What a Life!

Today we’re talking about some of the best – and worst – ornaments on our Christmas tree.

When I went to take pictures of our holiday ornaments, this is the first one I took a picture of. Steve’s Aunt LaRhea gave it to us last year, and I just love it. It is so pretty and shiny. Whoever made it did a great job. And I love the handwriting! So pretty!

This is another keepsake ornament we have. It’s one of those collectible ornaments they sell at Hallmark or that other card store. Steve’s mom gave it to Ben for his first Christmas. I always enjoy hanging this one on our tree.

Every year our knitting guild has a Christmas ornament exchange as a part of our December meeting. I must confess, when it comes to tacky knitted things, holiday ornaments are high on my list. In fact, Steve has a number of them in his holiday ornament collection [his mom gave him the ones they used to put on their tree when he was a kid], and they are not allowed on our tree. So I always approach this holiday exchange with fear and trepidation.

But for every rule, there are exceptions. Every year, we’ve had some quite nice ornaments that people made up. And not just that – the last two years, I’ve been so lucky as to win the ornaments I liked best. Last year, Julie made the Santa Hat and I got it. I just love the shaping on that hat.

This year, I won this little stocking, made by the same person, using the same yarn. Again, my favorite from the entire stash when they all were on display at the end (though there were also others I would have loved taking home as well). Julie even posted the patterns (including what yarn she used) on her blog this year. I just love them!

I love Starbucks, so it was fitting when my sister-in-law gave this to me a year or two ago for Christmas. Commercial ornaments can really be tacky, but I think this one is rather nice. In fact, I had even admired it in the store, though I never would have bought such a thing. I enjoy having it on our tree, though.

Of course, no Christmas tree in Nebraska is complete without a Husker ornament. This one is rather nice, I think. I think Steve got this as a gift from his brother and sister-in-law in one of our recent Christmases.

Finally, this ornament has to be one of the most tacky ornaments I have ever seen. Steve insists on hanging it on our tree every year. In a prominent place. This year, it’s up at the top. It’s horribly ugly, and he won it for answering some trivia question about the Huskers (which is how he came by almost all of his Husker paraphernalia, I might add). I think next year, I’ll insist that it be hung down low where our boys can also enjoy it. They’re Husker fans, too, after all. Maybe then it will get broken. [God forgive me!]