The Progression of Our Relationship with Christmas Ornaments

When you’re in elementary school, you make some in class. They’re charming and hand-made, but not exactly “professional” looking. Your parents hang them on the tree anyway, which makes you proud.

As you get a little older, your parents stop putting your ornaments on the tree. They go with fancy, color-coordinated ones.

You grow up and move out, and you start decorating your own trees. Being poor, you reclaim the ornaments you made from your parents’ basement to use.

You have kids, and they start making ornaments in school. You hang them on the tree, replacing the ones you made.

Your kids get older, and you can now afford nicer decorations. You box up the ornaments they made and put them in the basement.

Repeat.

Comments

Lizzy said…
My parents didn't pack up the homemade ones until after they sold the house I grew up in, which was while I was in college.
Then my mom bought me a color coordinating nice set when I was in college and ZCMI went out of business.
Our tree is just starting to look like a family tree with the homemade ornaments instead of looking like it was done by a decorator. (All be it a short decorator, since I try not to really move the ornament the girls put on, so there are always more on the bottom.)
December 19, 2011 at 6:20 AM
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