Our Christmas ornaments

Friday, December 13, 2013

Each one of our Christmas tree ornaments is sentimental to Will and I: every one telling a unique story of the location it was picked it up from or of the loved one that gave it to us. For the five years we've been together, our ornaments have sat in a box: accumulating and waiting for the glorious day when we would take them out and display them proudly on our very own tree.

This year, we decided that the time had finally come: we finally had the space and enough ornaments to warrant buying a tree, so on Monday night that's what we did (you can read that trip here). After letting the branches drop for a day, by the time Tuesday night came around we were ready to decorate! We ate our dinner and poured some wine; Will got the box down from high in our wardrobe while I turned on the carols and we sat down by our tree: reminiscing, laughing and warming our hearts each time another ornament was pulled from inside by the story it told:

This paper mache' bell was what started it all. It'll always remind us of our beach wedding because we actually bought it from the gift shop at the resort we got married in - the day after our wedding.

This one is makes us smile because it's a testament to how far we've come in our marriage.

2010 was a year of lots of change and stress: our first few months in America

and first year as man and wife. Christmas that year was hard for us and this ornament

is a perfect symbol of a time when we needed a little faith.

(We also got Baxter and I've been meaning to get a poodle ornament...)

In Dec 2011 we moved into our very own, brand new, Midtown Atlanta apartment!

This was the perfect ornament to mark our first home ownership

This guy was a gift in 2011 from Will's marine corp buddy and his wife.

Sort of has to do with an inside joke they have,

but I love him anyway

Also in 2011, my friend Melissa gave me this cardinal ornament

(knows it's my fav American bird).

In 2012 we visited Australia and I was home to help mum decorate her tree.

My parents have a huge (plastic) tree and lots of ornaments that have been

gathered and gifted over many years.

This fairy princess was one of the first they ever bought - way back in 1991 or 92

(when we moved to Aus) and growing up, she was absolutely my favourite

so mum gave her to me and now I can admire her on my own tree!

These two glittery balls we also got while visiting Aus last year -

they were a present from my brother and his wife, Anna

These native Australian animals were also a 2012 gift from Australia.

They were from Anna's parents. We love them and they will always remind us of my home.

When we got back to USA, I found these at Target. I love bird houses and for a while now have felt an affiliation with birds. Like me, they fly all around but always return to their own houses (or nests).

Since I don't have a permanent home, I chose to make my blog symbol a bird house:

which is, in a way my home and I couldn't resist buying a bunch of these.