Welcome to JOYFUL REFLECTIONS. Also welcome to MARCH!!!! My header picture this month is a photo I took of the pretty Crocus blooms in our yard... The Crocuses and Daffodils are the first signs of spring here in Tennessee. I am definitely ready for SPRING...

Monday, December 21, 2009

Our Christmas Ornaments


Well--it is only 4 days 'til Christmas. Are you ready????? I guess we all will be ready because it will happen regardless. Today and tomorrow, I will feature some of our many favorite ornaments. George and I both saved a few ornaments from our lives before we met--but we started a new tradition when we got married. We exchange 2-3 different ornaments with each other every Christmas. SO--our tree just keeps getting fuller and fuller. BUT--it is just so much fun when we decorate the tree, to unwrap these special ornaments and talk about that particular year and what the ornament meant or means.


The overall blog header in the center above was from 2001. It 'obviously' (HA) is a special one since it was our first Christmas together. That is a small ornament --and when I tried to crop and enlarge it, the overall picture didn't come out very good. BUT--I wanted you to see this happy couple eight years ago. The picture directly above is another ornament from that first Christmas. Below are a few more of some of our fav's.









You know that "I" love this ornament...... YES---"Let it SNOW"!!









I'll bet you may have one of these on your tree also... This is an ornament of a key to our home, which we bought in 2002. We bought our house in early Fall that year ---and we were just so so excited, as you can imagine!!!!









I love this ornament which I gave George... It is Santa going through his LONG list.... George relates to this since I usually have a LONG list of things for him to do!!!!! ha









Many of my 'gardening' blog friends will love this ornament which George gave to me one year. I have my own Gardening Greenhouse!! Is this not adorable????









Here's another of my favorite ornaments. We brought two replicas home from our wonderful trip to Williamsburg in 2007. This is the Governor's Palace.









I gave this little guy to George one year because he is my CHEF. When I married George, I had no idea that he loved to cook. The first meal I cooked for him was Spaghetti (something easy for me to do, and something I couldn't screw up too badly). Anyhow it turned out fine --but I didn't know at the time that George was a "cook from scratch" person ---and I had used bottled sauces... Uh Oh!!!! Glad he came back to see me after that meal!!!! ha ha









You can't see this ornament very well---but I gave it George in 2007. It is an ornament of George's HERO, Robert E. Lee. He loved it!!!!









Finally, here is another of my favorite ornaments. This is a gorgeous fishie..... I gave it to George since I love to go up to him begging for "Kissie-Kissie"..... Isn't she a beauty?????




I'll post more of our favorite ornaments tomorrow. In the meantime, sit and relax some this week and enjoy the week.


Hugs,

46 comments:

diane b said...

I think I put the comment for here on the previous post. I love the candy cane tree. I wonder where you keep all this stuff during the year?

Anonymous said...

diane has asked the question i also wanted to ask you (and many of the other bloggers who have been displaying their lovely ornaments this week).
betsy, have a magical christmas!
hugs,
kamana

Jayne said...

Fun to see some of your ornaments Betsy, and how sweet that you all have this tradition!

Connie said...

I enjoyed seeing some of your favorite ornaments, Betsy. They each have their own story and memory attached to them.

T said...

I love hearing/remembering all the memories and traditions attached to ornaments. The girls love to go over the details of who gave/made what, why, etc.

pam said...

What a nice tradition!

Busy Bee Suz said...

I love all of these Betsy. They all have special meaning...those are our favorites as well!!!
Hugs, Suz

mint said...

i love that quilt!!!

Katherine Roberts Aucoin said...

What a lovely tradition Betsy! thank you for being so kind to share with all of your readers.

Susie said...

These are such cute ornaments and love the little stories with them Betsy.

You're right, I really like your little greenhouse.

Lisa said...

Hello Betsy :)

They were all adorable, especially the first one!

And I want to add, since I missed to do so when you published the blog about your parents-in-law, that their life is a true blessing. George must be special because of it.

Merry Christmas Betsy & George.

Snap said...

Fun post, Betsy!

Kelly said...

...4 days.....and I still haven't painted or made my Christmas cards.....oh my....what am I going to do! Thank goodness I only have one meeting at work today and then I'm finished until after the holidays. I love your ornaments! I'll have to do a post like that. Can you imagine--I don't know why, but I have a lot of bird ornaments! ;-)

I Am Woody said...

I love, love, love that Kissie Fish!!

Roses and Lilacs said...

What fun to reminisce with favorite Christmas ornaments. I have some favorites given me by family and friends. I also have a small collection of Father Christmas figures I love.
Marnie

HalfCrazy said...

Wow, looks like you and your husband started a tradition!

I can't believe it's only 4 days until Christmas, I don't feel like I'm ready yet! But we already have our Tree up and the house like it's on fire because of the Christmas Lights.

I love that gardening ornament! I'm not into Gardening but it's cool and pleasing to the eyes, makes one feel peaceful!

There will come a time when you can't even see the parts of the Tree, just the ornaments and the gifts at the bottom!

Much Love,

Shelley said...

I love all the special meanings behind your ornaments! All wonderful! I really love that Greenhouse one - so unique and pretty!!

MadSnapper said...

1st winner is the green house.... love it! 2nd would be the chef, that is because I do not like cooking and a chef is what i need. Love all the ornaments and SEEING you and George. Merry Christmas

Dorothy said...

You have lots of cute ornaments with a lot of sweet memories attached! It's fun to get them out each year and re-live the memories.

Loran said...

Betsy, I have to say you and George are so much cuter than your ornaments! Merry Christmas!

Karin said...

Great to see your special ornaments! Love that little greenhouse! It's wonderful that each ornament has a story of a special memory that comes with it! Have a wonderful week!

marmee said...

you guys are too cute...and sentimental. how fun to have such great things to put on your tree and have special meaning.
you are enjoying so keep up the good work of having fun at christmas time.
happy december.

Darla said...

What a wonderful tradition the two of you have started!! and your greenhouse is bigger than mine!!!!!!!!

Unseen India Tours said...

HI Betsy !!The ornaments and preparations both are fantastic !! I Would love to be there with you all to enjoy the Festival..Great post.

Kay said...

They are all so cute and I'm sure each one has a very special memory attached to it.

DeniseinVA said...

How lovely Betsy, so many beautiful little ornaments with such special meanings. Treasures for sure. Merry Christmas and have a Very Happy New Year. Denise x :)

Unknown said...

I love the greenhouse, but the first Christmas together ornament is sooooo special. You and George are quite blessed to have found each other.

Has George read the book ON HALLOWED GROUND about Arlington national cemetery? I think he would find it interesting. Much of the Lee and Custis family information is fascinating.

Valerie said...

I agree with everyone - I think that is one of the reasons Christmas is such a special time of year. We get to relive the precious moment and memories of time and events in our lives that have helped to shape us into who we are.

Thanks for sharing your ornaments with us!

Ruth's Photo Blog said...

I love all the ornaments.I hope you keep a record of each one so that some day your families will know the value they had in your life.Thanks for sharing these.
Blessings,Ruth

Joy said...

What a lovely tradition! Love your ornaments! We do something similar - every vacation or getaway we buy a Christmas ornament. So, like you, while we're decorating the tree we're taking a trip down memory lane of previous vacations.

Sunny said...

This is such a lovely post, Betsy. I love reading the story behind your wonderful decorations.
My husband and I have been collecting some over the past few years. We finally had enough this year to decorate a full size tree.
Merry Christmas to you and George.
Sunny :)

Teresa said...

I love Santa with his long list and the Pillsbury doughboy.

Those are all neat ornaments. And, that is a great idea to give each other a couple of ornaments each Christmas. I think my husband and I might have to start adopting that tradition, also.

Merry Christmas!!

LV said...

What a great collection of ornaments. What is so important is what they stand for. Loved you post and you shared. How blessed you both are to have such a relationship.

Jackie said...

Betsy,

I love, love your ornaments. I have been collecting them for years now, too! I am getting ready to post some of my favs later on tonight. It was nice taking pics of them and thinking about when and where I got them.

P.S. Ciara is doing fabulous and is really looking forward to all the presents under the tree! She doesn't quite understand what's going on yet, but she will Christmas Day!

Jackie

Joe Todd said...

Betsy I've been called the Pillsbury Dough Boy but today I'm just a teddy bear living with hundreds of teddy bears who would have thought. My first name is Joseph and middle name is Todd. For most of my life I went by Todd bur for the last few years Joe Todd has kind of caught on. These things can happen if your a Gemni. If you and George ever get up this way that would be great. Make sure and let Linda and I know. I'll keep checking out more waterfalls LOL

Cheryl said...

Love, love your wonderful ornaments. The header photo is very sweet...I think its wonderful that you two exchange "special" ornaments with each other. And how wonderful your tree must look!
Have a Merry Christmas!

Small City Scenes said...

What fun to see the special ornaments. Building memories, you are. My ornaments are mostly from the kids. When I had a 4H group---years ago---we all made ornaments every Christmas and the kids would give me some. Mostly horses of course.
Great post, Betsy.
MB

Rajesh said...

Beautiful. These will always be special moments.
Merry Christmas.

Marge said...

What a wonderful tradition! I love all your ornaments :) have a great day!

Janie said...

You have so many cute ornaments and decorations. Merry Christmas to you and George!

Unknown said...

beautiful holiday trinkets
lovely smiles :)

Rosa said...

Wish we got some snow!!! Love all your ornaments!!! Merry Christmas!

SquirrelQueen said...

What a wonderful collection of ornaments, each one is so special. I love the greenhouse! Also you showed that gorgeous quilt again, I am in love with that quilt.

Christmas hugs,
Judy

EG CameraGirl said...

You have a wonderful collection of ornaments!

Merry Christmas, Betsy!

Mary said...

Wonderful! I love that little greenhouse!

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

I like your ornament tradition Betsy! I love to buy a ornament as a souvenir when we go on a trip.

Your ornamnets are all darling! I love the birds in the other post!