I try to slow down as often as possible to enjoy my Christmas Tree these days. Especially since Logan reminded me this morning that there are just 8 days left until Christmas Eve! Wow, that went fast! I sat down last night for a little while to just enjoy the tree and the ornaments and decided that they are so pretty and there are quite a few that have special meaning surrounding them! Don’t most ornaments hold special meaning, though? Places we’ve bought them. Handmade from the kids. Passed down through a generation or two. They make us smile, laugh, sigh, remember…I thought I might capture some of my favorites and post them here in a sort of “best of” list. Here’s what I decided upon. I hope you enjoy!!

This one gets the award for coming from the farthest away. I bought this ornament in 2006 when I visited Tanzania while on a mission trip with my church. It’s painted by artists in a village called Tinga Tinga.

This ornament was most recently given to us by a couple of our besties to acknowledge our love of being in the kitchen- uh…cooking in the kitchen! Not just being in there! 🙂 So cute, right?

This one might be one of the oldest ones from my memory that was recently passed to me by my mom. I believe she got it when I was tiny during her involvement in a women’s church prayer group.

This Mickey Mouse ornament is Chris’s oldest ornament. He grew up playing an upright bass and now plays an electric one. I believe he had an abundance of bass guitar ornaments – but this is one of the last that make it on the tree each year.

I vote this one as most unique. When Logan was a very small  guy (like between the ages of two and four, maybe) I used to take him to Kohl’s to pick out any ornament that he wanted for the tree. This was the very first one that he picked that year. It’s always fun to look at it and embrace the randomness of a cat on a fish ornament!

This one, as well as the next three, are super special to us and get each of our votes for most favorite.

About  four years ago our very, very dear friends had these ornaments custom made for us from a place called Bronner’s.

Our friends had them on their tree  for all 6 of them in their family and we thought the ornaments were so cool.

And then, the next Christmas, Eli had joined our family and our friends yet again surprised us with another one for him! Super special friends, they were. So sad that we’ve lost touch. But we think of them fondly each year when we place these on the tree!

This one gets best school-made ornament. This was from Logan’s second year of preschool. It makes me excited for Eli’s preschool experience to begin so I can eagerly anticipate what lovely ornaments will be donning our tree next Christmas from him!

I’ve gotta give this one credit for the best product placement ornament.

Oh wait! Is that another one from Starbucks? And one also right there behind it!?

Four Starbucks ornaments? Oh my, you’d think I worked there or something…

This ornament, as well as the one right down below, get my vote for the ones that make me the most emotional. My guys’  first Christmas’.

It seems like just yesterday we were adding Eli’s stocking to the mantle and placing gifts for him as well under the tree. My, how time goes so fast!

What are some of your favorite ornaments?