Even Superheroes Decorate Christmas Trees

Today we decorated our Christmas Tree as a family. Lex and Loki both hung their new ornaments on the tree and we worked as a family to fill in the rest of the tree.

As a tradition in our family started by my Mom when we were kids, each year each child gets an ornament of their own to hang on the tree for that year. When the time comes for them to leave home and have their own tree the box of heirloom ornaments goes with them, letting them take the memories of Christmas past with them. Today Mad Dog and I both hung ornaments on our tree from our childhood and those we have collected over the last 6 Christmas' together. I would like to share some of those special ornaments with you here as well as photos of our decorating and tree. 

 This is my first ornament purchased in 1975.

 One of Mad Dog's early ornaments. This is part of a pair of glass ornaments.

 This was a Mad Dog creation. I love this ornament. It is complete with a "53 Mike Gendreau" and on the side door it clear states to "Use Front Door". 

 Lex hanging his 4th year ornament. Nana Sandy has been buying this Hallmark series for both kids. I mark the back of each ornament with their name, as well as the boxes to keep track of them.

 Loki working with Mad Dog to hang her ornament. She didn't get the concept, she got very upset afterwards because she wanted to ornament back.

 Lex was very eager to help. We're honestly very luckily the tree wasn't on the floor since he hung half the ornaments on the same branch. I had to keep re-decorating moving the ornaments up and to stronger branches.

 Mad Dog placing Chistery our Christmas Monkey on top of the tree. Chistery is the head of the flying monkeys in Wicked. He was made from a monkey beanie which was Gabrielle's. My Brother Kevin was Elphaba for a Halloween party we had in Chicopee on year. I sewed bat wings on the back of the monkey and he became Kevin's Chistery. At Christmas time that year I added a halo to his head made from a silver pipe-cleaner. He sat at the top of our tree that year (our second Christmas together) and has been on the top of the tree ever since. He is a special member of our family. When all the other decorations go back in the boxes for another year, Chistery sits out on the mantel watching over us all.

Our 2010 Tree. I still have some garland to make, but all in all it's perfect.