My birthday falls two weeks before Christmas (this coming Friday, actually…) and as I was growing up, it was always a tradition to put up and decorate our tree on my birthday. One year, after I had moved to an apartment, my family surprised me with a Christmas tree. Of course at that point I didn’t have any ornaments at all, so they decorated it entirely in mini candy bars (those fun sized ones). Each piece had a ribbon taped to it and there was quite a variety hung from the tree. I found it to be quite perfect – a surprisingly fun decoration, plus a tasty treat!

Since then I’ve started collecting ornaments. We try to buy a special new one each year to add to the collection. Since we haven’t collected too many yet (despite much cajoling, my parents still won’t give up any of my childhood ornaments!), we’ve had to be a bit creative in creating our own handmade ornaments.

I knit these little hats

and was so pleased with how they turned out that I knit a little set – including these teeny little mittens hung on a string

My brother, the paper folding master in our family, made these little origami cranes using the instructions provided here. I used fishing line to make a loop for hanging and to attach a couple beads on the bottom to give them a bit of weight.

Not to be outdone, Morgan created this wonderful little Santa out of a styrofoam ball, some felt scraps, mini pom poms and a paperclip

And last, but not least, my sister, who really didn’t want any part of the craftiness, made this

I like the googly eyes jammed into the styrofoam ball. I’m not sure it will actually end up on the tree.

I have to add a few more links to my fabric chain, and then I think the tree will be complete. Now I just need to remember to water it so it lives until Christmas!