Christmas Eve Dinner at my parents' house: this is when we receive our special ornaments!

Several years ago, my mom started a tradition with our family that has filled our Christmas tree with memories that literally s*p*a*r*k*l*e…

The year of the BIG fish: my husband's ornament in 2003

While we know what’s inside the beautifully wrapped gifts that adorn the table, we can’t wait to see exactly what ornament Mom selected for us this time. Each represents something special from our past year:  baby’s first Christmas, the BIG fish {when my husband caught a 13 lb large mouth in the pond down the road}, Nutcracker ornaments {one of my favorite holiday traditions}, gingerbread man {inside joke}, Nemo {my littlest ones’ favorite movie that year… + many more.

Each year when we pull out our holiday decorations, these become even more special. The memories the ornaments represent are priceless!