Every year since we were born, my parents have given my siblings and me a special Christmas ornament. Unwrapping each hand-picked treasure is one of my favorite holiday traditions. If I was to offer my parents a hint for this year’s ornament, it would be the Courtly Check Owl from the whimsical home decor artisans at MacKenzie-Childs.
The glass ornaments in the Woodland-Inspired Collection are handcrafted and hand-painted by artists in Eastern Europe. Answer this week’s question before 12/11c Monday, Dec. 13 to be entered into the giveaway.
This week’s question: What is your favorite Christmas ornament or holiday decoration given to you by a relative?
For more holiday decor inspiration, check out HGTV’s fa-la-la-la-fabulous ideas for tree trimmings, fireplace mantels, wreaths and centerpieces.
My Grandma used to crochet over those traditional, shiny, ball ornaments. I have about 6 of them that I received from her. They are so special to me because she passed away over 20 years ago and every year at Christmas I can hang them on the tree and feel her presence during the holiday season.
When I was a little girl, there were no Hanukkah decorations – menorahs, candles, limited gift wrap… that's was it. My cousin celebrated Christmas and I was always in envy of the beautiful tree, twinkling lights, colorful ornaments.
My Mother decided to fashion a "Hanukkah Bush" for me – a small artificial tree bedecked with white lights, blue glass balls, and strung Hanukkah gelt (coins). Simple enough, but my Mom had more personality than that. She created Hanukkah ornaments by wrapping miniature boxes in Hanukkah wrap and fashioning dreidels out of felt and glitter.
Many years later, I am married and have my own Hanukkah bush and FINALLY someone gets it! Christopher Radko starts making one or two Hanukkah ornaments a year, so it becomes tradition that my Mom buys me one for the Holiday every year. I have quite a collection now.
Three years ago, when my husband and I bought our first house, I told my Mom that for Hanukkah I was going to upgrade to a 4 foot "bush" because now that we had children (and the space) I really wanted to highlight our Hanukkah Bush.
She came back later that day with a small box. Imagine the tears in my eyes when she handed me all of the Hanukkah ornaments she had made 30 years ago. Each one was there, carefully wrapped in tissue and stored away for all of these years. Even the original tiny blue balls were there! They graced my tree as a reminder of my heritage, my pride, and mostly of my Mom's dedication to give her children everything she could – even if it wasn't readily available! I love my Radko's, but my Mom's are my favorite.
Should this inspire you to select me as the winner of the Mackenzie-Childs ornament, thank you but please give it to the next person on your list…. I just wanted to share my story.
Merry Christmas!
My favorite ornament is very simple yet it has a special place in my heart. My best friend is very crafty and every year she gives me a homemade ornament. . It is a felt snowflake with a carrot nose , embroidered eyes and pink cheeks. The smiling snowflake brightens my day and makes me think of my best friend whom I do not get to see as often as I would like.
My kids made ornaments for me during the first few years of school. I love each one and put them on my tree every year. My kids are grown now and my daughter has a family of her own, I pray her children will do the same for her!
When we first married we wereVERY broke so many of our tree ornaments were home made. My favorite was a kitty angel for the tree top a la Kliban Kats. My husband, just out of OCA, made it for me. And, 35 years later, we still use it.
The homemade ornament given to me by my son with a picture of him and his best friend in grade school
My favorite ornament is one given to me by my mother 27 years ago. It is a Precious Moments angel sitting on a cloud,dressed in a blue robe, holding a fishing pole with a star at the end of the line. You see, my husband and I lived in this funny little house on a small lake. I was pregnant that Christmas with my first, and only, child. When I unwrapped the small, beautifully wrapped present there was a little note tucked inside. In my mother's handwriting it said, "Waiting over Lake Emily . . ." Seven weeks later we were blessed and surprised with a little boy!
My favorite ornament would have to be the snowman that my mother and I painted almost 30 years ago
When I was around 13, we brought home a tree to decorate that had within it's branches an ornament that I still treasure today – 43 years later! Hidden deep inside the branches was a tiny bird's nest. At the time I had no idea about the symbolism linked to this occurrance. In Germany it was believed that finding a nest in you tree meant that good luck would come to the family throughout the coming year.
Although other balked at the idea, the nest remained in the tree and was carefully in plastic wrapped when ornaments were put away for the next year. Every Christmas since that time the next has been placed among the branches of 'my' tree' – a treasure that holds the memory of many Christmases gone by.
My fav. decorations are two homemade ceramic decorations. My grandma used to have her whole garage made up into a ceramic workshop…. every time we were there we would make something. We would start with picking the mold, pour the mud, "fire" it, paint it, and do the final "firing". Have many happy memories with all us girls <grandma, mom, me, and my two younger sisters> painting side by side. My Mom made a 3 foot lighted ceramic Christmas tree. and my Grandma made a 3 foot ceramic Santa. That was over 30 years ago, yet every time we get them out I can't help but think of all the good times we had together! Grandma is 92 now and won't be with us much longer, but the memories I have of all the special times at her house will never go away!
During the years, my mom would buy an ornament from the various places she vacationed. Sometimes, I would have the pleasure of vacationing with her and sometimes not. On the times, I was unable to be with her, she would bring home a beautiful ornament for our family. Mom has passed and every year, I unpack these ornaments I am reminded of our wonderful times together!! The true gift she gave me, was beautiful memories!!!
My favorite ornament i have ever recieved was about a year ago when my kids and i went to volenteer at a homeless shelter. my son was 5 and my daughter was 2. there were 2 children in particular that my kids made friends with and we brought ornaments from hobby lobby you can hand make. well, after walking around and helping all the kiddos my son, my daughter and the 2 sibliings suprised me by making me an ornament. I asked,'' but don't you want to keep this ornament to put on the tree in the lobby?'' and they said,'' No ma'am we wanted to give this to you because Maya and Gavin (my kids) are our new friends and that is our present from you.'' i couldn't hold back the tears i hugged them and told them thank you so much. I went and made them an ornament and put it in a gift bag and told them i had a present for them but i was going to give it to their mother and not to open it till Christmas… that was my favorite ornament
My favorite Christmas ornaments are the needlepoint ones that I have made over the years, as well as the stockings that I have made for my daughters, son-in-law and the one that I am working on for my grandson.
my mother made me several christmas stockings for myself and husband and herself and my dog, than another year she made me a christmas tree that was stuffed also a wall hanging, some hand painted ornaments, a fireplace match box holder that she hand painted and a wooden christmas tree with all our names on it and two candles, and so many other things just too much too list.
my mom passed away in 2006 and i am so thankful for all these blessings that she left me with they are my favorite things
we grew up very poor so having store bought ornaments was rare. We would spend one or two evenings popping corn and stringing it, along with tying bows from recycled cloth Mom salvaged. The best ornaments were the ones we made out of what ever we had. After Christmas the popcorn strings were hung outside on the fence and the birds and squirrels became the decorations in our yard.
My grandfather gave me a a handmade ornament out of push pins that his grandmother made. I love it not only because it is so old, but the fact that it was made so long ago by relatives and that my grandfather gave it to me before he passed away. I take very special care of it and won't hang it back on the tree until my littliest one is older for safety reasons! My tree is nothing but mostly homemade ornaments and odd and end pieces that are special. It makes Christmas all the more special for our family.
My mother recently gave me some of the ornaments from my childhood. My favorite is a pair of red velvet elves, you've probably seen something like them (they were pretty popular in the 70s.) I loved those so much as a child and now my daughter gets to be creeped out by them, too!
My most cherished ornament is one my son made for me when he was in preschool – actually, it is the second one he made me. It is a clear ball with dried paint inside and his picture taped to the outside. The day he brought it home, he was so excited to give it to me, he ran from the car to the door with it swinging in his hand. As he reached the door, it swung and hit the glass window and broke. There was paint all over the window, and he was left holding the ribbon to which it was tied with the most disappointed expression I have ever seen. My heart broke for him, because I knew he was heartbroken. However, he went to preschool the next day and explained what happened, and returned home with a new ornament. He took so much care to make sure this one made it in the house in one piece. He is now 8, and we can laugh about the incident now, but it is a memory I will never forget.
I am a huge Garfield collector and my tree is all Garfield ornaments. I am originally from Albuquerque where we attended to hot air balloon festival each year. I had such great memories if that as a kid. We my favorite grandma found me a Garfield in a hot air balloon ornament. My both my grandma and mom have passed on but when I get this ornament out each year it reminds me of our awesome time together.
I know your thinking if my tree is all Garfield why do I want an owl? Well it would be a gift for a dear friend who collects owls! It would be a reminder of our friendship each year for her.
My oldest daughter was two (she is now 40) and while I was making ornaments for our tree I had given her some stuff (as mothers do) to keep her busy. She made all by herself the best ornament I now have. All it was, was a plastic holly leaf and a little bell that she had wired to the leaf. I know it doesn't sound like much but to me it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen and to this day it still hangs proudly on my tree ever year.
My fav is the crystal snowflakes my grandmother gave her the last year we celebrated christmas together. I will always hang them because they are beautiful and remind me of her!
My mom buys me an ornament every year starting when I moved out and got my own place. I was so sad when I realized on my first Christmas that I had 2 ornaments. My first Christmas and one a relative had given me as a child. (as a side story – I get my kids an ornament (themed) every year so they never have to have a sad Christmas tree – but one full of memories instead) The year my ex husband told me he wanted a divorce. My mom went out and got me the gaudiest, glitteriest, goofiest ornament she could find. A Katherines Collection fish with huge hair, earings, glasses the whole thing. I laughed so hard when I opened it and every year when I unwrap it I don't think of the 'Our First Year Together' Ornament I threw away, but instead remember how much my mother loves me.
My favorite ornament was one I found in the attic of my great grandmothers house I found when we found after she had passed. I hang it near the top of the tree next to the angel every year. She was an amazing person, and its one thing I can pass down to my daughter for a christmas tradition.
So hard to pick one! When I was very small, my mom had two glass balls decorated for my sister and I. Mine is hot pink with my name written in gold glitter paint. My mom gave it to me for my tree when I got married. It is over 50 years old now and hasn't broken. Now that is a Christmas miracle!
When family travel they know an ornament from someplace new and interesting makes a great gift for me … London, Florida, etc. Makes my tree more worldly!
A red styrofoam ball ornament with my daughter's name and the year glittered on it. She was 10 when she made it and it brings a smile to my face each year when I see it.
I cherish the vintage glass ornaments that I first saw on my Grandfather's Christmas tree when I was very young. We lived far away from him – so visits were rare. We arrived up North for a Christmas visit just in time to decorate the tree with shiny ornaments unlike ours at home – shiny metalic glazed glass bells and mercury glass pinecones. The entire tree was then swathed in a light wrap of 'angel hair', which reflected the lights and made it 'glow' with prisms of light – it was mesmerizing!
Grandpa didn't speak English very clearly – he was a very large Swede with a bit of a gruff demeanor and not a lot of patience with children. I was honestly a little afraid of him until I watched how he so gingerly handled these delicate ornaments – and saw his face soften and his eyes sparkle up when the lights were plugged in. I realized then, that somewhere inside him was still a kid who loved Christmas – just like me. I relive that moment every year when I hang the dozen or so ornaments that remain in my care – made only more beautiful by the patina of time and memories of hanging them with my own child for all of these years.
The paper handmade ornaments my children made for me when they were in school. Hand printed wreaths, painted paper ornaments with glitter. All are old and tattered now. But, they hold my heart.
Beautiful ideas! It's nice to start collecting Christmas ormament . It's something that you can pass down from generation to generation.
My son had heart disease from birth to 3 and 1/2 years old and he went through a courageous battle which he lost on Dec. 2, 1983. My family was a big support for me at that time. Christmas was coming and I had a 4 year old, little girl/sister to mend the heart of and try to make a wonderful holiday for her. I picked myself up and brushed away the tears. My family and I got Christmas together and put on our smiles. We celebrated with my daughter and made her laugh, smile and be happy. After dinner, my Mom came to me as I was catching my breath and handed me this tiny package. My Dad walked in the room also. Mom said "Open it". I opened it and as I did Mom said "This is for our little soldier that walked away from his pain and into God's arms." Of coarse I broke down crying into my Mom's arm's and when I looked in the box it was a little wooden soldier with his name on it, Little Wally! Thank you Mom and Dad for all your loving support!
A friend made me an old world Santa that looked like it was carved out of wood. It was ceramic and was painted and dry brushed to look real. I love it. It makes me remember her every year.
When I was little many many Christmas moons ago. We had on our tree three little pixies that were actually Snap, Crackle and Pop. One wears a crisp Christmas Red Onesie while the other two adorne the cute little outfits in Christmas tree green and the last in a mixture of red and green stripes. They always sat on the tree perched carefully on the branches. I always thought they were magic and would tell my mother if I tried to take a peak at my gifts. I now have only one as through the years and my parents divorce two were lost in the moves. I still find the perfect branch to sit him on as he now looks spritely down at my childrens children with his magical little grin as if to say…"Do not peak or I may tell" .
Sometimes when everyone is asleep ,and all the other lights are off, I sit by the warm glow of the tree lights and remember the wonderful Christmas eves that I had with my family and the little pixie when I was little.
When I was born my mom started buying 1 ornament each year for me for Christmas. We were not rich and they were not fancy. Some times they were homemade, but each was chosen with love. My most favorite is a little teal colored glass bird with white tails feathers, he clips onto the tree. It must be 40-45 years old and part of the glass is beginning to break away near the tail. This bird has a very special place on my tree every year. I have passed this tradition on to my 3 children. I buy them each an ornament evert year and try to make it something relevant to what they have done or been interested in the past year.
My favorite ornaments are the hersheys ornaments that my mother collected for my brother and me when we young. We now have enough each that we can each decorate a small tree with them. I remember waiting for the new ones to come out each year and getting so excited when we received them.
My favorite are my grandmothers ornament, they are really old. When I put them on the tree it brings back memories of Xmas with them. I loved those Xmases.
I would have to choose a large white candle given to me by my mother-in-law about 40 years ago. I had seen this beautiful white Christmas candle in the window of a local store and mentioned it to my mother-in-law and sure enough I found it under the tree on Christmas Eve. The candle has been in my display of candles every year since then. The only time we burn it is on Christmas Eve. As my children were growing up they always remembered the candle and made sure we had it in a special place. My mother-in-law is no longer alive but the candle brings back a lot of good memories.
When I was little my Grandfather gave me a small golden carriage ornament that looks like it could belong to Cinderella. It's decorated with a small X-mas tree on the roof and holly on the horse's reins. It's always one of the first ornaments to go on the tree in a place of honor.
My favorite ornaments are those that my mother made when I was growing up. They are made of velvet/ribbon/satin based ornaments w/gold pin adornments to attach the jewels and pearls and ribbon to the actual oranments. They are beautiful and like nothing I've ever seen anywhere. They are also "antiques" since I am now 43 yrs old. I love them and I love the Christmas Season. Merry Christmas!
It would have to be the sweet hand made ornaments my children made when in school…especially ones with their picture or hand prints…
My grandaughter gives me a new ornament from the White House each year. They are so beautiful and mean so much to me
Every year after my sister was born, my mom would cross stitch three ornaments- one for me, one for my sister and one for herself. They were identical ornaments for each of us, so that someday when she decided we were old enough, we would get them for our own homes (a strange concept when one is only five years old). They were usually Santas or trees, and were very cute and simple. The year I was 23, and was done with college and was "out on my own", she gave them to me for my birthday, which falls a few weeks before Christmas. It is really neat to have them all hanging up, and to know that my mom's tree has the exact same ones, as does my sisters.
My sister gave my entire family "cookie" ornaments of our first initial. they look so pretty on my tree!
My favorite ornament had belonged to my mother. They are crystal icicles that hang from the tree. they are my favorite.
My mom made Christmas stockings for my twins when they were born. Fourteen years later we still hang them with pride from the mantle.
My favorite ornaments are the ones my kids made with their pictures on them!
A few years ago my brothers and sisters decided to make Christmas ornaments for each other instead of buying gifts. Even the nieces and nephews got involved. On Christmas day we got to open unique ornaments and share how we made them. The creativity was amazing as there were Florida snowmen, wonderful unique Santas, clothespin Rudolphs, glittery snowmen and picture frames with Christmas pictures of the kids. Now, no matter whose house we spend Christmas at, those ornaments are hung on the tree and we have wonderful conversations reminiscing about that Christmas.
My then 92 year old mother gave us a Christopher Radko ornament for Christmas 2007. November 2008 we had a house fire and lost everthing. During final demolition in the spring of 2009 to begin building a new house I found the dented, wet, faded box this ornament was in. In tears I picked it up and discovered, to my joy, the last ornament given to us. It was very smokey, but perfectly intact. It now holds a place of honor on our tree.
PS Mom turned 95 in October!
My Mother's Angel collection…she passed away 4 yrs ago. Each year I bring them out and she is with us in spirit …Christmas was her favorite holiday because the entire family was gathered together. This year my three grown boys will be gathered together at our home and I continue to give them an ornament for their collection as she did for them each yr. I have a new grandson to add to the tradition.
The ones my kids made as kids that I still display- a giant clothespin reindeer from my 30 year old, a glass hurricane lamp made with fake flowers and a styrofoam wreath by my 28 year old, and a pop-up santa/sleigh from my 26 year old. Must be a hereditary trait because my mom still puts the paper chain I made in FIRST GRADE on her tree (and will continue to do so until I make her another one) !
I have a blown glass bird ornament that my daddy gave me when I was 12 it belonged to his grandma the ornament is over 150 years old- It always sits atop a candle stick on my dining table during the holidays- I love it- especially now that my daddy is gone 3 months now- the holidays wont be the same!