Hallmark Memories and Epoxy

There is a tradition in my family that started when I was a young girl. Every Christmas, the children receive a new ornament. The ornament is usually an accurate representation of a character, toy, or other object loved by the child receiving it.

In December, Noah was given the chance to hang his own special ornaments he has received over the last ten years on the tree. The ornaments, however, proved to be too tempting and he began to play with some. Between he and his sister, seven ornaments broke this season. I placed them all aside, while reminding the children not to play with any more ornaments.

As Brian used epoxy to fix the ornaments this past weekend before putting them away for another 11 months, I began to think of all the memories each ornament represented to me. My childhood is remembered each time I look at ornaments from the 1970's and the 1980's. My children's infant, toddler, and preschool years are represented in the beautiful Hallmark ornaments I carefully wrap and re-place into their original boxes when the tree comes down every January. Noah's enthusiasm over the movie Toy Story when he was 2 years old is represented in the ornament with Woody, and his obsession with Blue's Clues when he was 4 is remembered every time I look at the ornament with Blue riding on a Sled.

No matter how many times the precious ornaments fall, or break, my memories of the past years will not fade. I am already looking forward to unwrapping the memorable ornaments, and seeing the delight on the children's faces when we add the new ornaments from this past Christmas to the tree in December 2010.

Thanks Mom and Dad for starting this tradition, and especially for continuing it with your grandchildren!! I love you!