Deck the halls…
Casey and I finished decorating our tree last night. We started doing it last weekend but then time just got away from us.. it had been sitting all sad and undecorated for too long!
Isn’t she pretty? (you can click all the pictures to make them bigger)
Like Lara, I am a extremely particular about my Christmas trees. They have to be of a certain size (which is difficult in our tiny apartment), they have to be very green and healthy looking (of course), and have a good place to put a tree topper.
Luckily, I have not had to actually buy a Christmas tree in years because Casey’s mom gives out trees after Thanksgiving for her business. The trees are from northern Maine and are just beautiful. They are also all wrapped up so it is easy to bring it home and set it up- score!
I love Christmas ornaments. They make me happy. My family has a tradition that we give each other ornaments on Christmas. My grandmother started it when I was a little girl. It is great because now that I have my own tree, I have little Christmas memories all over it!
I also like ornaments because they remind me of people that I love:
My friend Julie got me the pretty ball and my friend Loody got me the beaded star. The gymnast is an ornament that my grandmother got me when I was little because I took gymnastics, of course.
Casey got me this ornament- it is Holly Hobbie! I had a Holly Hobbie room when I was a kid- sheets, quilt, and curtains.. oh yeah…
I also have a lot of angel ornaments that my mother has given me. Casey thinks they are too heavy and puts them in the inside of the tree! See! What a nut!
This is my favorite angel- she is so chubby
This is my favorite ornament. My mom painted it. 
Casey and I have been giving each other ornaments too so that our collection continues to grow and we will do this with our kids someday. It is one of my favorite Christmas traditions!
What are your favorite holiday traditions?
December 10th, 2004 at 7:33 pm
i like your ornament tradition. i’ve started buying ornaments for people when i travel and want to bring them a little something.
oh i wanted to tell you. i went to urban outfitters today and saw the gloves. they aren’t so nice in person. you could totally do a better job. and the pocket is knit separately, like a pouch. and then the pouch is sewn on.
December 10th, 2004 at 8:09 pm
Hey you guys are going away, right? I think I’ll just spend xmas in your apartment.
December 10th, 2004 at 9:02 pm
I had a Holly Hobby room as a kid myself. I haven’t seen anything with her in ages!
I love the pictures of your tree. Growing up I used to go with my father and brother to the tree down and cut our own tree down. (Mom was not into the cold). Nowadays one of my traditions is right before Christmas, my mom and I go into NY to see a show, and have dinner at a really good restaurant. We can’t wait to start taking the nieces.
December 10th, 2004 at 10:47 pm
I was a Hollie Hobbie girl too! I know what you mean about ornaments and the memories they hold. Tonight as the kids decorated the tree (it is great, you just sit back and watch) I spewed out the histories of almost every ornament while hubby said “How on EARTH do you remember all that??”
One of my favorite traditions is loading the family in the van and checking out Christmas lights on houses a night or two before Christmas. We did it as kids with my parents and for some reason it really makes me feel Christmassy
December 10th, 2004 at 11:28 pm
I don’t think we have any traditions actually
I should really start one. I am so bummed that I left all my Christmas ornaments at home…
December 10th, 2004 at 11:40 pm
hehe it’s so funny…our family’s christmas tradition is trying to start a new holiday tradition every year! It never fails, we’ll come out with some great idea “hey, we can light this special green candle every Christmas day”..then the next year we’ll totally forget and make up a new tradition
December 10th, 2004 at 11:41 pm
I KNEW there was something I liked about you!
I had a Holly Hobbie room too – curtains, frilly bedspread, sheets… all that stuff – in pink. Where did Casey find that for you?
The bf and I don’t have any Christmas traditions… yet. We’ve never spent one together. *sigh* My parents and I have one, though. I set up the Christmas tree. From setup to decoration, I oversee it all. (Can you tell I might have been a bit bossy as a kid?) Now that I’m older, I do it all. Christmas is totally my favorite holiday (well, sometimes it’s eclipsed by New Years, but that’s a different story, lol).
I love your tree!!
December 11th, 2004 at 1:05 am
Oh pretty tree!!
I’m jealouse – we aren’t having a tree this year because of all the traveling business and I miss it already.
I love ornaments! I have a collection of snowman ornaments and one of santa ornaments and I have so much fun adding a few new ones each year. Miss B bought me a new snowman a few weeks ago even though we don’t have a tree
the sparkly star looks so nice on the tree!
December 11th, 2004 at 1:06 am
jelouse? is that french?
bad typing skills tonight.
December 11th, 2004 at 5:52 am
We always exchange ornaments with my cousins at Christmas. Now we are all grown up and we all have enough ornaments for about 10 trees, but I love em too. Your tree looks so nice! My mom always does a really nice job with our Christmas tree too, so I think it’s one of the best parts of Christmas. No tree here though.
Tomorrow I am going Christmas shopping in Kyoto but I am going to try not to get out of control buying Christmas-y stuff. We’ll see what happens…
December 11th, 2004 at 10:05 am
Love the tree and Casey’s sideburns.
I miss Cambridge.
December 11th, 2004 at 10:10 am
Casey is right about the heavy angel. My family has a collection of headless ceramic shepards and angels because they slid right off the tree! We replaced the heads with silly putty, but it is not the same….
December 11th, 2004 at 10:22 am
That’s a great tradition! I wanted to get one each year with my boyfriend when we first got together. Somehow it didn’t happen and now 3 Christmasses later it stilll hasn’t happened. I love the picture you have over the fireplace too.
December 11th, 2004 at 2:51 pm
aww, the tree looks fantastic! I love all your ornaments, but the one your mom painted is beautiful. Yay christmas ornaments! You might be getting some more soon….
December 11th, 2004 at 8:38 pm
Nice! Very classic tree proportions! And I bet your apartment smells all piney too. That lovely smell makes all those bloody stray needles worth it.
December 12th, 2004 at 10:33 am
I love decorating the family Christmas tree, and reminiscing about all the ornaments – I’ve actually never done my OWN Christmas tree – how sad! I love your ornament giving tradition – I’d like to start that myself!
December 12th, 2004 at 12:42 pm
CUUUUTE TREEEEE!!!!!
Man, when I was growing up, we had HOLLY HOBBY WALLPAPER in our bathroom!!! I think it was all my sister’s doing, as she came before me, and was around for the decorating of the bathroom. My cousin lives in that house now and I *think* it might STILL be covered in Holly Hobby wallpaper.
Your ornament tradition is very sweet. We do a little of that in my family and it IS so great how each little ornament reminds you of a person or a special memory
My favorite Christmas tradition is how my mom makes us all French Toast Christmas morning, while we’re all still in jammies with all the presents. Christmas Breakfast! Somehow Christmas wouldn’t be the same without it.
December 12th, 2004 at 11:53 pm
The tree looks great! I never had an ornament collection growing up and now I’m so happy to have them. Chris’ parents give them to me every year and I hope we can keep collecting them. There’s also the Star Wars Ornament tradition that his parents started…maybe he’ll have his own tree someday for those!
December 13th, 2004 at 12:35 am
Your tree is beeyoootiful! I love the pretty ornaments you showcased, but even more, I love the tradition you all have. That is sweet!
December 13th, 2004 at 9:35 am
Ya’ll are SO damn cute with your adorable Christmas tree. I have two ornaments that I got when I was a kid and I have always treasured them, even though I usually don’t get around to putting up a tree proper. Your kids will treasure your Christmas traditions and it will make the holidays so wonderful for them! You have, again, inspired me. I think I will start some sort of Christmas tradition one of these days (hopefully it will replace the one that involves booze….lots and lots of booze).
December 17th, 2005 at 3:10 pm
what pattern do you use for the mini sweaters?
January 14th, 2007 at 1:33 am
maybe with yahoo messenger
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