Blog Parties

Monday, December 14, 2009

Oh Christmas Tree!

I just love Christmas trees! My favorite thing about Christmas trees has to be the ornaments. I also love the smell of real Christmas trees, I just don't like how they dry out before Christmas. And I don't like the annual cost of a real Christmas tree. Therefore, in my home we have "faux" aka: "fake" Christmas trees.

I was hoping to have all my Christmas trees ready to post, but I ran out of time because of a flat tire yesterday. So I got all my trees done except for a large one in my family room. I'll share that hopefully tomorrow (that is if I get it decorated tonight).

But for now, the Christmas tree tour will bypass the family room. We'll start the tour instead in my kitchen. This is the first year I have put one up in the kitchen. I have this set of three alpine trees I've had for years. I decided to use the medium size one on my kitchen bar counter.
This is also the first year I have put any ornaments on my alpine trees.

The red felt stockings & beaded garland came from Target this year. The other ornaments I've picked up from various places over the years.

I love this little painted ornament of the baby Jesus.

The tin stars were from Target this year. The rusty snowflakes came from Oriental Trading Co a few years back. But I saw them online again this year.

And I had this rusty star that worked perfectly as a tree topper. Sorry for the blurry photo.

The little wooden ornaments I've had since I was a kid.

The backside of the tree. Looking from my kitchen into my family room.
Isn't this snowman the cutest? I just got him this weekend at Sam's Club for $6.95. I didn't need him, but I couldn't resist.

Front side of the kitchen tree with my new snowman.

It's time to move on to the next room. Be sure & keep up, I'd hate to lose you. Our next stop is my living room, aka: the front room.

I placed the smallest alpine tree on our antique pump organ.

I hung 6 crystal angels I got from Oriental Trading Co. I bought them a few years back to go on my girlie tree, but they were a lot smaller than I thought when I ordered them. They work perfectly on this small tree.
I picked up this plastic angel ornament from a dollar store. It also works as a tree topper.

The only other ornaments I put on this tree are some small word ornaments I picked up from Walmart this year.

The final tree on our tour is my big tree located in the living/front room.
It is 7 1/2 feet tall & is a skinnier tree. It's the perfect shape & size for sitting in front of the window. I picked it up 2 years ago at the after Christmas clearance at Target for $20.00. It came with the lights already on it. Such a time saver!!! Why oh why is it so hard to take photos of a Christmas tree?
I start the tree off with some glass bead garland that I picked up from Big Lots years ago. I usually also add red bead garland. But this year I found this felt like garland with jingle bells at Kohl's. So I opted for that instead of the red bead garland. Then I added all the ornaments. I still haven't come up with a tree topper this year. My hubby thinks I should put my angel on top, but I'm kind of bored with the angel & would like something else. But not sure what.

This tree is our family tree. This is where we hang the ornaments that we have collected as a family over the years.
Each year I give everyone in my family a new ornament to hang on the tree.

It's a tradition started with my parents in my family growing up.


I'll finish off by showing you some of my most favorite ornaments on this tree & tell you why it's a favorite.
Back in 2003, my hubby, my son & myself were able to go to Europe for two weeks. My two step sons were not able to go. If you have never been to Europe, you most definitely need to go. It's the trip of a lifetime. So for Christmas that year, I bought some glass ornaments for my family to remember our trip to Europe. This ornament is of Venice, Italy. Venice was one of my favorite places to visit. The gondola ride was so romantic. Even if there were other people on the gondola.

The one thing my hubby wanted to see more than anything on our trip to Europe was the Coliseum in Rome, Italy. It was awesome. So this was hubby's ornament.

We also went to London England. Didn't have a chance to ride on a red double decker bus. I actually bought a "Big Ben" ornament back in 2003 to remember the trip. I just got this bus one from Kohl's this year. But I like it better & seeing this ornament brings back wonderful memories.

But my most favorite place we went in Europe was to Paris France. I became obsessed with anything French after my trip there. I have about 4 different Eiffel Tower ornaments. But this is my favorite as it was my first. So of course, this was my ornament.


I got this bride & groom ornament to remember our wedding which was 06/03/06.


The baby shoes ornament is special to me as it was the first ornament I bought for my son when he was born in 1983.

This baseball teddy bear was also my son's. I only had one son and was a single parent for ten years. Then I met my hubby and gained two more sons.



I love this reindeer ornament because I made it back in the mid 1990's. When I first met my hubby. Isn't it cute? And very easy to make. I made one for each person in our little family. Even though we weren't actually a family then. I just knew we would be someday.

This is one of my childhood ornaments. Back in the 1970's I loved unicorns. So my mom got me this ornament.


Remember back in the 70's when everyone had these engraved ornaments? Mine is from 1979. I've loved Christmas trees and cherubs since then. Sorry for the blurry photo.

One year my mom gave all the kids in my family these glass ornaments. There were 5 different ones. My brother got the Santa. I ended up with this Indian. But I wanted the Santa, I still do. I wonder if my brother still has his & if he is willing to make a trade.


And finally we have my newest family ornament for this year. I found these pencil starfish painted like Santa's from TJ Maxx last month.

Well I hope that you have enjoyed my Christmas trees. Hopefully I will get my family room aka: girly tree done tonight. This is actually my favorite tree of all as I am the only girl in my family. So I can put on it whatever I want.

If I get my girly tree done tonight, I will post it tomorrow. If not, I'll post it whenever. Hopefully before Christmas.

Now I'm off to visit all of your Christmas trees. That is, if you have posted photos & have linked to a party.

Kim

Linking to:

Oh Christmas Tree hosted by Thrifty Decor Chick.

Deck the Halls hosted by Thoughts From Over The Rainbow

Three or More Tuesday hosted by The Gypsy's Corner


Celebrate the Holidays hosted by Its So Very Cheri

13 comments:

  1. Kim,
    That little tree in the kitchen is soooo cute! Your family tree has some beautiful ornaments...love the wedding ornament!

    Blessings,
    Linda

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  2. Kim,
    Everything looks so festive...I love it all! I really love the snowman you got at Sam's...great price!
    I was gone all weekend but when I got home last night I had a package waiting for me!!! Thank you again for the wonderful gifts in your giveaway. I have the plate and snowman cup displayed and I'm already using my dish towels. The oven mitts will come in to good use over the holiday when I start a little baking. I'm going to post about all the gifts tomorrow. Thank you!
    Jane

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  3. Kim, I love all of your trees. The kitchen tree is so cute with an almost old-fashioned look. I love your wooden ornaments. I think my favorite is the living room tree though. I love that you have so many special memories tied to your ornaments. That's what makes Christmas so wonderful!

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  4. Hi Kim,
    Your trees are so charming! I love your new snowman! Thanks for sharing and have a wonderful week.

    Christmas blessings,
    Sandi

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  5. You have a great collection of ornaments! I especially like how they all have a special meaning to you and that snowman may be the cutest one I've ever seen. Thanks for stopping by my place today and for your nice comments.

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  6. WOW I love it all!! you have quite a beautiful collection!!

    ~TidyMom

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  7. Oh, I wish I had some ornaments from my travels!

    Happy Holidays, Kim!!

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  8. Hi Kim,

    Your trees look cute, and I really love that adorable snowman you got at Sam's club...I wouldn't have been able to resist him either!

    I think it's so cool to have ornaments that symbolize important moments and events!

    That must have been wonderful to make a trip to Europe!
    I'd certainly love to someday...
    sigh...

    Sherri:)

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  9. I love the idea of ornaments on the Alpine trees - BEAUTIFUL!

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  10. wow, fantastic ornies and trees :D

    i had never even heard of people having more than one tree until this year :D

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  11. Kim, you have some wonderful trees...I love to see what everyone has for special ornaments.
    A very Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to you and yours.

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  12. Kim-Your living room tree reminds me of our family room one with all our ornaments with their memories--you have some very beautiful ones! You also managed to get great pictures of them! Thanks for linking to Deck the Halls (in spite of the flat tire) :)!

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