Nearly a year ago, I shared a story about a family tradition that adds something truly special to our holiday season—our Christmas ornament exchange. We wanted something meaningful, beyond the usual gifts, that captured each person’s personality and a few good laughs along the way. So, we came up with an ornament exchange that’s been so worth it to us.
The idea is simple: find or make an ornament that reflects the person you’re gifting. It can be something sentimental, funny, or unique to them, as long as it captures a part of who they are! Before Thanksgiving, we draw names (and if we can’t meet in person, we use this online Secret Santa tool). Then, we all get busy hunting down or making that perfect ornament.
Over the years, we’ve had some hilarious and heartwarming additions to our trees. Like the time we gifted my brother a mooning gnome—he can’t stand gnomes, but at least this one got a laugh out of him! My husband’s gathered quite a collection of Atlanta Braves ornaments through these exchanges, and my cousin even gifted us a beautifully personalized ornament with our very first family picture on our land, complete with the year. We have also made handmade ornaments at times that were very special!
The big day is our Thanksgiving feast, where we all gather, pass around wrapped ornaments, and watch the reactions unfold. It’s like opening little pieces of our story and sharing inside jokes, all in ornament form. Each one finds its place on our tree, and as we hang them up each year, it’s a walk down memory lane.
This tradition has brought so much joy to our family, and it’s grown into something I cherish deeply. Here’s to another year of finding, making, and gifting ornaments that tell a story of who we are as a family
With love,
Kayla (Katie Bee)
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