Christmas Tradition: The Giving Tree

We are Christmas nuts around here. We love to decorate. We put up 8 trees of varying sizes (including three full sized ones). Yes we have started the process for this year :)

In our dining room we have this tree:

I call it the Giving Tree. Every year we load it up with new ornaments. Then anyone who comes to our house over the Christmas season takes an ornament off it to take home with them. We want to share a little of our Christmas spirit with our guests.

One of my favorite ornaments we've had on it are these little guys:

There's a few glittery snowflakes and stars on it now too:

Sometimes I forget to offer them to a visitor... but in years past some of my travel customers have taken an ornament home, my family visiting from Iowa, whatever guests we have at Thanksgiving, friends we have over for Christmas parties and cookie exchanges, even the Schwan man got one a few years ago.

It's our little way of saying... Merry Christmas...Thanks for sharing a little bit of this busy time of year with us....We love Christmas....Spread the cheer....Take some Christmas Spirit home with you....You are important to us....God Bless you my Friend.

So if you are at our home in the next 6 or 7 weeks, be sure to get an ornament off the dining room tree. Our little gift to you. I may or may not remember to tell you about it when you're here.

And think about doing your own little giving tree. There are cute and affordable ornaments that you can buy by the dozen on Oriental Trading Co's website... even some of the inexpensive stuff at Walmart is cute. Brooke's first Christmas we did ornaments with her picture in them. Spend a day making fun little ornaments with the kids. This is a fun and simple way to share a little of yourself and your love this Holiday Season.

God gave us the most precious gift at Christmas...Jesus.... which set the tone for the fact that Christmas is about GIVING. What will you give?