Every year B and I pull out our tree the day after Thanksgiving and begin the process of fluffing the branches, putting the lights on it and trimming it with ornaments. Our ornaments are a mixture of painted German style wooden ornaments, German blown glass ornaments and ornaments we collect over the year as we travel. Each one has a meaning and memory behind it, and one of my favorite parts of that day is reminiscing about the stories behind each object.
Daisy-B Tree, 2010
The hot air balloon with a bride and groom on it that we bought in Napa Valley on our honeymoon…
The sailboat that reminds us of B’s hobby:
The daisy ornament Law with Grace gave me, handmade by her Mom and symbolic of this little blog:
The German glass pretzel that B and I bought at Oktoberfest in Munich:
A German skiing Santa that my Mom bought years ago at a market in England:
The parachuting Santa that my Dad hung near the top of the tree every year, out of my brother and I’s grasp…we always waited for the year we were old enough to hang him: 
The hollow glass ornament that is filled with the shattered remnants of my first Christopher Radko ornament….
Santa arriving by bi-plane, complete with gifts: 
A miniature German Christmas market booth: 
The sheep I put in B’s stocking as a gag gift a few years ago:
The key my Mom bought me, representing my sorority days: 
We have a simple tree from Home Depot (our condo building & Chicago ordinances don’t allow real trees in multi-unit buildings) that we light every year with our own lights- I worry that a strand will go out on a pre-lit tree, rendering the extra cost useless. I store the strands of lights tied up with wide satin ribbon to keep them from tangling. We bought a tall skinny tree as opposed a fat one, which takes up less of our precious space. Oh…and about that tree skirt…..
I think it looks quite nice.
It looks beautiful! I got up this morning to find that my cat had taken the tree skirt off my tree (no presents there yet to hold it down).
I love seeing people’s special ornaments…I may have to steal the idea. Thanks for sharing!
Love it! although I had no idea Chicago had laws against real trees in multi-units. That makes me sad, but I understand why.
Such a sweet post!
And I’ve been considering trying my hand at that tree skirt. Yours is GORGEOUS!