Next year we’ll only need to buy two ornaments. Because our tree? It’s full. 6 years ago, we bought our first tree, a box of 20 baubles and 3 ornaments - one for me, one for my husband and one for our newborn daughter. Why 3 and not 1? Because our tree was empty and I was impatient. Then it just became the norm. We bought 3 new ornaments every year until 2 years ago. Then we bought 4. Because my son was born. But our tree filled so quickly because we didn’t just get one new ornament each year, we added ornaments we made by hand. Ornaments made with friends and childcare. This year, our 6 year old, $99 Christmas tree with its wonky star atop it was brimming with a scrapbook of memories. Of the annual ornaments that express each persons favorite thing that year. Of the hand made handprints Christmas trees, the glitter laden baubles that shed another layer of red glitter each year. Of tiny smiling photographed faces nestled inside a gingerbread man frame. Our tree isn’t glorious and beautiful and the kids home made ornaments aren’t hidden around the back. They hang front and centre. Low enough for them to see, pull off, enjoy and play with. We don’t have an aesthetic tree because our tree isn’t an expression of our creativity (which is glorious for those whose it is!) our tree holds 6 years of festive magic come to life in the ornaments that dangle precariously from its branches. And to me, there’s nothing more beautiful to seeing my kids light up when they see that. #christmas #christmastree #christmasornament