Favorite Christmas Ornaments/Decoration {Link-Up}

One of my parts of Christmas is putting up our Christmas tree and filling it full of ornaments and getting to enjoy it for several weeks. Our Christmas tree isn't just a tree...it's a memory tree!  Each year growing up, my parents, my Gran-Dot, my Aunt Pat and my Aunt Charlotte would give me a Christmas ornament ever year. I have to admit that as a child, they didn't mean much but when I got married, they became special treasures.  The 1st Christmas David and I were married, we filled a 6 1/2 ft. Christmas tree with nothing but those ornaments from over the years and our tree was overflowing and oh so pretty.

Each ornament is written on with the year and the person who gave it to me so I will always remember.  That tradition continues even to this day and now that we have children, the tradition has continued with them and they now get ornaments from these people as well as from us. It is my hope that one day they can fill their own trees with these special ornaments from people that love them. Today, I am linking up with Meghan at Tuckers Take Tennessee for her Favorite Christmas Ornaments/Decoration Link-Up and am going to show you some of my special ornaments from over the years!  I encourage you to start this tradition in your own family...it's never too late!

This is a dough ornament that was handmade for me in 1977 (the year I was born) by my first cousin Kim.

My Mom handpainted these ceramic ornaments in 1978. I have 3 different ones of these on our tree.

This is the last Christmas ornament I have from my Gran-Dot where she handwrote the tag before she got Alzheimer's and could no longer do it.  This is one of my most treasured ornaments because she and I were extremely close and shared a very special bond.  I miss her very much but rejoice that she is in Heaven.

This is a handpainted egg ornament that was bought in Voronezh, Russia and reminds me of my mission work in Russia and Siberia in 1996 and 1997.

This is mine and David's "Our First Christmas" ornament back in 2000.  This ornament symbolizes the beginning of "OUR" ornaments for our tree.  

My Mother-in-law used to give me beautiful mercury glass ornaments each Christmas and I loved them! I have a few of them on our tree and I love how they sparkle amidst the lights of the tree.  

David gave me this ornament last year for Christmas.  It is a handcarved wooden cross that shows the story of the birth of Christ in miniature detail.  We have several spiritual ornaments on our tree as well from over the years and they are a great reminder of what Christmas is really all about.

And what Christmas tree would be complete with one of those awesome Trolls Doll ornaments from the late 1980's?! I was the "cool kid" that got one of these that year....ha!