A Christmas Tradition on Thanksgiving

 First Post of the Day

This weekend I did some Christmas prep. I like to give ornaments I've made to family and friends. They might be embroidered, they might be beeswax, or they might even be sewn. It doesn't matter - it's a family tradition that goes back to when my mom began giving my kids an ornament every Christmas.

Her goal was that, when they became adults and left home, her grandchildren would have a "starter set" of ornaments that already were a familiar part of home and past Christmases to hang on their own Christmas trees. She succeeded beyond her wildest dreams, and as their mama, I love to see her ornaments on their trees, too.

My mother gave her ornaments out on Christmas Day, but every year when I took down the tree, I felt sad that my kids would have to wait a whole year to see their new ornament hanging on it.

So, I tweaked the tradition; I give my grands and kids their ornaments at Thanksgiving if we are together, or the first week of December if they have to be mailed. (With a note, "Open now!" on them.)

I also give ornaments to my siblings and their families on Thanksgiving, too. All in all, I hand out 35 ornaments each year.

When I began making beeswax ornaments, the goal was to sell them at events. Then I realized that they would be a unique and very unusual gift for family members.

Knowing how wonderful it is to see my kids' ornaments from my mother on their trees, I am excited to know that, long after I am gone, my kids and grands will have ornaments from me hanging on their own trees.

Maybe my kids will look at their adult children's trees and see my ornaments. A smile, maybe a tear, but most certainly, a flood of happy memories.

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