25 DaYs Of ChRiStMaS - Day 4

Day 4 - Annual Ornament Exchange

Every year our family exchanges ornaments at the beginning of the season. Typically, we do it on the night that we put up our Christmas tree, but this year we did it a few days later than that. Tonight after dinner we sat down by the tree and each opened a package containing our ornament of the year.



Jack went first. Of all of my kids, Jack is the one whose name shows up in the gift shops most often... on bookmarks, coffee cups, ornaments, etc., and he likes that! This year I actually had 2 ornaments that I had found with his name on them - both forms of it.

Cooper went next. I had chosen a different ornament to give him this year, but we were at Hobby Lobby a couple of days ago and he fell in LOVE with this Santa on a motorcycle ornament. Seriously! He played with it the entire time I was at the store. How could I resist changing the plan and getting this one for Cooper? I don't think that this Santa will actually spend much time on the tree... he is too busy riding on our couch, the beds, the f floor, my legs...

Allie was the next to open her gift. Her ornament was probably the one that I was most excited about giving this year. It is a Willow Tree ornament of a mother and daughter. When I saw it, I knew that I had to have it for her. It is perfect! It really captures her at the stage that she is in right now. I love Willow Trees for that reason - they seem to really mimic the stages and phases of life that I am in the midst of.

Next, I opened my ornament. This year - for the first time - Corey has been antsy for a few days to exchange our ornaments. I knew that that could mean only one thing... he remembered to buy my ornament early this year! He said that he had found it a couple of months ago. Way to go Corey! It is a pretty wreath/ picture frame, and my favorite part of the gift was the gift wrapping job... I said, "Nice graduation hats on the tissue paper." when I saw it. To that he said, "Oh! I thought that those were Christmas trees."

Last, Corey opened his gift. His ornament of the year was a skiing Santa Clause. He loves to ski, and it was the most appropriate one for him that I could find. (He is a little difficult to shop for... and we have a ton of fishing ornaments already.) Last year's Scrabble board ornament was the best one that I think that I have ever given him. This one is cute, but it doesn't compare to the Scrabble ornament.