Sharing Christmas Ornaments

Having a very sore back has put a ripple in getting things done around the house, and now I'm behind on several projects...UGH!  But, slowly but surely we've put out the holiday decor, and I'm starting to feel a bit better. At least I can stand upright now! Tonight I took some photos of some of my favorite ornaments and decorations, and I thought I'd share! This adorable Lake Cabin ornament is from Old World Christmas.

We have quite a small tree in the house, but it is PACKED full of all kinds of ornaments. Honestly, I think every branch has some kind of decoration. I have a fun mix of old and new, rustic and vintage, inexpensive and priceless.

Putting out holiday decor is one of my favorite things. Even though I don't put out every ornament each year (the tree is too small), every ornament gets carefully unwrapped and adored, and the memories enjoyed.

Several years ago, Mom wrapped up a box full of some of the ornaments from the family tree that were "mine", and gave them to me for Christmas. This little painted wooden angel ornament was in the box from Mom...adorable! You can bet she's on the tree!

My parents gave Alan this beautiful Old World Christmas glass Santa firetruck ornament a couple of years ago. It's displayed in the china hutch year round!

I've had this little carved snowman ornament since high school. My friend Kris and her family gave it to me. It's still one of my favorites!

The fireplace mantel is decorated with rustic pine swag, faux berries, pinecones, metal reindeer (and a moose) and lights. This tall handpainted Santa stands at one end.

This tall Santa stands at the other end, in his fur-lined hat and coat.

Some of the ornaments on display are handmade, like this snowflake I made a couple of Christmas's ago with Mom and Aunt Patty.

Some of the ornaments are ones I've picked up throughout the years, like this birchwood Santa.

And some are from my childhood, like this little white bell (one of two that I have), that still hangs from it's original (though slightly tattered now) green ribbon.

Some are blown glass and really "fancy", and others are more primitive, like this bear riding Santa...

And some are even more primitive, like this carved wooden snowman in his braided hemp scarf.

I love the fun mix of new and old, uptown and country.

Our holiday tree promises never to be boring — here’s another Old World Christmas favorite of mine, a dapper snowman in a bright red vest. *grin!*

Have you put out your holiday decor yet, and have you come across your favorites yet?

Comments

[lindaH]

I rarely comments on blogs...I somehow feel weird about it. But I read yours faithfully, I love the farm, I love your cards ...and i LOVE these ornaments! When I got married 20+ yrs ago, my tree was decorated very regal, all cream and gold. Then we had children, twin boys...and one year one of the boys told me the tree was boring and wasn't colourful enough. So I started filling it with things I love, old and new. Now it is special, and I love it more than I ever could have imagined. tfs.

[Susan N.]

Thanks for sharing your ornaments. They are beautiful. I put on our tree this year all the ones that my children have received over the years. We have several glass ones from Old World Christmas. This was when the company was in a small building right outside of Spokane. I remember paying $1.75 for an ornament :) I treasure these ornaments and all the memories. Happy Holidays!

[Sherri]

I hope your back is better soon. I loved the holiday tour and I think I may do that on my blog too today. Thanks for the inspiration!!!

[Kelly Schirmer]

Ohh I loved the holiday tour of the farmhouse :) I have some snowladies that I purchased 1 per year at a local Apple Festival. I think I got up to 5 and had to stop myself! She even made me a fishing snowman for my husband! They are all decked out in fur or denim or cute prints and they stand about 14 inches tall. I also love all of the ornaments on our tree...and the ones the girls made at school really are making me feel all melty already, so cute!

[Troy Louise]

Glad you're starting to feel a little better. Hope your backache goes away soon. Thanks for sharing all those fun & beautiful ornaments. We put up the tree this weekend,actually husband put it together & then I decorated. It is like Christmas morning when I unwrap all of my beloved ornaments. Many favorites, many handmade including one from you! Love them all. Hugs.

[Heather]

You have a stunning collection. I especially like the hand-carved snowman, though the bear-riding Santa is cute, too. I put up my little 3-ft tree a week ago, which is mostly adorned with handmade ornaments, some of which I featured last Thursday (and more to come this Thursday). My one "heirloom" ornament and always first on my tree is a flocked Santa, the first ornament received from my grandmother.

[Vicki]

SWEET!

I Love xmas ornaments. I have a few of my faves photographed this week and ready to go too!

Have a wonderful Christmas Sweet Anna

Hugs and Love,

Vicki

[Shellie Daniel]

Such a fun journey through your Christmas decorations! I chose several "favorites" of my own from the photos. :) Hope you're back to full strength soon (no pun intended on the "back" part).

[Sally]

Your ornaments are lovely. We just got done decorating the tree. I have a small collection of arks and they come out every year as well as the things the kids have made at school over the years. As a teacher I received lots of special gifts over the years but the ornaments are my favorite and treasured. We also have some handcarved Santas, but only have a small mantle to put them out. Enjoy the rest of your day, and glad you are feeling better.

[Kellie]

Oh Anna...I sooo enjoy your posts..makes me just want to come over and have tea/cookies with you..hahah! We just got our tree today here in Mich..was perfect for it as we took a wagon ride, snowing a bit but sunny. The whole works @ this tree farm. Our first real tree in many years. Not decorated yet, but getting close, and I do really enjoy the stories,etc. behind some of our ornaments..

[Simmy]

I did this last year with some of my favorite ornaments & decorations and made an album of them on my Facebook. Each one has a story. Will probably add more this year. Some were from my childhood (late 60 and 70's) and some were my moms from back in the 40's so they are extra special. Thanks for sharing yours. :-)

[Susan Z]

Thanks for sharing part of your Christmas decorating with us... I love your ornaments as they remind me of my own (which aren't up yet and I don't have a sore back!) Each ornament has a memory or a story. I hope your back feels better soon!

[Julie Phillips]

Hi Anna! I'm glad to hear that your back is on the mend. What an awful time of year for that to happen to you. I love all of your ornaments, they are so beautiful. The Santas and snowmen are simply charming! I know this is selfish, but, is there any chance you would post a photo of your tree and fireplace? I can imagine that they are gorgeous but would love to see a photo.

No matter if you do or don't, I want to wish you and Alan a wonderful Christmas! And to all of the critters on the farm, may they get their fill of treats too!

Another great year, thanks Anna!
Hugs
Julie

[Theresa Grdina]

I loved the walk through your decorations. They are lovely!! My favorite is the santa riding a bear and the snowflake you made a few years ago.

My favorite ornament is a sparkly bird without a wing that hung on my Christmas tree when I was little. Last year, Martha Stewart came out with sparkly birds in 3 colors. Lucky for me, I have 3 daughters so I purchased one bird for each. Now their new and sparkly bird hangs with my wounded bird happily on our tree. My husband and I will be putting our tree up today! I cannot wait!!!

[Carol Dee]

Ahhh Anna, thanks for sharing you ornaments and memories. I really like the rustic snowmen and santas. I am WAY behind this year. The tree is up, but naked! I have been laid up some with foot and knee pain. (Makes it hard to get stuff out of the attic.) And DH is such a procrastinator! I am hoping he gets the boxes down to the mail level so I can begin to decorate. Now that the snow is here I am really in the mood. Lately my tree is ALL snowmen. Before that it was all Hearts and before that it was VERY eclectic, handmade from childhood, old famliy treasures, etc. I still have them all ...enough to decorate at least THREE trees. Then there is a fireplace mantle full of MOOSE! Garlands over windows and on bannisters. I LOVE to decorate. (ANd hate to put it all away.) :) Have a wonderful Sunday, hugs...

[Dawn Burnworth]

Feel better soon.. I had surgery this week and it puts such a damper on the holiday mood.. Your decorations are beautiful. I love all the Santa figures. I think it would be fun to start a collection and get a new one each year..
Feel better soon..
Dawn

[Cindy H.]

What wonderfully fun and interesting ornaments. I love them all. Glad to see you are making some progress with your back. My DH threw his back out yesterday putting up lights outside the house. It's not always lifting that does it, sometimes it's just moving the wrong way too quickly. Maybe your Dad has the right idea, lol. tfs

[Kathy Martin]

I'm happy to hear you are on the mend! Your decoration shares are lovely! I really enjoyed looking at them all!

We traditionally decorate during Thanksgiving weekend and have several trees. Only one large tree! Like yours it's quite a mix of ornaments we have collected, made and have been given for years. It's quite an eclectic mix...with each ornament having it's own story and history! I love that!

Enjoy you home and holidays!

[bonnie weiss]

My favorite part of visiting friends during the Christmas season is to see their Christmas trees. I love to look at all of the unique ways that people decorate and the treasures that can be found on their trees. Your tree and decorations about your home look like they would be eye candy for your visitors, Anna. Sending you well wishes for a speedy recovery for your back issues.

[Jackie, Warwick, UK]

Awwwwww, thank you so much for sharing. I love Christmas ornaments. I have a house too which comes out every year.

Thank you again

Jackie

[Dee in N.H.]

First off, no more lugging feed for you! I really love your mix of ornaments. We have the same kind of mix and I think thats the best part too!
Glad to hear that you are upright again!

[Ida]

Absolutely Wonderful! I adore Christmas Ornaments and you have some fabulous ones. Thanks so much for sharing. Putting our tree up tomorrow. Will try to do a photo shoot and share.

[Shala]

Lovely! :) I esp like the snowman with the bokay background. Yes, Dan, you are right. Get close and blur the background. But not willy-nilly. If you do it right, you get pretty blurred images. I did that with my sister's tree last year.
Get well, soon, Anna!

[DK Wight]

Wonderful pictures! You could even make our house look good. With all the construction mess and all. I think the secret to the magic is to get as close to the subject as possible and blur the background! Gimme another shot of Yukon Jack, Honey..... who needs those muscle relaxers! Look at the pretty lights.....Oh yaa, and more sprinkles! What sore back? .........Love, Dad

[michelle]

I LOVE your taste in ornaments, and they all look so good together. My tree is more of a mish-mash....

[Kimberly O'Rosky]

Love the little painted angel. Reminds me of our favorite ornaments that we picked up at the Christmas store in Rothenburg Germany. We are hoping to pull out our decorations tomorrow and start putting them up. I can't wait to see Charlotte's reaction to the lights on the tree!

[Sharli]

Hi Anna,
I hope you're feeling better soon - I know how awful a backache can be and this is no time to be restricted!

Your ornaments are amazing - truly! I love them, too! I agree that even the ones that don't get put on the tree are taken out, held and adored. My collect is also a mish-mash of different styles but that is what makes it right for me! I love every single one of them.

I'm going to take a wild guess from the ornament that your parents gave Alan that he's a fire-fighter. That's awesome!

Feel better soon, dear friend!
Hugs!

[Sharon Holden (shaz aussie)]

Your ornaments are gorgeous Anna! So glad your back is getting better too. Have a great weekend :)