The Annual Christmas Ornaments

Benjamin received a little pine cone that had been fashioned to look like a hedgehog,  in memoriam of Nicco, the Hedgehog.

Each of my children has a lovely Christmas box which holds the ornaments that I've purchased for them, or they've made over the years.  I try to buy an ornament each year that symbolizes an important event, achievement, or love of theirs from that particular year.  I'm also making an album explaining each ornament, so their children will know the stories, too.  My kids get almost as excited for the Sunday after Thanksgiving tree trimming and unveiling of their new ornaments as they do about Christmas itself.

Someday, right now I'm planning on when they get married, I will give them their box of ornaments and album for their first Christmas as their own new family.

Lilyanna received Rapunzel.  She adores the princessy things.  I tried to avoid that whole scene, but it was not to be.  At least this Rapunzel is wielding a frying pan to take out an intruder.  I like a princess who gets things done.

Ah, Caleb and Doctor Who.  He's holding up last year's Dalek ornament as well as this year's 50th anniversary ornament featuring all 11 of the doctors.

The kids happily going through their boxes to rediscover the treasures of years past.

Nathaniel and a manatee.  Nathaniel is obsessed with manatees.  I have no explanation for how or why.  It just is.

Caleb wanted Adipose in on the Doctor Who action as well.  (I do think it's funny that there are angels peeking over into the picture.  They're not exactly weeping, but still...)