmas china.
Since our first Christmas as a couple, I’ve made my husband a new ornament each year. I’m currently working on my third one but it will be the first ornament that I make him as his wife. That’s so special to me and I can’t wait to hang it up together.
I have a cheap little bell bauble that I hang on a doorknob… it’s not the cutest, but my grandma gave it to me and I still have the tag she wrote on. Since she’s passed, it’s become my favorite part of unwrapping Christmas decor.
My ornament collection is my most favorite Christmas decoration. Every time we visit a new place we pick up an ornament for our family tree. I love hanging the ornaments up and reflecting on all the fun places we’ve been too.
One of my most “prized” decorations is a wreath made of ornaments and yarn balls that a barista at Starbucks allowed me to have after Christmas a couple years ago. They always have such beautiful decor for the holidays. I carried it all the way to the train (it’s heavy) and then home!
When I was a kid, we made dough ornaments every year, and my most prized one is a rocking horse made by my mom in 1979. The colors are gorgeous, and it’s held up perfectly. I absolutely love this little ornament and would be devastated if my kids broke it!
A styrofoam cup ornament that I “made” as a child
My Mother’s santa collection. It brings back fond memories of my childhood.
How lovely!
My favorite decorations are my two vintage-looking stockings I got forever ago. I love the pea-green that they have. :)
My most prized possession is an ornament that was made for my husband and i for our first Chrsitmas together. It was hand painted and made especially for us.
oh my gosh, hard to pick one, but i think it’s probably my new (old) vintage white christmas tree my mom got me!
I think I’d have to say my nativity scene. We had one growing up that was set in a creche my grandfather made. Now I have my own AND got the kids the Fischer Price version.
(ps, love Matthew Mead…)
My family celebrates Hanukkah and Christmas. I haven’t had a chance to decorate my own place for the holidays yet (I moved to my first apt during the holidays last year and will probably move to a new house at the same time this year!). My mom has a couple ornaments that I’d like to steal and I love the menorah I made in first grade with my dad’s help.
I have a few, but i would say the pickle ornament. Each year one of my children hides the pickle ornament in the tree for everyone to try and find. There is supposed to be a special gift for whomever finds it…but we just enjoy the search!
Of course when Unwrapping for the tree, there is a handwritten note by one of my boys as to who’s turn it is…those notes are also my favourites.
P.s. Congratulations on the next boy…i just had my third boy as well!
My favorites are a Danish straw pig and a Finnish straw goat, as nods to our heritage.
My favorite holiday decoration is a snowflake ornament with the year my husband and I got married one one side, and our favorite wedding picture- our first kiss as a married couple!
My most prized christmas decoration is the wreath that hangs on our front door. The sweetest lady hand made it for me one year and she included all of my favorite things on it. She was the sweetest lady and every time I see it I think of her.
My favorite holiday decorations are these 2 wreath-ornaments that my husband and I made when we were both in Kindergarten (and later found out that not only were we both in the same Kindergarten class, but our mother had kept these special ornaments all these years).
My favorite holiday decorations are these 2 wreath-ornaments that my husband and I made when we were both in Kindergarten (and later found out that not only were we both in the same Kindergarten class, but our mother had kept these special ornaments all these years).
Ceramic ornaments that were made for my mother before I was even born, of little mice. One for each of her 4 kids that she had at the time, and one with two mice on a swing – for my mom and dad.
I have an old ratty, plastic Snow White ornament. She’s in a yellow skirt with a blue felt top. I have loved her since I was a kid.
My favorite holiday decoration is my nativity set I received for Christmas 2 years ago. It’s made by Willow Tree and I love the scene it portrays. Mary cuddling Jesus and Joseph as the protective guardian!
My fave is an old advent calendar that I’ve had for over 30 years from when I was a child. Every year we tie new candy to it and now that I have kids of my own (1 yrs and 2 yrs), they can start enjoying it as well!
My most favorite holiday decoration is the handmade angel that has been passed down from my grandma to my mom, and finally to me.
It’s silly, but I think the one holiday decoration I get the most excited about seeing every Christmas is a candy cane I made when I was about 10 or 11 using leftovers from a makit and bakit kit. I sprinkled fuchsia and white crystals on a piece of aluminum foil in a candy cane shape and baked it until they melted together. It is tacky and touching and very 1970s. It reminds me that I have always been crafty and creative.
Linked to giveaway on my Facebook page! Thanks so much for doing this.
The glass ornaments given to me by my mother, that were once my grandmothers. Some of them are broken or peeling, but I love the character that they have.
Hi! My most prized holiday decorations are the stockings I handmade for my family :)
Every year my aunt sends a live Christmas wreath from Maine. It smells fabulous. That’s my favorite decoration.
I love the ceramic nativity set my grandma made for my parents in the 1980s. :)
My most treasured holiday item is my nativity. It has been passed down through our family for years since it was brought over from Italy by my great-great grandmother. Every year I would help my great grandmother put up the nativity. When I moved out on my own she gave it to me so I could continue to put it up and enjoy it for years to come.
I just ordered Holiday last night! If I win, I know a “few” people who’d love it as a gift! :) My most prized holiday decoration is the tree! It’s a tradition to put it up and decorate the day after Thanksgiving and it gets me in the holiday spirit for sure! This year will be so fun to have a little “helper” by my side:)
My favorite holiday decoration is my Christmas ornaments, because most of them are handmade from my kids.
My most prized holiday decorations are the ones my husband and I pick up each vacation we have. Even in the coldest of winters we can look at them and recall the memories we made together! I can’t wait for Christmas!
I would have to say it’s going through the boxes of ornaments that hubby & I have each collected since we were little kids. Every year I want to buy one of those beautiful nativities, but saving up my pennies for just the right one.
Hmm. I have some lovely ornaments from my childhood and my husband’s. We also love our Playmobil nativity set which we set up in a pretty bark stable and the children get to play with during the Christmas season.
Posted to Facebook. Just discovered your blog and I am smitten! My head is spinning with ideas.
my most cherished holiday decorations are four vintage christmas tree ornaments my grandmother purchased when she was a young mother. carefully taking them out of their box and placing them on my tree is by far my favorite moment of decorating. i think of my dear grandmother and feel at one with her as i complete the same task i know she did for decades.
Definitely my great grandmother’s old antique christmas bubble lights. I don’t plug them in anymore (because they’re such a fire hazard!) but every time I string them on the tree, I think fondly of her.
my favorite christmas decor is the box of ornaments i’ve collected since childhood! every year, my mom would buy a new ornament for each kid to keep in our own box after the holidays and take with us when we moved out on our own. this christmas will be the first year of being married on christmas, so having my own ornaments in my new home with my husband will be a big milestone!
My most prized holiday decoration is the Christmas wreath on our front door. It always makes me smile and puts me in the holiday spirit whenever I see it. Thanks for the great giveaway CG!
I have many most prized decorations. I think each ornament tells a story. Where you got it, for what occasion, etc. I love my ornaments!! And remembering each story as I place it on the tree!
That’s tough, but probably my antique nativity set.
My best holiday decoration is a revolving Christmas tree stand created by my grandfather from an old record player. If you have a tree much taller than 6 feet, it is too heavy for the motor, so the tree remains stationary. The problem is soived by using an artificial tree (as my parents did), but I can’t bring myself to do that yet. I just have short trees.
A large painted wooden angel… just love the colors and how it blends with my decor.
It is a hard, hard choice. My ornaments from past years that remind me of our past, the nativity my husband surprised me with one year from Africa or the one from America. Hmmm. I love them all!
Oh- my favorite christmas decoration is a brass rudolph with a ruby red nose that was given to me when I was a baby. The nose fell off years ago, but it is always my favorite ornament to put on the tree and makes me smile every time I see it:)
I love the holidays and decorating, my favorite decoration is a monogrammed silver bell that my in-laws bought my husband and me for our first Christmas after we were married.
My most prized Christmas ornament is hard to pick because everything that goes on the Christmas tree is meaningful and special–truly! The white lighted topper that I bought in the town where we bought our first house, chandelier crystal drops from an estate sale that I went to with my best friend, garlands made of shell leis from my honeymoon in Kauai, glass balls from our very first Christmas, snowflake ornaments I made the year we lived with my husband’s aunt, a couple of baby toys hung with ribbon, old rhinestone earrings now out of style, souvenir spoons from all the places that we’ve traveled either alone or together (also hung with ribbon), dated Hallmark balls from the years of each family member’s birth, the kids class art projects, gifts from loved ones…each year it just gets more beautiful and more precious. All of us decorate the tree together and talk about what each piece is from, I love our Christmas tree and how it represents us!
My most cherished holiday possession is a huge glass ornament with a snowflake on it. My husband and I got married 10 years ago on New Years Eve, and the Christmas ornament was our cake topper. We ate all of the cake, but I have the ornament to remember that day!
i have to say my mis-matched snowmen mugs! they’re charming and keep me warm!
Oooh thats a hard one! I love our stockings. :) We bought them when we were first married and they hold so many memories for us. Love this time of year!
my most favourite is the wreath we got the first year we bought out house. it will always be special and treasured.
My most prized holiday possession(s) are the ornaments that my mom made together during my childhood years. They were so fun to make with her back then. Now, they have even more meaning to me because of those special memories attached.
My tree
I tweeted!! http://twitter.com/allyvc/status/28795921082
my most cherished would be the ornaments my kids make each year… and this year we will have 3 homemade ornaments!
My most favorite Christmas decoration is our nativity scene. My grandfather made the manger out of reclaimed barnboard. We add one piece to the scene every year, and it’s lots of fun going to the store and trying to decide which piece we will add this Christmas.
I am so excited for Christmas, I can hardly stand it! My most prized Christmas decorations are the cross-stitched ornaments my dad made me. He made me a different rocking horse ornament every year from my birth through 18.
My most cherished would have to be a glass ornament that I picked out when I was 4 or 5. It’s a heart with red glitter (that’s mostly gone now). It’s beautiful and I always try to place it where it will be noticed ;)
That’s a tough question! I’ve collected a LOT of my stuff over the years at this cute little decorating store in my hometown the day after Christmas when they sell everything Christmas at 50-75% off! But since you’re making me choose, I guess it’s my 10 or so Christopher Radko ornaments I’ve collected over 10 or so years, one a year, on sale of course!
Alas, I cannot choose one… so I have to choose 2 things. One favorite decoration is a 12 inch silver Christmas tree that is made entirely out of a large coil of jingle bells. I call it my “Jingle Tree” and whenever it’s bumped (or loving popped on the top) it jingles. My mother has one in red and I adore them. My second favorite decoration is less classy… but it’s an adorable scene of glittery Smores (all equip with arms, mittens, hats, and faces) cuddled up together around a campfire. I’m not a huge fan of “cutesy” things… but the Smores are out every year and will be every year!
My parents celebrated just one Christmas together. They were newlyweds and expecting their first child (me). Just two months later my dad passed away. Five years later my mom joined him.
My grandmother Mary saved their 1960’s lime green & blue glass and velvet and sequined ornaments for over 20 years before she handed the box to me, a newlywed myself.
Over the course of many moves, a few have been lost or broken and about only 8 remain. Every year I hang a lush pine garland at the foot of our bed and embellish it will these wild and precious baubles.
I would grab that box in a fire.
Right now I think my most prized are my handmade cross stitch stockings. I put a TON of work into those babies, and they make me happy every year to pull them out!
I have so many things that mean so much to me, my stable for my nativity which was made by my dad, ornaments made by my children, but I’d have to say the most meaningful to me are the pictures of my kids sitting on Santa’s lap. Most of my children are grown now, we only have one left at home, and seeing those pictures every year brings back Wonderful Holiday memories.
I thought you might like an accompanying photo:
http://decortoadore.blogspot.com/2008/12/garland-of-christmas-past.html
Flipping through this “book-azine” sounds like a TREAT! (I’m a big BGH fan & subscriber, too.) My favorite holiday decorations are the two ornaments that my grandma bought for my twins’ 1st Christmas. She picked them out herself & was quite pleased with her choices. I had her sign & date the cards enclosed with the ornaments. I loved the ornaments when she gave them to the twins and cherish the ornaments even more since she has passed.
My most prized holiday decor are the Irish Belleek (sp?) ornaments I have from my Mum. The three of them make up the Irish Prayer:
May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your face
They make my tree special each and every year :)
I tweeted about it: http://twitter.com/VSKelly
My most prized holiday decorations are my ornaments. The majority of our ornaments were given as gifts to me from when I was a child up through adulthood. My boys have received many as gifts. I keep the ornament boxes labeled with the boys’ names and year they received. Someday I’ll do what my mom did for me….when they move out, I’ll give them all of their ornaments they received as gifts over the years to decorate their trees.
My most prized holiday decoration is probably my childhood stocking. It disappeared for a couple of years after a move, but we found it and I couldn’t be happier!
Oh Oh! Me, pick me! I love Matthew Mead! My favorite holiday decoration are our Christmas stockings. They all have a story behind them. Fun! Lisa~
Mine is also my Christmas stocking that my mom made for me as a child.
My most prized holiday decorations are my ornaments at my parents’ house. They all have special memories: the glass unicorn I picked out for myself in first grade, the Jack Frost my parents gave me the year my brother was born, the entire Hallmark Crayola set. I love them all and can’t wait to see them every year, even if I don’t get to hang them myself.
A nativity set I got from my Mom.
I have a few dime store papier mache angels that my mother hung from our tree every year. They are priceless to me and remind me of happy family times.
I’ve got these beautifully beaded star ornaments that really shine in the tree lights!
My favorite ornaments are needlepoint tree ornaments made by mother. She made them 35 years ago. She died of breast cancer 6 years ago. I will always treasure them and will pass them down to my children.
Christmas 2 years ago was a rough time for me. I had recently gotten divorced and scrambled to find an apartment for myself and my daughter. This was the first time I had lived on my own in my entire life! As my Dad was helping me move into the new place, I noticed he carried a HUGE box up the stairs. Being the prying toddler my daughter is (and being a sucker grandpa my father is), I soon found that he had given us our very own Christmas Tree. This was one that he had for years! So many fond memories around that tree. Needless to say I burst into tears. That Christmas Tree is most definitely my most prized Holiday possession.
My most prized Christmas decoration is my stocking. My mother-in-law got it for me when my husband and I got married three years ago. She passed away this past May and now all those little things she did for us mean that much more.
My most prized holiday decoration is my nativity scene. I bought it at Sam’s Club years ago and I absolutely love it! I display it on our grand piano in the living room. It sets the tone for what Christmas is truly about in our home!
my most prized Christmas decoration is a tree topper in the shape of a star that has been passed down from my great grandmother. it’s beautiful.
It’s the little things that remind me of the holidays as a child that I value most. I have a handful of my parents wooden ornaments from Europe that I adore. Wouldn’t be the holidays without them!
Thanks for the lovely giveaway!
A velvet Santa handed down through three generations. Unpacking and displaying this beloved item signifies the official start of the Christmas season in my house :)
I would say either my grandmother’s nativity set or the ornaments that my mother gave us, one for each year.
Most prized… a nativity snowglobe that I my grandmother gave me. It’s not exactly my style even, but my grandma and I were very close and she passed away four years ago. It’s my favorite thing.
Hi, Kate! My most prized holiday ornament is probably a little jointed Mickey Mouse figure whose arms and legs would move up and down by pulling a little string at the bottom. My darling baby used to want to touch it everytime I would hold him up to see the little 4′ tree which sat on our antique library table during Christmas. My baby now is 22! Love, Pam
My most prized holiday items are the antique Christmas tree ornaments I inherited from my grandparents. They belonged to them in their first home, back in the 1930s and 40s. Putting them up every year on my tree reminds me of them, who are no longer here.
Great giveaway! :) MY favorite decoration is the Jameson tree ornament we bought while in Dublin last November! It’s gorgeous and brings back great memories. I already can’t wait to hang it front and centre on our tree again this year!
I can’t wait for the holidays! Fall is definitely my favorite time of year, but once November 1 hits, it’s all about Thanksgiving and Christmas :) Anyway, I would have to say my favorite Holiday decoration is this beautiful, and intricately-detailed ceramic ballerina that my Aunt got me when I was a little girl. I used to dance, so when I look at the ornament, it brings me back to my childhood memories. Every year, I place it at the center of the tree, so I can enjoy it throughout the season!!
If I were to take a Christmas decoration inventory right now (which, by the way, I’m DYING to do), my prize possession would be a white porcelain nativity given to me by my “Avon Grandma” – she sold Avon for 10+ years. BUT I’m itching to do things different this year so I have a feeling that my new favorite item is going to be something purchase this year!
Most prized…my knit stockings I purchased at the groccery store! I love them. They remind me of something my Grandmother would have made to hang on her fireplace mantle. When my husband and I celebrated our first holiday season, in our very first home, I purchased them months before December (six of them, two for us, two for the dogs, and extras…anticipating new addtions!) and have made them my decor inspiration for the winder holidays every since!
My favorite decoration is a box of ornaments from my childhood. Broken Snoopy’s and clay handprints – traditional Slovak ornaments … I love them all and they are the reason I have a hodge-podge theme for my tree year after year instead of something more elegant.
My children’s felt stockings that My SIL and I made. They each took multitudes of hours and are their first items they go for every year.
My most prized holiday ornament is an ornament made to look like mercury glass that belonged to my husbands grandparents. I was not so fortunate as to meet them, but I know their love was one to last the ages. They lived quite simply, but cherished every tender moment with their family. All thoughts of them are warm and wonderful, and as we hang that ornament first each and every year, thoughts of them (my George and Mrs. Bailey!) come too mind :) Happy Holidays
My favorite ornaments were actually re-used from Halloween last year. I bought 5 little mini pumpkins, and in December I painted them in different patterns using red and white craft paint, silver glitter, and various craft store ribbon. They sat on my window sill until they started to get a little funky around New Years. Cheapest and cutest decorations ever!
Like so many responders, I have many favorites. The Leggs Eggs (anyone remember those?) that my girls decorated so many years ago. Many special ones given to me by family and friends but I think one of my most special is a glass tree topper I bought back when I was about 13,( I’m 65 now). I still have it in it’s original box and it cost 34 cents. It’s a treasure for many reasons.
My favorite is a small plastic Christmas tree that we decorate every year. Cheesy, I know, but it’s the first tree I got with my husband for our first Christmas. We’ve since “upgraded” to a real tree, but keep the plastic Christmas tree a tradition!
Great giveaway, btw!
My most prized holiday decoration is my Woof & Poof angel that I received from my step-mom last year. I recently moved out of my parent’s house and into my own apartment, so this was one of the first decorations I received. My step mom collects Woof & Poof holiday decorations, so this definitely made my apartment feel more like home during the holidays!
My favorite decoration is a box of ornaments from my childhood, clay handprints, broken Snoopys and traditional Slovak ornaments. I love them and they are the reason I have a hodge-podge theme for decorating my tree instead of something more elegant!
My most prized holiday possession is a ceramic sleigh. It’s a deep red and looks like a traditional horse-drawn sleigh that you’d picture in A Christmas Carol or something. It sits on gold metal rails, and it was my great-grandmother’s…I believe it was in the family even longer than that! When I was little, my grandmother bought me a Barbie Christmas ornament every year (the ones in the ball gowns) and I would put them in the sleigh and push them around, pretending they were going to the ball. I just love looking at it every year : )
Thanks for the giveaway!
My favorite Christmas decoration is a collection of personalized ornaments. Since my husband’s and I’s first Christmas when we were dating/engaged I got us an ornament with our names and the year on it. Over the last 7 years we have added 2 (almost 3) kids to our bunch. It’s nice to look back and see them. Reminds me of all the Christmas’ we’ve spent together with many more to come.
My most prized holiday decoration is this little porcelin ornament of a young girl caroling. I have love it ever since I was a little girl because when you push the bottom, it plays Christmas songs. Over the years, the music has gotten a little off tune and there is a large chip on her ear muffs, but it still brings me happiness each Christmas season!
I linked on Facebook.
Going with the whole family’s matching adorable stockings. Just love ’em!
i really dont think i could pick just one. i just ordered a tree skirt with our name on it. i love that we’ll have it forever.
I would say our most special holiday decoration is the Christmas tree itself. We take our daughter out to a local tree farm, pick our own tree, and let Daddy chop it down. The memories of tree cuttings will be something we always cherish. And decorating the tree becomes more special when you hand-pick it from the earth :-)
Oooh, how fun! My favorite Christmas decoration are these little snowmen that I have, they are all on ice skates and have the cutest hats on. So are really good skaters, and some have fallen on their bum or are sliding on their bellies across the ice. I LOVE them, and paid a small fortune for them years ago when I was a broke college student!
My favorite Christmas decoration is one that I made in Kindergarten that is still with me after all of those years. It was made with a piece of toilet paper roll that was rolled in glitter and had a bell tied on with ribbon. There are about 3 pieces of glitter left but I still hang the toilet paper roll by its sliver of a ribbon prominently on the tree. It’s a reminder of being creative at an early age and my family still laughs about it after all of these years.
We have a little gold Eiffel Tower on a red ribbon that we got as a wedding gift last October – our honeymoon was in Paris so it was very appropriate and will always be one of my favourites! At my parents’ house it’s always been our matching blue snowman stockings knitted by my mom when we were babies.
My most prized Christmas decoration~probably the small stuffed bear we put at the top of our tree. I gave it to my husband for Valentine’s day when we were dating, and we put it on top of our first tree after we were married because we were too poor to buy anything else. It became a tradition, and it’s always the final touch on our tree.
My most prized… I have a ceramic village set that my Mother-In-Law has painted for us. She gives us a couple new houses or pieces to the village every year and our village expands. It is so special to have something she has made with her hands that we can carry along in our tradition and family.
Wow, most prized holiday possession, tricky question. I do love my nativity scene that my cousin bought for me the first year we moved to Alberta. She had bought it online, and then we decided to go home for Christmas on a whim. This meant the shipping date was now beyond our date of departure and she was fairly sad to have to wait to give it to us (but she kept it a secret).
The day before we were leaving, we were going to do a a gift exchange. This was a SUNDAY! About 30 minutes before we arrived some random courier truck pulled up, dropped off the gift, and we arrived about 30 minutes later!
Now if that isn’t gift fate, I don’t know what is!
my most prized possession is our christmas tree. we have 25 foot ceilings, so i’m able to get a BIG ‘OL tree every year! we deck it out to the nines and it always reminds me of going to the mall when i was younger and awing at the ginormous christmas tree they have in the center of the walkway. for a couple weeks out of the year…my house IS the mall!
My most prized holiday possession is a ceramic Santa ornament my aunt gave to me as a child. One of the boots broke off many years ago, but I glued it back on, and can’t wait to take it out and hang it on my tree every year.
I tweeted about the giveaway as well! @scotsdot
My favorite ornaments are the letters J and S that my dad made out of lead and stained glass for my daughters first Christmas. Little did we know that daddy would die in less than two years but every year his spirit is with us at Christmas.
My most treasured ornament is a glass bulb my mother bought for me to give my Papa for Christmas when I was around 8 years old. Since then, he and my Bumma have passed and I happily hang it on my tree!
Thank you!
:)
I would have to say it’s my collection of sterling silver jingle bell ornaments. Each is engraved with the year and I have 19 years worth. I love to hang them from the arms of my dining room chandelier for extra sparkle.
I love this!
I treasure the Christmas ornaments that my husband and I have from our childhood. Each of our parents (without knowing each other) had the tradition of giving each of us an ornament every year, and when we got married and pulled out all the ornaments and combined them on our tree it was a neat symbol of our lives and pasts coming into one future. And now we have a son of our own and have started doing the same thing with him!
My most prized decoration is the photo collection of my children in their Christmas PJ’s, taken every year since they were born. It grows each year, and they are amazed to see how much they’ve changed from year to year. The photo is taken under the tree each Christmas Eve, just after they open the one gift they’re allowed to open on Christmas Eve (hint: it’s always PJ’s)!
This is one is easy for me. When I was a little girl, around 6 or 7, my aunt bought me a ceramic nativity scene. It is all white and brings a simplicity to all of my otherwise busy Christmas decorations. No reds, greens, or golds. Just Jesus, Mary and Joseph with a few barn animals and some wise men. It always reminds me of the true reason to celebrate when the presents and the tinsel get the better of me.
I think I grow more and more font of our old Nativity Scene every year. It’s pretty basic and it’s certainly dated, but we love it.
I would say my most prized Christmas decoration is a wreath my mother made for me out of vintage glass ornaments. It is so beautiful!
I just love our ornament collection – it’s made up of old ones, newer ones, home made ones, some that were gifts, some we’ve purchased ourselves to represent a family event or person… One of the most ‘holiday’ parts of the season is when we go through them as a family and evey one brings up a story or memory. Even if all of them don’t make it on the tree every year, we still have that special evening of remembrance and family togetherness.
My most prized holiday possession is an ornament I made with scraps of cards with different family members’ handwriting.
I would have to say my most cherished Christmas decoration is my white ceramic nativity scene. I usually display it on a tabletop in our foyer. I use small green trees, white lights and silver and gold decorations around it.
Would simply love, love, love a copy of Holiday with Matthew Mead!!
I love our nativity set. It was given to me by my Dad when I was newly married. Love your blog!
I just tweeted about the give away! My tweet name is Light of the Home
My most favorite holiday possession has got to be my very first Christmas ornament, given to me by my godmother. It’s a tiny angel riding in a walnut shell.
I love holiday decor! My favorite purchase is a spiral glitter tree I got from C&B a few years ago. Love it!!
My most cherished christmas decoration is the nativity that my dad made when he was a boy scout. I can never tell the difference between Joseph and the shepards but thats what makes it fun and special.
I would say it is my small vintage silver christmas tree. It is made of little silver balls and it just so prefect, excatly how I want my home to feel when it is decorated for the season.
My most prized Holiday possesion is something we get new every year. I love to still get a real Christmas tree. It is my favorite thing about Christmas. The scent it leaves in our house reminds me of when i was younger and the wonderful busy Christmas’s we would have every year. It is what i look forward to the most.
There isn’t a Christmas decoration that I don’t just love, but the nativity scene that my mother painted is probably my most prized Christmas possession.
I’d say my most prized holiday possession is the nativy set my grandmother gave my parents in the 50s….It’s made in Italy and just gorgeously rustic.
Growing up, every year my mom gave me and my brother ornaments depicting something that had happened to us that year–graduation caps for graduating, a little figure with crutches for the year I sprained my ankle, a girl with braces, an angel with a flute. I love unpacking them every year and reliving all the memories.
I can’t wait to see your Christmas decorating! You have impeccable taste! My most prized possession is probably the Christmas Angel that tops my tree. It is beautiful and what we topped our tree with as I grew up. Now that my mom has passed away, it is even more special to me.
My husband and I made each other stockings our first Christmas together. They are my most prized Christmas decoration! Thanks for sharing – can’t wait to see your holiday decor!
Oh, I really don’t know what my most prized item is yet.
The one that gives me the most warm-and-fuzzies, though, is something my mom has had forever. Back when DIYing was nothing special, but a way of life (in the 60’s) my grandma sewed a Santa out of felt. She sewed it as a sleeve, so that it could be slipped over an empty bottle of laundry detergent. And it’s gorgeous – and timeless! Talk about a budget-friendly bit of decor.
I’ll have to share a photo on my blog next time I go home. :)
My grandmother gave me a beautiful glass bird with orange feathers. She said EVERY tree must have at least one bird as it is good luck for the new year.
The small tree that I’ve had since I was a kid that I like to still put out. My husband calls it my Charlie Brown tree because it has seen better days, but I love it and the memories it brings nonetheless.
I have a collection of 1950’s Soviet postcards that feature things like Santa on a rocket ship and such, that I bought off of ebay. I display them in frames during the holidays. They are bright and colorful!
Every year I put out the manger that I’ve had since childhood. It reminds me of what Christmas is really about.
Great giveaway! I really treasure ALL of our ornaments. I’ve been collecting them for the past 13 years since I moved out on my own and now that I’m married I’ve been collecting more (our tree is getting pretty full) but I’m a sucker for snowmen and I just love these two little snowmen that I got at a church bookstore 4 years ago, they are so cute and they sit on our sideboard near the stockings (since we don’t have a fireplace). One reads “Jesus is the reason for the season” and the other says “Jesus loves you snow much”.
Hmm, my most prized holiday decoration is a little drummer boy ornament that my grandmother made many many many years ago, before I was even born! She had made lots of ornaments with sequins, glass balls, and what not, but the drum is my favourite. Making handmade ornaments is something that I want to start doing for my own tree (my first Christmas this year w/ my husband, so starting from scratch basically :D).
oh this is a wonderful prize. Hands down it would be the small tree that I have that has every homemade ornament that my girls have ever made me. It means the world to me.
My favorite holiday decoration is the tree my husband and I have on the dresser in our bedroom during the holiday season. It’s really small and I hang the ornaments from Hallmark’s “Our Christmas Together” series on it. We have an ornament for each year we’ve been together and it’s neat to see that the tree is almost too small now to hold all of our “years.” I may need to look into a bigger tree this year! I also love to go to retail store and malls during the holidays, you know the ones with BIG holiday displays. They’re always so pretty and it really gets me in excited about the holidays.
My favourite Christmas decoration would have to be my nativity scene. It is crafted out of a terra cotta coloured pottery by an artist in Ottawa and is one of a kind. It is simple, yet beautiful.
My Tweet. Thanks for the chance, Kate :)
http://twitter.com/serar/status/28807799080
It would have to be my very first blue ornament collection when DH and I got together! They are soo brittle now, I have to be super careful with them!
It’s a tiny Nativity that my husband bought when we first married, it is small, but the fact that he drove all over, trying to find the perfect one, means the world to me.
I think it is my nativity set my mom gave me!
I love the ornaments I buy for my children every year. My daughter gets a sterling snowflake and the boys a sterling ornament frame. I know it will be difficult to part with these, but when they are older for a special occasion,(wedding, buying 1st home, …) I will pass them on to each of them. Hopefully it will be a favorite of theirs, and many generations to come as well!
This book looks so fun! I have an old home we just moved into – complete with log and chink in the livingroom. We are slowly renovating it… and I’m constantly looking for books and mags that can help me do things creatively!
What’s my fave in the christmas dept at our home ….. I definetly think it is our nativity. It’s one of those things that my husband and I like to add to each year. One time he brought back a camel hand carved from Israel. It is eclectic and I love it! Not to mention that it is the soul reason we celebrate in the first place!
Well… here’s to hoping I win one of your copies! Thanks for doing this!
I don’t have just one prized holiday possession. I have many. I love all of my ornaments that have been around since I was a kid. My dad gave me a bunch and I use them every year. I’d love to win a copy of this book! :)
It’s all about the Christmas tree for me. I love that we get a new fresh one each year. They are each special and unique and we get to decorate it a little differently from year to year. Plus, I love the smell of a fresh tree!
My most prized holiday decorations have to be the 1st christmas pictures of each of my children wearing Santa hats. I just love pulling them out and decorating my house with their chubby cheeks. Magical!
Fingers crossed here. Instead of naming just one favorite holiday decoration, I’ll clump a group of them together. My grandmother used to purchase my brother & I an ornament every year. They were hand made ceramic ornaments, from the same woman year after year. I still have all of them and in the 18 years she did that, only once did she duplicate my ornament. She started buying them for my son, too, when he was born and one of the best fun he & I had was packing them up for him to take to his own home, for his own tree. They will forever hang on my Christmas tree and were the tipping factor when my husband & I considered giving up the tree (for varioius reasons). I can’t imagine Christmas without them.
My childhood collection of teddy bear ornaments that my parents and grandma gifted to me over the years for my very own special tree. It’s a tradition I hope to continue with my own kids.
Love the vintage ornaments passed down from my grandmother. Loving this book and giveaway!
xo,
cristin
My most prized decorations are the ones that have been handmade by my children. Last year my son’s preschool put his school picture in a paper ornament. While it is nothing fancy by any means, I love it because it is thoughtful and it is nice seeing these as he grows up over the years.
My most treasured holiday decorations has to be my collection of ornaments from my dear friend Anna. Anna’s mom and my mom were friends long before we were born – and as little girls, they created the tradition of exchanging ornaments instead of Christmas gifts. Anna and I are 25 now and still exchange ornaments every December – I will never have to worry about having an empty or boring tree – because each Holiday brings with it another beautiful ornament and a reminder of one of the greatest gifts in my life – an amazing friend that has been there literally through every season!
My favourite holiday decoration is an old fashioned snowman. His coat is brocade and he carries the cutest christmas ornament. Every year I pull him out he looks a little more tattered but I just touch him up with my trusty old glue gun. I hope he lasts for many more years.
My favorite Christmas decoration is an all-white nativity given to me by a dear friend. I always put it on my mantle and it is usually the first Christmas decoration I put up. It is simple, but beautiful and reminds me of why I celebrate the season!
Hi Kate,
This is a toughie. I LOVE Christmas decorations. Can I cheat and say “my Chirstmas ornament collection”? I buy an ornament as a souvenir on all my travels, so every year, I have a fantastic time reminiscing about special places and special people as I decorate my tree.
LOVE that last picture – I want to sip coffee at that very table while I look through the “book-azine”! It’s so tough to pick one, Christmas is such an emotional and sentimental time… I love the nativity set that my mom bought us, and ornaments we made as children.
My Oma had some great wooden ornaments on her tree. When she passed, they were handed down to my family, and every year, decorating our tree reminds me of her and brings back some great memories.
I have many favorites…but the one that comes to mind is the star that tops our tree. It’s a grapevine star and it’s simplicity is perfect…it reminds me of the star that shone over the stable where Christ was born.
I would have to pick our tiny nativity set that we picked up in Nicaragua. It’s two pieces and looks like a white Christmas tree. You then lift up the tree and the base reveals a little nativity. It’s precious and reminds me of our travels.
Oh. Love this. Since we celebrate Christmukkah in our house- I think our book on Christmukkah that we bought the first year together is pretty great. Plus we love our Advent Calendar- Olive the Other Reindeer.
My favorite decoration is the Christmas tree skirt I made – it’s 100% washable (which is often not the case with store-bought skirts) in case the cat decides to leave his version of a present under the tree… plus it looks good!
Oh, that’s a hard one but I will choose our stockings. They are so unique and beautiful!
My favorite holiday decoration is my set of monogrammed stockings, one for each of us including yes, the doggy too! They aren’t a hand-me-down, just purchased by me, but they make the whole fireplace area so cozy and warm.
Also, I’m still waiting for my current fantasy of Centsational Girl and Martha Stewart to team up and do a month long charity project a la Extreme Home Makeover where they come and help me with all my design wish list and to-do projects! It could happen, right ;)?
I would choose the ornament my mom gave me two years ago to celebrate my marriage to a wonderful man and our first Christmas together.
I LOVE our WillowTree nativity set =o)
My most prized holiday decorations are candles…lots of candles. There is just something that says welcome home and happy holidays by flickering light the dance on the walls. I’m getting eager to have quiet nights at home this Christmas season.
I absolutely adore my expanding assortment of vintage and antique ornaments, but, my most prized decorations would have to be our growing collection of pickle ornaments. My husband and I started collecting them when we got our first Christmas tree together. Every year we add at least one pickle. It has become a wonderful tradition from scouting out a beautiful vintage pickle at a store or flea market to finding them hidden deep within branches of our tree on Christmas morning. I believe you can never have too many pickles, especially one a Christmas tree.
http://www.facebook.com
My most prized possession is a tie for two things. First, is the collection of ornaments that my Mom passed down. There’s one special one for each year I’ve been alive, not necessarily a number for age, but something that signified a theme for the past year, or a fleeting favorite of mine as a child. The second has to be my hand crafted Advent Calendar. I saw a lot of large felt renditions online and knew that with some time I could make one just as cute and it would mean even more. So I did. We’re not so great about a treat every day, but it’s the first decoration I hang after Thanksgiving – even before the tree!
FB’d
I have 2 little angel bells that sit on my dresser. They are for each of my babies that I lost before they were born. God’s grace is sufficient!
My most prized holiday possession is my angel tree-topper. When I was growing up we always had an angel topping our tree that had been my mom’s as a child. Her hair was no longer lustrous and she probably wasn’t much to look at in anyone else’s eyes – but to me she was beatiful. When I moved out and set up house I made sure that an angel would be topping my own tree in honor that tattered beauty I had grown up with. I hope to inherit her one day (though hopefully not for a long time)!
My most prized Christmas possession is my nativity set.
My most prized holiday possession is the ornament I made out of our wedding invitation as a first anniversary (paper) gift for my husband.
Thanks for the giveaway!
My most prized holiday item is a set of hand painted ornaments- one for each member of our family. When any of us get married or have babies we get to have a new ornament made with the new family member’s name on it. I love them.
I always look forward to putting up the Nativity Scene as part of our Christmas decor. It’s a small scene with candlelight that it just perfect and warm and a reminder of what Christmas is truly about it. Thanks for the giveaway!
I love my vintage, beaded ornaments from my grandmother and aunt – my kids are absolutely delighted by them as well. :-)
My most precious piece is my grandmother’s handmade angel that she used as a tree topper. It reminds me of her and is so elegant and timeless. I received it after she passed away a few years ago and it always makes me smile to think of her and to remember it in her house during the holidays.
I tweeted!!
http://www.twitter.com/jamiedelight
I don’t have one. My tastes/themes have changed thru the years so have my decorations.
I love crystal, and collect nativites, and i had a 3-4″ manger scene ornament of Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus but unfortunately it broke. :( I think I just put it away and will work on repairing it this Christmas season now that the frustration factor is a little lower. I do love my nativities- I have a Willow Tree nativitity of Mary Joseph and baby Jesus. It is not the full nativity, just a statue of the three of them. I love it.
My prized ornament is a hand print my grandmother made of my mother’s hand on her 1st Christmas. My mom has the same one of my grandmother’s and my daughter will one day have mine, and her daughter her’s!
Christmas ornaments from my parents house that I remember unpacking and hanging every year since I was little – my mom gave my brother and I a few for our own trees and I love being able to add them to my own family’s tree now :)
I collect snowmen ornaments, and my favorite is the first one my husband and I bought together. :)
I Facebooked:o)
I love the holidays… My parents and granparents would give me and my siblings an ornament each year. When I moved out I had a full collection to start with. Now I pull them out each year and remember those early years.
I think I have to go with ornaments. But, which ones? My grandfather was an accountant. Several of his clients were dime stores. One Christmas Eve after WWII, my grandfather brought home boxes of ornaments from one of the 5&10s. I have the remaining ones, as well as the silver drops that my parents had on their first tree together. My grandmother took me every year to the fancy florist to choose an ornament for my tree. We did the same with my daughter. Decades of Christmases memories…!
My most precious holiday decoration is a gingerbread house my great grandmother painted back in 1920.
I love all things vintage, handmade and holiday. I would have to say that my most prized holiday decoration is my collection of German Nutcrackers–they dress up my mantle beautifully.
My favorite Christmas Decoration is the tiny nativity scene that my younger sister bought me the first year my husband and I were married. Simple, tiny and sweet!
I also just tweeted!
My most prized holiday decoration is a carved nativity set my grandmother gave me. I actually leave it out year-round now in my china hutch and move it to the mantle during Christmas. Just love it. Thanks for the chance at this giveaway!
My most precious holiday decoration is the 1950s angel that adorns the top of my tree. Love those white, feathery wings!
Definitely my stocking. My mother hand-knit it when I was a baby and I’ve used it every single year since.
My prized holiday decoration is a Peanuts globe ornament given to me the year of my birth. About 8 years ago my husband accidentally knocked it off the tree and it shattered. That year, he found the same ornament on ebay and gave it to me as a gift. I forgave him.
The angel collection of my mom’s. I have so many wonderful memories of her putting them all out and now that she’s gone I do the same.
Porcelain Dickens House. When I was little we would create a whole village with them at my grandmother’s house and put a train set around it.
My most precious holiday decoration is something my Dad bought my Mom before I was born. They had gone shopping when she spotted a pair of ornate Christmas candles. Her eyes grew as big as saucers when she saw them across the store, but it was a silly purchase and she talked her self out of buying them. But my Dad went back and got them for her. That was over 50-years ago. Now both of them are gone but I have the candles and the story of what people will do for someone they love.
My most prized christmas decoration is the handmade Ragdy Ann and Andy stocking my grandmother made me when I was a little girl. She also made one for my husband right before she died! I cherish them!
It is a toss up between my grandmother’s nativity and my mother’s hand sewn ornaments.
My most prized is my knit stocking that I have had my entire life. There is nothing like going through all the decoration boxes and finally getting to the stocking!!
also tweeted at twitter.com/glasska
I love our monogrammed stockings… one for me, one for the hubby, and two tiny ones for both of our pups!
My most prized Christmas decoration is a small candy tin that my grandmother gave to me. It used to belong to my Great Grandfather who would keep special candies that he would give out to my grandfather and his siblings around Christmas time.
I cherish my Nativity. My sister painted a ceramic nativity set for everyone one year for Christmas when money was tight. I will never part with it.
My favorite christmas decoration is the tree. Every year my grandparents, who own a chrsitmas tree farm, mail me a real tree from USA (I am in in Canada) all the way across the border to my doorstep so that I can have a beautiful home grown tree and not have to pick one off a truck at WalMart. I am truly spoiled.
Honestly? My favorite is just having our little 1-year old sweetheart to celebrate Christmas with! There was a point we never thought we’d have one of our own, and what a JOY it is to be able to scheme with Santa on what to give him and imagine the excitement in his eyes Christmas morning. :) Truly he is the most prized possession in our house!
My christmas tree topper is my most favorite decoration. It’s actually our wedding cake topper….a totally bejeweled in swarovski crystal “A” (our initially, obv). I’m so glad that I found another use for it, and taking it out every year reminds me of how lucky I am to be married to such a wonderful guy!
Hi there
Oh my how I love Christmas!!! I love all my ornaments. But my most precious thing is the Nativity that I have from when I was a baby. Its so old and so beautiful.
deezie
no vintage ornaments unfortunately, but I do treasure all the African-American angels and Santa ornaments that people have gifted me over the years since those kids of things are hard to find.
I absolutely love the gingerbread man and woman my grandma made in ceramics years ago. I remember seeing them hanging in her kitchen all year. One day several years ago I saw them on her rummage sale pile (gasp) and I snatched them up! I will always treasure them!
I admit it, I’m already planning my Christmas decor too! My favorite decoration would have to be one that I was inspired to make this year myself – a beautiful, gold and red ornament wreath. I wasn’t lying when I said I’m already planning for Christmas, I made the wreath this month! It turned out great, with a total investment of $6 for Dollar Tree balls and $0 for a wire hanger. I sure would love a free copy of that magazine for more holiday ideas though!
Hmmm, there are so many ornaments I love especially the ones made by my children!
I will always love the first authentic Nutcracker my mom gave me. It’s a Steinbach drummer boy.
My most prized Christmas decoration is a Christmas stocking my mother made me when I was a baby. It has gone through many moves with me. My belongings were all in storage for many months one year and the storage unit had been broken into. Everything was taken except two boxes. My Christmas stocking was in one of the remaining two boxes! I was blessed. I have been hanging the stocking every year. I recently lost my mother to cancer and my mother’s stocking is so very meaning and special to me. When I unpack it to hang this year I know it will bring me joy filled tears and wonderful memories. It is my most prized and treasured Christmas decoration.
I have two: my collection of ornaments (my dad has given me one every year since I was born) and my Dicken’s Village by Department 56 (I collect retired peices).
I also have my husband’s grandmother’s Christmas ornaments from the 40s, so those are pretty cool.
My most prized Christmas decoration is my flying princess ornament…
My favorite item would be either my childhood stocking or my tree skirt that used to belong to my grandparents. It reminds me of Christmas at their house. :)
My most prized collection is the Homemade Christmas Ornaments that I have collected over the years. My mother’s womens group at church has a Christmas Bazaar each year as a fund raiser and all the women make something homemade to sale. My collection includes angels and snowmen!
My most prized Christmas ornament is my eldest daughter’s picture in a Christmas frame which we always hang in our Christmas tree.
My most prized holiday decoration is a set of 2 little ceramic angels kissing. My mom bought them for me when I was 1 and wrote on the box: to my little angel for Christmas, someday you can give these to your little angel.
My most prized holiday decoration is an ornament that was my husband’s when he was a child – it’s a stuffed Gus, the mouse from Cinderella. So cute!
My most prized holiday decoration is a large figurine I purchased last year at TJ Maxx. It is a pig going down a hill on a candy cane sled. It is hilarious and joyful and so full of whimsy! Exactly the characteristics I try to fill my house with during the holidays. I smile every time I see it, and I can’t wait to bring it out for this year’s Christmas!!
Hmmm, hard to pick. But I love our nativity collections. Several from various countires we’ve visited and a Willow Tree one – I love the simplicity of the cream/wooden carved look – beautiful!
Would love to win!! My favorite Christmas decorations are the ornaments my dad made. :) I always hang them on our tree with pride.
I have several prized decorations. Every Christmas since I was a child, my sister and I would receive a special tree ornament from my parents. 38 years later and we are still receiving these special little treats for our tree. When we pull out the tree decorations it’s wonderful to reminisce about each year’s ornament! And now I do this for my own children!
When my grandmother passed away, my aunt took some of her jewelry and magically turned it into Christmas ornaments for all of the grandchildren. Mine was one of her brooches attached to a cute little red pillow with lace trim. When I was little and my mom would decorate our Christmas tree, I would rush to find my “grandmama” ornament so I could admire it throughout the holiday season. My aunt will be incorporating the brooch into my wedding dress for my wedding this summer. It’s like my grandmother is there for life’s special seasons and events!
An old Santa made from a Gerber baby food jar and felt.
I have this adorable little Nativity set where everything is just little and cuddly and I love it. It makes me smile every time I see it.
My fav Christmas decoration is my husband’s Charlie Brown Christmas.
My most precious christmas decoration is a set of silver bells – given to me as a child in Northern Onatario. Each bell is designed to ring differently and together they make a musical instriment
This is a hard one. Mine is probably the wreath that my 4 girls made me a few years ago.
Glass spiral tree topper that my hubby bought for me while in Seattle at this out of the way, two cabs to find it, how did she talk me into going to this Christmas store, many, many years ago.
When I was little it was always my job to put the Nativity set out. I always put it on top of the piano and spent a long time arranging it just perfectly. I was so happy when I got married and my mom passed that treasured Nativity set on to me. It is chipped and not in perfect shape, but I love it and it means so much to me. It reminds me of my childhood and the fond memories of spending the holidays with my family.
The ornaments — some of them handmade — that my grandmother gave me every Christmas.
Every year my neice and nephew make an ornament as their gift for each member of our family. Its so much fun to see all of these ornaments on the tree each Christmas!
What a great giveaway! I’ve been eying this book for some time!
I would have to say that my favorite Christmas decorations are a collection of ornaments that have been passed through the family and slowly added to each year. It’s neat to start out with just a few as a newly married couple and slowly add your own family memories!
I love our fake tree. I have to admit it. My kids are at just the right age to appreciate the color-coded tiers. It’s so fun to assemble our tree as a family and then continue on putting lights and ornaments on. As one who also appreciates saving a buck, I also love having made a one-time payment of $17 (it was the floor model and I bought it in early January one year) to last for all these years.
My most prized Christmas decorations would have to be my Grandmother’s ornaments. When she stopped putting up a tree years before she died, she gave her ornaments to me – none of her children wanted “those old ornaments”. They aren’t fancy but I’ve always loved them (the more tarnished the better!) and who knew, they are now very collectable. But the best thing about them are the memories of her and the fun decorating the tree with her and my aunts and uncles. Thank you for the chance to reminisce and to win such great prize. (I LOVE Michael Mead!)
My favorite ornament is a white ceramic bell that I decorated in kindergarten (I am almost 40 now). We added stickers, our names and clear glitter all over the whole thing and even now, it still looks like something I would buy if I saw it in a store.
Is saying White Lights cheating? We decorate the tree with just the white lights for several weeks, then add strands of things, and then right before Christmas add the ornaments. I just love the way white lights look on a tree. (And I adore colored lights all over the front of the house, real tacky-like :))
My favorite Christmas decorations are the ornaments my mother has given me through the years. Once I started college and moved out, she has given me one every year.
Without a doubt my favorite holiday decoration is salt and pepper shakers that were my grandmother’s. I remember them sitting on her table every year and now, they sit on mine. :)
My Oma had some great wooden ornaments that she put on her tree every year. When she passed, they were given to my family, so every year when we put them on our tree it brings back great memories of her.
For me, it is all about Christmas music – the good old Christmas songs! Being so far away from my family (Norway) it takes me right back home to snow, lights, and happy times. Getting a little homesick right now just thinking about it….. :)
My most prized decoration for Christmas are the stockings I bought at JCPenney one year on a super sale. They monogrammed all 8 of us for free, and I bought one extra just in case we had another baby along down the line. Sure enough, now there are 9 of us so it’s perfect – they are absolutely gorgeous all lined up together!
My most treasured decorations are the ones given to my by my husband – a yearly tradition and something I look forward to every year!
– Danielle
other-option AT hotmail DOT com
We have a family tradition where every years since I was born I have recieved a moving ornament from hallmark. I have a very old popcorn popper that hands and pops fake corn on the tree the sound of our tree is so fun for my little children and they spend hours watching all the moving ornaments. It is really something I treasure!
My most prized Christmas decoration is the Manger Scene that my husbands grandma made me out of ceramics. She painted it so beautiful. It is a huge set and we put it on top of our entertainment center to make sure nothing gets broken.
So fabulous! I am so in love with Christmas! I am decorating this weekend, call me crazy I don’t care :) My most loved Christmas possession is all our Christmas tree ornaments, specifically my baby one from my first christmas and the one we bought on our honeymoon!
My dad’s photo display of my boys. My dad died in July of this year and I inherited a little set up he had of the boys in Christmas pics. It will be prominently displayed at my house from now on.
I tweeted!
http://twitter.com/pontmarie
I have a collection of nativities that I love to display every year. It’s the only collection of anything that I’ve ever had. I’ve tried to gather things from travels and make sure that each nativity is unique.
My first baby ornament from Hallmark. It winds up to play a song.
My most prized holiday decoration are the ornaments we put on our tree. When got our first Christmas tree together, my husband and I only had ornaments that our mothers gave us from our childhood (very sentimental) and since then, every time we go on vacation or to a new place, we buy an ornament to commemorate it – we have them from many different places and it makes decorating our tree an active scrap book!
my most prized holiday decor item would be the Mr. and Mrs. Clause that my grandmother made years ago. It was just handed down to me since she passed away last November.
My favorite decoration is a nativity scene made by daughter. It is rustic with Mary Joseph and baby Jesus made from peanuts. It’s simply charming made when my daughter was eight years old.
My prized holiday decoration is my childhood metal ornaments… they are engraved with the year they were purchased. My other one is my parents first ornament when they got married…. my mom gave it to me when I got married.
I love love love all my glass ornaments! I know they can easily get broken and it takes tons of time to place them on the tree -but it is so worth-to think about where each one came from and who gave it-and late at night, when all the other lights are off, and sit in the living room with just the tree lights on -reflecting the colors off the glass ornaments!! Bliss!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/My-Modish-Mood/147590495278560
Posted the giveaway on My Modish Mood FB page.
The tinsel that my grandmother gave me. You have to put it on the tree strand by strand. It takes forever but once it’s on it’s stunning!
I have so many favorite Christmas ornaments, but one of them is a little hand made girl that I’ve had for as long as I can remember. My Mom made one for each of my siblings with our name on them. That one is special.
I like the wreath I purchased years ago from Home Interiors. I hang it on my pantry door.
Oh this bookazine is something new to me…I am very intrigued. Christmas is beyond a shadow of a doubt my most FAVORITE holiday. My fav decoration is hard to narrow down but I think I have to go with….a little ornament I inherited from my tree growing up. It is made out of paper and is a little boy (much like the one that is in the snowy day book) in a red hooded jacket looking out a snowy white paned window. simple and sweet.
Christmas tree skirt made by my mom
I would LOOOOOVE to win! Thanks for the awesome opportunity!
A goose egg I decorated in the second grade for a tree ornament and cradled home in a snow storm to give to my mom!
We switched to all blue, silver & white ornaments on a white tree last year and it was just beautiful. All my old ornaments from the past many, many years are still packed away for the next time I exercise my female whims & change back. My very favorite ornament is a wonderful plastic elf that I found on eBay. I had one during my childhood, but it had been lost a long time ago. I still get giddy when I see it – brings back all the wonder of childhood.
My husband’s grandmother’s sterling silver menorah brought over from Germany just as Hitler was rising to power. So beautiful. Even though we celebrate Hanukkah I still want to be entered in the contest. Thanks.
My most prized holiday decor items are the things that my children have made. There’s nothing like a small handprint painted green and covered in red glitter to make my eyes well up and say, “awwww…”
My most precious holiday decoration is the tree skirt I handmade last year. It is grey and white stripes with yellow and blue floral pattern deer applique and yellow embroidery, big bold blue floral on the reverse. It ties with blue velvet ribbon. I made it from thrift store bed sheets. It took me hours to make (of course I didn’t use a pattern!), is imperfect, designed with thought, and totally me. I gladly envision my future children spending Christmas with this item a reminder of my love, thriftiness, and creativity.
My favourite goes back to my early childhood — a musical Christmas tree with turning angels around the bottom (approx 12″ high on a revolving base) It was passed on to me for my DDs & over the years we’ve replaced the tiny decorations. Takes pride of place of the mantelpiece.
That book sounds like it’s right up my alley! Can’t wait to read it, hope I win! My favorite ornament is the one I have for each of my children. It is a clear ball with a piece of their first Christmas Tree inside. On the outside is their name and the year. My oldest is 22 years old now and that piece of tree is still in tact! I also have one from the first Christmas tree the year I was married!
I think blue and silver could be wonderful—there was a Christmas issue of Veranda a few years back that featured an amazing house with blue and silver decorations.
My most treasured decorations are my collection of nutcrackers, mostly German but a few the kids bought me when they were little from the drug store.
I have a snowman ornament, complete with cotton balls, construction paper, and a picture of my toothless grin, that I made when I was 5 years old. When my daughter (who is now 18) was 5, I made the same ornament with her. Now every Christmas, we hang our matching snowmen ornaments side by side on the tree!
My most prized possesion is our angel we put at the top of the tree every Christmas……it is from when I was little.
I like the christmas scented pine candle that I have. It always reminds me of my home growing up.
I really love my Martha Stewart tree decor – it’s purple and silver!
Well, our family and my husbands family have a tradition of giving an ornament every year. So, our tree is adorned with lots and lots of ornaments, since I have 3 young boys they are mostly at the bottom and middle of the tree!! So, instead of going fancy – we go fun. I don’t know that I have a favorite “item”, but the tradition of decorating the tree and house is definitely my absolute favorite!!
I posted about your giveaway on facebook!
I have so many things I treasure it’s hard to pick. I will have to go with a celluloid Santa that my husband bought me the first year we were married. Either that or the toilet paper roll santa I bought for a dime at a rummage sale.
I LOVE my inherited collection of Hallmark keepsake ornaments my mom started when she first got married in the 70s. They always bring back such great memories when I unpack them to put on my own tree now :)
My Christmas village. I started it before I got married over a decade ago and I feel like it is something that is uniquely me. (Atleast as family traditions go.)
i love this set of ornaments i received as a wedding present for our first christmas. I’m super excited because it will be our second christmas!!
I have two favorite Christmas decorations. One is a walnut shell that is decorated to look like a little mouse is asleep inside and his tail is sticking out–my mom called me Mousie when I was little and I always loved to hang this mouse on the tree. The other is a silver sleigh bell with my initials engraved on it. My mom would hang all of our bells with red velvet ribbons on the stair banister mixed among a green garland. Now that I have two little boys, my mom has carried on the tradition and they each have their own silver sleigh bell with initials!
When we were married, my favorite wedding gift was a box filled with Christmas ornaments, and a very special Santa music box. He is the first thing I unpack each year, and he has a place on honor on my mantle.
Karen
I have so many things I love about the holidays. My most prized possessions are my two nativities and the Santa ornament that was my grandparents. My Mom made one of the nativities, and that I treasure always.
My most treasured decoration–my girls’ baby shoes that we hang on the tree. Hard to believe they were ever that small!
My husband and I bought a Hallmark ornament the first year we were dating (I was 15 and he was 16!). We’ve now been together more than 20 years, and it brings back wonderful memories each year when I pull it out of the box!
oh how lovely of you! Thanks for the opportunity!
My favorite holiday decor item is my vintage gold glittered star that my Grandma gave me years ago. My Grandparents have since passed on so this star is a reminder of their presence during the holidays!
My most prize Christmas decor is the nativity set that Sean and I bought our first year married. Its dept. 56 and I love pulling it out every year. It warms my heart.
I haven’t really been on my own long enough to have a prized possesion but my favorite thing at my parents is a hang crocheted stocking with my name on it. My Grandma made one for me and my brother and sister and I love it!
Hannah
The first Christmas that my husband and I spent together, we were so excited to get our own tree for our apartment. But we were BROKE. We ended up getting all of our decorations at a local dollar store in their party supply aisle. Our tree was covered in streamers, crepe paper, plastic fish, party hats, noise makers and plastic eyeglasses (with attached plastic nose and mustache). It was one of my most fun and memorable holidays, though admittedly, pretty tacky. The majority of the decorations have not stood the test of time, but the plastic fish and eyeglasses still come out every year. I’ve also tucked away some of the streamers in an album for posterity’s sake.
My favorite holiday decor is my Nutcracker collection. While the collection has grown A LOT recently, it began when my Grandmother gave me a set of Nutcrackers which just happen to be the characters from the story. She gave these to me the Christmas I was in the Moscow State Ballet’s version of the Nutcracker! So, the collection had a very meaningful beginning.
I have two, one is a photo of my daughter at age 3 months sitting next to her Christmas Edition Cabbage Patch doll which was bigger then she was at the time. The second is also a photo of my daughter made in preschool when she was 3, it’s a star cut out of an aluminum pie plate with her picture in the middle.
My most treasured holiday ornament is a red flocked plastic reindeer. She has little white cotton fluff around each ankle and ear. I grew up with a single mom so we didn’t have much money. The ornament was purchased at a discount store in the 1970s and how it survived all of my various moves, my move to college, then to marriage and then to motherhood, is a “christmas miracle” in itself. I don’t have many tangible items left from childhood but the reindeer remained in the box of decorations year after year. My boys would pull it from the box and declare, “Here’s mom’s baby ornament!”
Last year, I noticed its red flocking was rubbing off and its cheap plastic body was showing in places so I bought a shadow box and now display it all year ’round. It reminds me that a mother’s love doesn’t have to come in big, expensive packages; it can come in a tacky dime store ornament that remains a testament year after year.
I have a series of ornaments from travels with my husband before we were married. They each hold so many memories
Our stockings. My husband got us matching stockings during our engagement and they were our first Christmas decor.
I love this silver tin “S” hanging we hang on the door in place of a wreath. The silver has just enough shimmer giving that “winter wonderland” frost look. My husband got it for me on our first Christmas and I absolutely love it. This year I can share the “S” surname with her too.
She’s a tiny, white cardboard angel and all we could afford to top our first Christmas tree 39 years ago. She joined a few bright red glass balls and a strand of multi-colored lights almost obscured by silver icicles dangling from every puny limb. But, oh how precious she was–and still is–taking her place atop the 38 family Christmas trees since. Every time we ceremonially place her on her perch, we remember that first sweet Christmas with few gifts or beautiful decorations, but a whole lot of love that has endured the test of time.
My most prized Christmas object would have to be the first Christmas ornament that my mother gave me. She gives me an ornament ever year and I look forward to opening the box to see what it will be!
BY FAR my favorite Christmas decor is the white ceramic Christmas tree made by my grandmother when I was a little girl (35+ years ago!). It is timeless and just as gorgeous every year when we unpack it!
I love our collection of Christmas ornaments. While some of them are amassed from friends and family who have gifted them to my husband and I during the holidays, the majority of them have been acquired during our travels. These range from our honeymoon in Hawaii to a weekend getaway in Vegas to our 10-day Italian excursion to a Guinness-soaked tour of Dublin. Bringing them out every year recalls memories we love to relive, and the hopes for many more in the future.
I have my Granny’s ceramic lit Christmas tree. I loved it as a child and now find somewhere special to put it each year since I received it from her.
My prized decorations are the tree ornaments that my sons made when they were little guys in preschool and kindegarten.
During my senior year of high school I moved in with a family at Thanksgiving because of some family issues. Needless to say I was feeling out of place and alone that holiday. Then Christmas came and as they day approached, on the fireplace mantle were five beautiful stockings lovingly handcrostiched for the mom, dad and their three children. This display added to the loneliness and despair I was feeling that Christmas, but the morning of I awoke to a new display. On the mantel now stood six stockings, mine was one of those you purchase at any local store, and glued on it was my name in glitter. The couples children decided I needed a stocking because I was a part of the family, and unbeknownst to me they took it upon themselves to make this for me. My heart just melted and the tension I was feeling was swept away. I love this family, and every year I am reminded of their unconditional love when I set eyes on my stocking.
WOW! Thanks for the opportunity!
I love love love getting all my decorations out every year. I work as a decorator and see lots of truly fabulous ornaments and decorations as we do other people’s trees….but I always love coming home to my special things that speak HOME and FAMILY and LOVE to me!
I have a nativity scene that I got way back when ???? we have been married 33 years, so somewhere there in the beginning……It is always highlighted somewhere and keeps our focus on the true meaning of the season.
By the way….I have recently pored over your blog and I am soooooooooooo impressed with your work, your talent, your tenacity!!!
Blessings!
When I was a little girl my mom made christmas stockings for us with our names on them. It brings back so many memories of opening our christmas gifts and thinking it was all done and then we remembered our stockings which made it even better. Luckily for us they were really long!
We have a beautiful carved wooden creche scene. The wonderful lady who rented her mountain cabin to us for our honeymoon left it on the dining table, wrapped up with a card. It was such a kind gesture, and I love the simplicity and beauty of this item–I always look forward to pulling it out at Christmas!
My most treasured Christmas ornament is a little brass bell given to me by my grandparents long, long ago. I love all of my ornaments, especially those from people who are no longer with us. It makes me feel like we’re connected again.
i love the xmas tree skirt i made years ago, it is red and made out of felt and sequins on it. i bought a brand new chandelier today at my habitate re-store today for $20 and i cannot bring myself to spray paint it white. i did get a bigger one for my kitchen and i did spray that one off white and i love it.
My most prized holiday “possession,” and please excuse me because this is going to sound cheesy but it is what first came to my mind, is my memory of my first Christmas with my husband last year (which also happened to be my first Christmas away from my family). My husband’s family is hilarious, welcoming, fun-loving, and kind. I was sad at times to not be with my family and celebrate with certain traditions that I grew up with, but most importantly we celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ. I am beyond blessed with loving families on both sides. Praise God!
I love all the ideas that your posted
My most prized holiday ornament is the angel that goes on the top of my tree. When I was growing up, we had a cheap plastic moulded angel, with cotton ball fluff cloud, and gold glitter glued to her wings and halo. Over the years, the fluffy cloud disintegrated, except for a few dirty pieces still stuck to the bottom of her “dress”. The gold glitter has faded, and the white dress has yellowed with age.
But she’s the angel I remember that each of us kids took turns being lifted up to put on the top of the tree each year. She’s the angel that every year, when we pulled her out of the box of Christmas ornaments, someone would say “gee, she’s looking kind of ratty, maybe we should replace her” and I would say “no! she’s OUR angel”.
When my mom passed away a couple of summers ago, and I was packing up her house and getting rid of all the things that accumulate when 6 people live in a house over the course of 25 years…I was devastated, because I could *not* find the Christmas ornaments.
We don’t have many ornaments left from my childhood – most of them are long since broken or lost. But there were a few that I really wanted. I didn’t find all of them – but I *did* find the angel – and she came home with me.
I put the angel on my own tree last Christmas, and I’m so very glad to have a piece of my childhood.
My most prized Christmas possession is the paper Czech nativity scene that I grew up with and that my dad bought me one when he was in Prague!
My most prized Christmas possession is an engraved pewter ornament my husband gave me the first Christmas we were dating. We had only been dating for about 6 months so I knew that meant he was planning on sticking around. :)
I would be devastated if anything ever happened to the nativity that belonged to my husband’s parents, who are both deceased.
The Hummel white nativity set my mom gave to me about 10 years ago My dad won it in a raffle for $1 in 1960 and it’s been displayed every Christmas since.
my mother gave us ornaments every christmas as a tradition. hands down mine are these precious little 4″ velvet slippers with tiny bells on the tops, they rest on a bough. these just always echo my christmas memories as a child.
In 1949 my father made a wood sleigh, about 15″ long and 10″ high, and painted it bright red. It was the first decoration put out each year and held the Christmas cards we received. He died in 1953 when I was 2 so it’s a cherished memento and now the centerpiece of my holiday decorating. I never got to know him but his handcrafted sleigh will continue to be passed down as a tangible reminder of a talented and caring family man.
Linked to: facebook.com/jeanne.g.miller
I couldn’t decide between two treasures. The star at the top of our tree from my parents or the olivewood nativity we purchased on our honeymoon. They both bring so much joy and remind us about what is important during the rush of the holiday season.
My most cherished ornament is a glass snowman that one of my children gave me – he had remembered that I had admired it in the store and got my husband to take him there and buy it. He was 7 then. It just reminds me every time I look at it how thoughtful he is.
I love my childrens’ ornament collection. One new one for each child every year.
My most cherished holiday possession is a hand painted tray (with 3 matching hand painted mugs) that a dear friend made for me when my 3 boys were little. Each year when I serve Christmas cookies on the tray and hot chocolate in the mugs I am reminded that the blessings of the season are found in the love of family and good friends.
Thanks for the chance to win this fabulous giveaway.
[email protected]
My most cherished holiday item would be my winter village. I really enjoy bringing it out for display each year.
my favorite christmas ornamentation are the handmade ornaments by my children and my mother. hanging each one causes waves of nostalgia intensified by new handmade ornaments humg every year. now i look forward to hanging the handiwork of each of my grands!!
Ooh! I would love to win this! I think my favorite thing we have are some of the ornaments we had as kids! Those just have such happy memories! :) P.S. Can’t wait to see what you do inside this year!!!
I have a small fake tree that was always in my bedroom with its own ornaments growing up. I have such fond memories of decorating it and seeing it lit up at night. Now that I am married I have my little tree and get to find the perfect place to put it this year!
My fav holiday ornament or decoration is the moment…..you know the feeling when you unpack the boxes that you packed up last year just to get Christmas out of the house…well, maybe that is just me!!hehe BUT, opening the boxes is new and fresh every single year and I treasure all of my Christmas “stuff” and adore the new feeling it brings every time I open a box. Okay, that mag/idea book is going to be nothing but amazing with Matthew Mead at the helm…can’t wait to see that up close and personal…..thanks for a great give away….Susan
My favorite is greenery from my parents’ yard! Last year I spent Thanksgiving with them, and headed home with a large trash bag full of magnolia, holly, pyrecantha, and boxwood. But this year we live too far away. :-( So I’m having to keep my eyes open for other sources. Our neighbor has pyrecantha bushes. Am I allowed to clip off the berries that are hanging onto our side of the property line? ;-)
I have so many treasures from my childhood. Our nativity scene(I always wrapped Jesus in a cotton ball cause he seemed cold), fragile glass ornaments in their original box and a tiny pinecone my Mom picked before I was born(before Hartwell Lake in SC was filled with water). I have some sweet things I made as a campfire girl(over 40 years ago). And my treasured original stocking with Rudolph on it. Sweet memories of those things and a Betty Beauty Parlor under the tree.
I will share this on my Facebook page. Everyone loves to be creative at the holidays.
My favorite Christmas decoration is a figure from the nativity scene we had growing up. It was made of something very fragile and not many survived. Looking at it brings me great memories from childhood. I love Matthew Mead and have been looking for this new book-a-zine at Barnes and Noble for weeks now! :)
My very favorite Christmas decoration is my stocking that I had as a child. It looks like pioneer pajamas. two feet and the opening is the little booty flap they used to have on their “union suits.” It’s hilarious.
(i thought i had it made because it was like having two stockings in one!) I always smile when i think about it at Christmas!
My most prized Christmas decoration is a nativity ornament that my son made us at school. Beautiful and sentimental. Priceless!
I have always had a thing for acorns (and oak leaves) I just love them. When I was younger I would collected the fallen acorns at the neighborhood park. I fill glass jars with collected acorns to decorate with and for the holidays I put out acorns done in a mercury glass finish. I have large ones that I put in trays on tables and smaller ornament ones that I hang whereever I can find a spot for them with some really nice ribbon.
PS still working up the courage to get a tattoo with 2 little acorns for my babies (now 13 and 16) LOL:)
My favorite treasure are my vintage fuschia and silver ball ornaments. This year we have space and I’m setting up a special tree just for those babies to hang from. They come from my grandmother and mother’s trees growing up. Thanks for the opportunity for the give away!
There are so many to choose from! I have a gorgeous center piece with flowers and a large candle that I just LOVE. I also have a beautiful Musical Snow globe that has snowmen skating. So cute. I would love a copy of this issue! The blues are fab :)
My favorite Christmas decorations are the ones my kids have made as well as the ones that my siblings and I made. I love memories that these little decorations provide along with their uniqueness.
If “treasured” is code for “near-psychotic obsession,” then my answer is SO easy…. Wrapping paper. I have at least 80 rolls. I LOVE wrapping presents. And when it’s on sale after Christmas for 75-90% off – OH My STARS. I’m powerless.
Probably the dozen or so ornaments I made by hand. I worked hard, and learned to sew better in the process.
I love the little Christmas stocking that I had when I was a girl. Back then babies were given real bracelets in the hospital when they were born. My Mom stitched mine and my twin sister’s bracelets onto our stockings as decorations. Mine says baby B since I was the second one born, and we had no names yet. I love that!
My most cherished Christmas decorations are the Christmas stockings I hand knitted with our names on them. They come out every year!
Our favorite holiday decoration is an angel ornament made from bread dough. Our elder daughter, now 33, made this angel when she was five. To most, it is the strangest thing! But, to my DH and I, this angel head brings back memories of a little girlie, blond braids and smocked dress covered in bread dough and tempra paint, working so hard to make a beautiful angel. And, it is! The angel holds place of honor on our Christmas tree.
A nativity set that my mother gave to me. She passed away eight years ago and when I put it out, it reminds me of the reason for the season.
Over the years I have collected so many Christmas decorations it would be hard to pick just one favorite. The first one that comes to my mind is an extremely old glass ball ornament that my Mom just gave me last year. I also treasure a few things that my kids made. But more recently (about 5 or 6 years ago) I bought an expensive nativity set that I just adore. I have already ordered Matthews book for myself but have a sister who enjoys decorating for Christmas as much as I do. My sister is a new Grandma to a preemie baby girl. I would love for her to have a copy so she can be inspired to get her house decorated so that when the new baby gets to come home her family can start new memories & celebrate the miracle of Christmas.
I had to get rid of 80% of my Christmas stuff when we moved overseas :( I kept what was really special to me — namely, my ornament collection. Not necessarily worth much to anyone else, its value is mainly sentimental…. ornaments received in homemade ornament exchange programs, gifts from special people in my life, the ones we picked up throughout the years because they held significance for that particular year/trip/whatever… I’ve thought about doing a color theme tree but cannot bear the thought of not using my special ornaments so unless/until we have enough room for two trees, the one we do have will ALWAYS be decked out with my thirty-plus year collection.
We’ll be in the U.S. for our daughter’s wedding in December so if I win, it can be sent to my mother-in-law’s house :)
My favorite Christmas decorations are the ornaments that I buy with my new husband when we travel to a different state or country! We just got married in May, but we have been together and traveling for a few years now, so while we are really just getting started, its a growing collection. Next week we leave for Paris and I have hopes of finding the most dazzling Eiffel Tower to hang on our tree this year!! I have images of our kids 10 years from now sitting around drinking hot chocolate while decorating the tree and me telling them all about the place each ornament came from…a girl can dream!!! And in the meantime, plan more trips!!!
We were married in December, 1992 and our cake topper was a papier mache angel. We chose it knowing that it would be part of future traditions – topping the annual Christmas tree. 18 years later, it is still brought out each year – in its original tissue wrap! – and placed on our tree as a final step. Our three daughters look forward to this little ritual every year and have now developed their own memories with our cake/tree angel.
My most prized Christmas decoration is my ornament collection. Starting when my husband and I were dating, we would pick up ornaments as souvenirs when we would go on trips. I love decorating the tree and remembering all the places and things we’ve seen together. It’s a great memory!
I shared on FB.
My favorite Christmas decoration is my collection of nativity sets. My favorite three were acquired in Germany. The first one was purchased my first year of marriage , this was our first duty station overseas and we were feeling a little lonely that Christmas being away from our families. The second one is a hand sewn nativity set that was handcrafted by a wonderful group of Polish women who work out of an orphanage there and depend on this income to support their families. The third one is a pretty good sized wood one that was hand craved in the Germany village were the Passion Play is held every 10 years. This collection helps me remember throughout the holiday season what Christmas is really all about!
My favorite Christmas ornament is a tiny pair of white soft leather ballerina-like slippers(they even tie with white satin ribbon) ,they were my daughter Haley’s 1st pair of shoes. I just tied them together and hang them on the tree. Sadly, we lost her on Dec. 23rd, when she was 17 month old from a sudden illness.So,even though this is a bittersweet memory, she is still very much a part of Christmas.
My family actually has one of those ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ Santa Dolls too! However, that’s not our most prized holiday decoration. I would say our most prized holiday decorations are the Christmas tree ornaments my mother-in-law passed down to me from her collection. More importantly, they are my husbands picks. One of the traditions in their family when he was growing up was picking (or making) a different ornament each and every year. So I’ve got more than a dozen ornaments that are old and ratty but not long forgotten. It brings back lots of fond memories for my husband when he see’s them. As much as I love to make my Christmas tree one that you would only see in a huge department store or magazine, I do make sure that every year I include all of those old, ratty ornaments from his Christmas past to display in our Christmas tree too.
By the way, I am familiar with Matthew Mead (LOVE his work!) and I really hope to win a copy of his book.
We have a long garland that we hang over our garage. Its the first thing you see when coming home. I just love it!
My grandma just gave me an angel tree topper that I am so excited to have. My mom has one so it’s what I grew up with. I’m glad to have one for my own tree now =)
I also tweeted about the giveaway: http://twitter.com/#!/annabee711
I absolute adore Christmas decor and would love this giveaway. My favorite ornaments are those bought for both babies first Christmases.
Our favorite holiday decoration is very out of the ordinary…it’s a Boose Tree ;) Let me enlighten you…six years ago we were selling one of our homes and it was around the holidays and we had a lot of showings so we were told by our realtor to keep the holiday decor to the minimum…so in lieu of pulling out everything from storage and putting up a regular large tree…we bought a table top tree and hung miniature alcohol bottles all over it. That’s because our anniversary is New Year’s Eve and all of our children/nieces/nephews are adults and Christmas holidays are spread out all over the United States now that the they are married and off in college, etc. So our family tradition for the holidays turned into a New Year’s Eve celebration where everyone came to our house. I bought flannel pj for all and made pj bags filled as stockings with toiletries and munchies for their stay. Then we’d have a buffet dinner and we’d all start playing games. Things like Taboo, Crainium and Sharades. Then we TAKE THE TREE down and mix cocktails of all sorts because the miniatures were the brightest and cutest ornaments like vanilla rum, midoir and kaluoa. We’d play games until the wee hours of the night and then cook breakfast and celebrate the New Year. Ever since then we have had a Boose Tree…very different I know…but very memorable.
My prized holiday decoration are my danish candle sticks that hang in the tree! They hung in my parents tree when I was a kid and my Dad’s tree back in Denmark when he was little. I feel so lucky to have inherited them!
My favorite holiday decoration is a beautiful tree ornament purchased during a family vacation to San Francisco. The ornament is a trolley car made of wood painted gold. It has a cute little red and green bow on top. Every time I look at it, I’m reminded of that wonderful trip to San Francisco.
Just posted links on Twitter and Facebook ;)
http://twitter.com/rlphilbr13
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#!/profile.php?id=1222723325
We have an aluminum tree that has been in my husband’s family for decades! It’s fun to put up and see pictures from when his Mom was a kid and they used it.
I inherited a set of small wooden ornaments shaped like houses…my parents painted them together while they were on their honeymoon!
This is only my second Christmas living on my own and have not really found myself a prized ornament yet. But all the years decorating the family christmas tree, the ones that I loved the most were the ones with a story behind them. As I think about it, it makes me laugh that the first ornament I think about is this ugly green wooden bird that was my baby brothers favourite ornament and we HAD to put it in the tree every year. Because I was the older sister who was desitined to become an interior designer, we would fight about this stupid bird. I would get scolded and the bird would end up on the tree. My mom has yet to part with it, and with all of out of the house now, we still go looking for that bird in the tree (she still puts it up, but in a little hiding spot).
I have also posted this on Facebook
My most prized holiday items have to be my husbands ornaments- his grandmother gave him an ornament every year of his life (from birth to when she passed away) such a neat gift that keeps on giving!
My most prized is the hand-made ceramic painted bird ornament that my husband and I bought while on our honeymoon in Mexico. Since then we have bought an ornament on each big vacation, but this one’s still my favorite!
I have so many favorite Christmas decorations…but the first that comes to mind is my light up white feather tree that always has a special place on my dining room buffet. It is decorated with sweet little pink and white cupcake ormaments which one of my very best friends made for me! In fact I actually have two of these trees…one of them goes in my display at the antique store every year with a “for display only” tag on it. I use it to display ornaments that I sell. Every year I get calls from the ladies at the store to let me know that some customer is begging to buy my tree! I wish I could find more of them!
A beautiful whitewashed nativity passed down to me from my grandmother. :)
My favorite ornament is a “candy cane” salt dough I made when I was a teenager. I didn’t see it happen, but obviously my son took a bite out of it. Now it’s my fav!
Ornaments from my husband and my childhood. We have a small tree that we have all of our special ornaments on :) It’s cute!
The ornaments that have my children’s pictures on them are my most cherished. They contribute to the genuine Christmas feeling of love, family and faith.
Thanks for the giveaway.
I think my favorite Christmas decorations are the tree ornaments that we’ve picked up on our travels over the years. They never fail to make us fondly remember our trips and adventures! But my children are moving into school age, so I have a feeling I’ll soon be treasuring some hand-made decorations!
I love my collection of felt Christmas ornaments. My mother made them when I was a girl, and she taught me to make them, as well.
My most prized holiday decor are the Christmas ornaments from my childhood (and hubby’s). Love to look at the ornaments passed on to me from my parents and have created ornament boxes for each of my boys so they will have theirs someday.
My most favorite holiday decoration is the runner for my dining room table. I bought it several years ago, paid way to much for it, and loved it ever since. It’s full of bright colors – magenta, royal blue, emerald green, with a gold thread. Not your traditional Christmas colors but so me. Putting it on the table with my gold chargers signals that the Christmas season has begun!
My most specialist Christmas decoration is my complete Willow Tree Nativity. It just gives me warm fuzzies every time I get to think about putting it up!
I treasure the ornament from our first Christmas together as a married couple.
I have a good sized collection of vintage ornaments–some from family, some collected on antique outings while traveling with my husband.
My most prized holiday decoration are some little red pixies that belonged to an elderly neighbor who was a nurse in WWII. She bought them in Europe and their little silk faces are starting to disintegrate but I treasure them! Thanks for the sweet giveaway!
Tweeted here:
http://twitter.com/glasscastle/status/28914632772
My favorite is the music playing during Christmas…I know it’s not a visual decoration but it decorates and really brings our minds into Christmas being about the birth of our Savior…the constant reminding of God’s greatest gift and of His great love towards us at the cost of Himself.
it’s not Christmas without my silver angels holding the stockings over the fireplace!
My mom ordered special Christmas Tree Ornaments when each of my siblings and I were born with our name & birthdays on them. They are the largest decorations on her tree and I love breakin’ them out when I go over there to help decorate every year.
I would have to say that my most prized holiday decoration includes two handmade things, a Christmas tree skirt my Mom made years ago out of my old holiday dresses as a child and a set of wooden deer that my Dad made for me, he is no longer living so they are very special to me.
PS. My mom and aunt also make a different ornament each year for everyone in the family and pass them around at the Christmas Dinners… they will always be the best ornaments on my tree! Way better than store bought. :)
We have a beautiful ornament in the shape of the letter ‘J’ covered in sparkling white crystals which has pride of place at the top of our Christmas tree each year as a reminder of my much-loved and cherished mother-in-law, Joan, who passed away far too early. It serves as a reminder of all the wonderful years she shared her wisdom, love and zest for life with our whole family.
I made my kids quilted stockings with their names on them when they were born. As they get older, I think they are really starting to appreciate them even more!
My favorite ornaments haven’t yet made it to my tree. They live on my Mom’s each Christmas. Every year when I was little, Mom would pick out a pretty brass ornament and have it engraved. I love seeing the dates glinting on her tree.
:-)
I’ll be sure to carry on the tradition if/when I get around to having kids.
~Em
Fabulous, fabulous!
I also tweeted it and FB’ed it! http://www.facebook.com/bethdaane#!/bethdaane
My favorite holiday decoration is my green ceramic Christmas tree with small glass colored lights on the tips of the branches. It’s from the 80’s and was passed on to me by my parents. It’s a little broken but you can’t tell unless you look closely and I look forward to putting it out every year!
I have a couple of things I treasure. First, a nativity set given to me by a very, very dear freind. Second, my mercury glass tree topper collection. And third, all the ornaments my mom gave me growing up. They are cheesy but filled with so many memories!
My most prized holiday decoration is my handpainted Santa Claus. It’s about a foot high and was given to us when we were newlyweds by a neighbor. It’s just thin, tapered, and has so much character!
Definitely not *my* prized possesion, but I’m pretty sure my husband and my son love our chopper ridin’ santa that grooves to “Born to be wild”…what does that have to do with Christmas? Nothing. I guess that is the beauty of it! (c:
This paper angel my daughter cut out of a magazine, taped and is now our tree topper. We’ve been using it for a few years now. Oh and I do love our little 3 foot pink feather Christmas tree – it’s so girly.
My most prized Christmas decoration is our set of rustic Santa Clauses. They are made of wood, tall (10-12″) and skinny (2″) and are more rustic in nature. My husband and I bought our first two at a Christmas market in Pikes Peak Market in Portland, Oregon when we were still dating. Each Christmas over the last 15 years, we each try to find a new Santa to add to the collection that will fit the others. We aren’t successful every year, but it is nice when we can surprise each other with our finds.
Mine is an ornament my mom made over 30 years ago when she and my dad were first married. They were poor as poor can get and absolutely couldn’t afford ornaments, so she made some from Dixie cups and tinfoil. I put it on our tree every year and it’s a reminder of how thankful I am for such wonderful parents and a beautiful upbringing.
My most prized Christmas possession is a vintage tinsel tree that was given to me by my mother in law. It was her aunt’s tree, and she loved it, so her aunt gave it to her. I loved the tree as well, so my darling MIL gave me the tree! it even had the color wheel.
I tweeted about your contest! http://twitter.com/lrae23/status/28935920532
My favorite holiday decoration is my collection of ornaments from my Mom & Dad. Each year my Mom would purchase my sister and I ornaments. Sometimes they were a “daughter” theme, but most times they were an ornament that would bring back a memory from that year! For example – roller skates (I had white ones with hot pink rollers!). Anyway, I love pulling those out each year and reminiscing!! And I have carried that tradition over with my own children!!
I would love a chance to win Michael Mead’s “book-a-zine”!! Thanks! Michelle
My favorite christmas decorations are all of the ornaments my family and I have collected from all over. When we travel we pick up a Christmas ornament as a souvenier. I also love my Snow Village collection that my mom so graciously started for me a while back.
My favorite holiday decorations are the baby booties/shoes of four generations (my grandmother, father, me, and my son) of my family that assume places of honor on the Christmas tree each year.
My most prized holiday decoration would be my nativity. It signifies all that I believe Christmas should be about. And, well, it’s a pretty one. I look forward to putting it up every year.
Love our gold-plated Georg Jensen (Danish design) Advent candleholder–has a well around the candle spaces to hold greenery, pebbles, whatever so fits in with any theme–plus it looks and feels luxurious!
The white porcelain nativity set my grandmother made is my most precious Christmas possession.
My most prized holiday decorations are my collection of hand painted porcelain Santas. My mother is an artist and paints me one each year. Now my children , each year, anxiously await our new Santa!
I think my favorite Christmas ornaments are a set of handmade frames with Christmas pictures of my daughter. I made 15 frames, 3 used so far, soon i’ll be adding a picture in frame number 4 !
Ous special decoration is our “Kneeling Santa”. It’s a hand-crafted, 3D sculpture of Santa, cap in hand, kneeling by Baby Jesus in the manger. It’s beautiful, and lovely, and really reminds us of what Christmas is REALLY all about.
Most prized decoration? My Christmas stocking. My family all has the same names: two Susans (mom and sister) and two Davids (dad and brother), but mine was always different: Jenny!
All of our themed trees..my fave is our bird one!
Our special Christmas decorations are our laser cut wood ornaments which we purchased at the Hostfest in North Dakota while visiting my husbands family. They were purchased before we were married for our first tree, so this small collection is pretty special to us. I think we’ve had them for about 10 years now.
Mine is a gorgeous hand painted glass bell that my Mum gave to my eldest daughter for her 1st Christmas when she was 6 weeks old. My daughter is now 32 and my Mum passed away almost 20years ago! It takes pride of place for any Christmas for me!!
My most prized holiday decorations are the my children’s ornaments, my oldest has sixteen already! I buy them a new one every year. A wonderful way for them to have a meaningful collection when they have their own families.
Like many people, my mom gave each of us one ornament each year, usually connected to what our interests were at the time. I treasure unpacking those and putting them on the tree each year.
My most favorite Christmas ornament? Not the sterling silver ones, or the Austiran Crystal ones, but the beautifully ridiculous, lighted, color-changing angel tree topper my daughters picked out one year. What was I thinking? It is gaudy, and tacky, all the things I don’t really like. But every year when we put up the tree, it’s the same reaction-and they’re teenagers now. “Wow, Mom, now it’s really Christmas!”. Someday, in my dream home, I’ll have an elegant tree for me, and a tree that will always include this unconventional and eye-catching (I mean, really, how do you ignore it?!) tree topper. I’m sure the future grandkids will love it, too. And, maybe they have a point. I’m sure when you see an angel, it isn’t the most subtle moment of your life.
I made a star quilt out of Christmas fabrics last year that I really love. I also made a wreath out of pineconed last year that took me forever and was so much work, so I love that too! One more thing is a framed photo of my 4 boys posing in costumes as 3 shepherds looking over my 4th son as “baby Jesus” in a little cradle. It’s the cutest thing!
Well it would really be heartbreaking if something happened to my ornaments, I have three generations worth and they are so meaningful to me. But perhaps my most prized possession is a collection of ceramic trees that my grandmother handmade. They have tiny glass bulbs and the trees light from within, do you know the style I mean? My grandmother was very creative and tried her hand at so many artistic mediums. I just know all the work she must have put into them, and I remember as a child being so delighted seeing all the tiny lights aglow in a dark room.
A copper coloured urn shaped ornament, which was my Dads’ mothers’. My Mother was the only one who could put it on our tree as kids. Now I have it and although it is missing the top bit, we have adapted it and I now put it on the tree, myself, ever year.
My most cherished holiday decoration is a darling manger scene handmade by my mother. It is one of a kind and totally adorable. It is all made of fabrics, and includes a stable, 3 wisemen, Mary. Joseph and baby Jesus in a little manger bed, a donkey, lamb and camel, an angel and even a palm tree. Tthe little people and animals are sewn from felt with yarn hair. I love to watch my children as we set it out each Christmas. They seem so reverent and gentle as they carefully place each piece where it belongs. For me, it symbolizes all that Christmas is really about.
A photo of me with the “mall” santa when I was about 10 – what’s so special about that??? The santa was my GRANDPA!!!!
My collection of ornaments. My mama bought my sister and I an ornament every year. I also have some crocheted snowflakes, angels, and wreaths that a great-aunt made.
Prized possesion would be my mother’s handmade elf ornaments. They are not the prettiest and borderline creepy but many fond memories of them.
my most prized item has to be my collection of the rudolph village houses. i’m not big on villages or trains or the like, but my mom one year got me the rudolph collection b/c i love rudolph. so the houses came like once every two months for so long and i put them out every year since. it makes me feel like a kid again.
My most prized holiday item . . . that would have to be my vintage Santa’s. I’ve collected since I was a child and my husband always seems to find a special one each year from his travels. It’s always the first thing I unwrap Christmas morning, then spend the day introducing him to his “family”.
I have two Christmas favorites, one is an old music box (the kind with the holes in the “records” and the spinning thing-a-ma-bob with barbs lol) and a Nativity that is made of wood from Israel and carved by local artisans there (it is beautimous!!) And I’ll add an honorable mention to every single one of the ornaments my kids have made over the years, it’s fun (and sometimes sentimentally sad) to look at them all and remember “way back when”(<the kids' phrase, it seems like yesterday to me!).
This is an easy answer for me! Since my birth, my mom has given me a glass angel for Christmas every year. Since my babies were born my mom upgraded the angels to Lladro and the collection just gets more and more beautiful every year. These little angels (from the earliest sleepy cloud angel to the Lladro Christmas tree topper of last year) are precious to me. They are a reminder that I am loved and have been since I took my first breath.
My most prized Christmas decoration is a Pottery Barn Wreath that I picked up for $15.00 at a clearance sale.
My most prize holiday possession is my collection of nutcrackers given to me by my grandma.
I love my Partridge in a Pear tree music box that belonged to my Grandmother!
I would have to say that some homemade ornaments that were previously my Grandmothers are my all time favorite. It just isn’t Christmas until those come out…they make me smile!
My favorite decoration is the hand knit Christmas stocking my Great Grandma made me.
My most prized holiday decoration are two San Francisco/Christmas ornaments that have my parents and my names on them. They’re from when I was little, and now that I’m about to spend my first Christmas as a San Francisco resident, I can’t wait to bring them back out!
Ornaments my kids have painted through the years are my favorites, they are just sweet!
My favorite holiday decoration is a nativity set I purchased in the months before I was married. As a bride-to-be, I eagerly anticipated using the beautiful figures to adorn my first home. I had a new baby that first Christmas (December 22), and I would feed her in the living room in the middle of the night so that I could enjoy the twinkling lights and the nativity scene on the mantel. Now that I have been married for eleven Christmases, I enjoy getting out the nativity scene each year with my two children, and carefully placing its figures on the mantle, or the back of the piano, or wherever I have decided that it will rest for that season. We have added each year to our collection of Christmas decorations, but none will ever come close to meaning what that nativity set means to me….