My Handmade Holiday Ornament Tradition

My 2011 Ornament of the Year

Every Christmas, for more years than I can count, I have made holiday tree ornaments for my family and closest friends.

Once I skipped a year, thinking that perhaps my determination to uphold the tradition had outstripped my loved ones' interest in the matter, but I was wrong. I got a lot of phone calls that year, asking, "Where the heck is my ornament?!!"

I now consider my handmade ornament ritual to be a serious obligation, and would not dream of ever taking another year off.

These cute little origami elephants were last year's effort. My fourth-born, master origami wizard that she is, folded dozens of those tiny beasts for me, and we strung them up with beads and ribbons.

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For the past few days, I've been concentrating all my energy and spare time on getting this year's ornaments finished up and mailed off to the far corners of the world. Yes, I know I'm running a little late. I've learned to accept that the pressure of the last-minute time crunch is also part of the tradition.

But fear not. The packages should go out tomorrow, and even if they arrive on the 26th or the 27th, my tradition will be intact. Whew, it always feels good to make it through another year!

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For more Ornament of the Year posts, check these out:

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016
2015
2014

2013

2012

2011