With our tree up and decorated, I enjoy looking at all the ornaments hanging there. So many have a special story or memory as part of its history. Two of my favorite ornaments are decorated with Disney characters. These admittedly vintage ornaments were bought by my parents when I was just a baby. Even when these ornaments don't fit with my tree's theme, the Minnie Mouse and Thumper the Rabbit ornaments will always be hanging somewhere on our tree. It just wouldn't be our Christmas tree without them.
When each of our children married and started their own holiday traditions, I let them select a number of our family ornaments for their trees, but not either of the two Disney ones. I was surprised by some of their choices but loved hearing them relate the memories each associated with the ornaments they picked. Minnie and Thumper will eventually have new homes, but for a while longer, they are staying put on my tree.
Genealogy Gems, a newsletter published by the Fort Wayne (Indiana) Library, has some great tips on how to "Use the Upcoming Holidays to Preserve Your Family Stories". One suggestion was to take a photograph of a special ornament or decoration and keep the photo together with the ornament's story. It could be in a scrapbook, a holiday planner, or even on 4x6 index cards stored with your holiday items. This way others will know the story of that special item.
Perhaps recording the history of your ornaments could be a good project as you take down your tree this year. Get out the camera, relax with some seasonal music, and take a picture as you remove each special ornament from the tree. Before long, you will have recorded some great family stories.
The article also had additional suggestions. They are found in the no.104, October 31, 2012, issue in the Genealogy Gems e-zine archives. You might also want to subscribe to this free newsletter.
Are there holiday items in your family with a special memory for you or other family members? They can provide another way to share and celebrate some of your family stories.
Note: This is based on a previous post from Dec 3, 2012.
*The Advent Calendar of Christmas memories (ACCM) allows you to share your family's holiday history twenty-four different ways during December! Learn more at http://adventcalendar.geneabloggers.com.
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