The Joy of Handmade Christmas Ornaments

2011 Christmas Lantern

One of the conversations I seem to have with my sister year after year is about what to do for Christmas. My side of the family has tried a variety of things over the years. We started without an overall plan and then we tried drawing names for gifts. I set up a rotating schedule to show which family was sending gifts to each family. Right now we are back to just doing what we can.

When I look back at my favorite Christmas gifts received, my sister's handmade ornaments top the list. She used to include an ornament or two that she made for us when sending the Christmas gifts. Those ornaments are carefully boxed and I enjoy personally placing each one of them on the tree each year. I couldn't tell you what gifts we received each of those years, but the ornaments keep giving to us year after year.

Tatted ornaments I made for an exchange

Part of the fun is that someone cared enough to make something for me. The other part of the fun is receiving something that I wouldn't/couldn't make myself. Inspired by my sister's example, I have joined ornament exchanges and have given ornaments as gifts in the workplace. One of my dear friends surprised me by turning the ornament I made her into a necklace. It was a tiny glass ball ornament that I had tatted over (like the one pictured here) and she added it to a neck cord.

Last year, my dear hubby put in some long hours designing and making Christmas lanterns for his fellow teachers. I enjoyed watching him figure out how to make the lanterns look like the vision in his head. He added battery operated tea lights, a wreath, and a bow. They were amazing! He mentioned to me this last week that once Thanksgiving was over, his coworkers had their little lanterns back out on their desks.

Tatted ornaments I received in an exchange

These are the truly personal gifts of Christmas. I know that not every ornament I made will be the perfect fit for every person's tree, but I know that they understand the sentiment behind it and will find a special place for it.

Here are my personal top 10 Christmas Ornaments:

1. Nativity scene in an ornament made from a hollowed out egg (one of only 3 ornaments made by my mom)
2. Hand-painted glass ornament with a picture of Santa and the names of each person in our family (made by my sister)
3. Fishing boat ornament that was part of a set we used to decorate a tree in my mom's memory for Festival of Trees
4. The baby's first Christmas ornaments for each of my kids
5. Tatted ornaments received in ornament exchanges
6. Tiny frosted angels playing musical instruments (we had these when I was growing up and I don't know what happened to them after I moved out)
7. Ornament made by one of my sons with his photo glued to an orange juice can lid
8. Crocheted snowflake ornaments that belonged to my mom
9. The chocolate ornaments we used to have on the tree as kids (we were allowed to each one each night)
10. Set of Native American made ornaments (hand crafted by students)

 What ornaments have special memories for you?