It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

Not a very original title for my post, but it's true!

Katie hung the lights outside...

...and I put up the wreath.

We bundled Stella up in her Christmas sweater and hat (that hat stayed on for about 0.5 seconds)...

...and went for a walk to look at the Christmas lights downtown!

Cookiepalooza 2K10 was a roaring success...

...complete with matching homemade aprons!

And we've even accidentally worn red and green.

But the most Christmas-y of all Christmas-y things...we decorated our tree!!

We blasted the Christmas music and got busy. First, we dug out our big container of ornaments.

Then we strung the lights and topped it with our star.

We went with simple white lights, silver garland, candy canes, and our keepsake ornaments. I love how themed trees look, but we just don't have enough room with all the ornaments we've collected over the years! And I just can't handle the thought of not hanging them up. I like how every year we get to tell the stories that go along with the ornaments.

Like how my sassy Daisy Duck is from our trip to Disney World when I was 5...and how I cried and cried until my parents bought me a Mickey Mouse shaped balloon.

Or how each of us kids has a different 'Baby's First Christmas' ornament, and I always liked mine the best. (But I'm terrified that it's going to break!)

We vacationed in Estes Park several times while we were growing up, and once my Mom chose this ornament for me. I think she picked it because we went horseback riding, but I always loved it because it is terra cotta and I never would have picked something so pretty on my own.

After high school graduation, 4 of my friends and I road tripped all the way from Nebraska to Maine and back. It was a crazy-good time and I'm so glad I remembered to get an ornament while we were in Bar Harbor (our 'destination'.) In fact, all of us got matching ornaments to commemorate the trip!

Katie and I have been together for many years, and we've actually built up quite a collection of our own. Here's one from a family trip to Estes Park from my parents.

And this one is from a trip to visit my brother in Virginia Beach.

We've also been celebrating milestones with ornaments. This one is from when Katie got her paramedic license.

And this is from when she got her job as a firefighter!

Here is one from when I graduated from college.

This one is from my friend Mine and is one of my favorites. She has such good taste!

And one year my Mom got us these cute little snowmen bells. I made sure to hang them next to each other because I'm a huge sap.

It was a tradition in my family to get a new ornament each year and/or each time we went on a trip. Hence, slight panic ensued when I realized Katie and I went to LA, Boston, and Chicago this year and didn't manage to buy a single ornament! I calmed down when I remembered that I'd be receiving an ornament as part of Heather's THS Ornament Swap. Plus, I can always run down to the Christmas store and pick something up. In fact, I'd say it's about time I got myself a marathon ornament!

How do you decorate your tree? Do you go with a theme? Do you have specific traditions?