A Couples History in Ornaments
December 23, 2008
Before I head out to Mom’s for Christmas I wanted to share something that is very near and dear to me. Every Christmas since the year we met, the husband has given me an ornament that represent our year together. It is a very special tradition to me and I’ve been wanting to write about it for some time.
It started with a simple rottweiler pup (we were always taking about getting a dog and he knew how much I loved Rotties) in 1995. Then in 1996 he bought the puppy love ornament and I joked that he now has to get me a dog every year.
In 1997 he struggled a bit. We were in college and not much was going on in our lives. He first got me the Winnie the Poo in sheer desperation as he couldn’t find anything else. Then right before Christmas he found a Lion and had to get it because I’m a Leo. In 1998 I graduated with a degree in a computers, hence the floppy disk (one of my favs) :)
In 1999 I graduated with another technology degree so for some odd reason he went with a calculator. To this day he says it was the closest thing he could find. (Note: we never removed the miscellaneous kid photo since it’s a frame and now we can’t, it just wouldn’t be right. lol) In 2000 we got engaged!
2001 and 2002 were our stereotypical years. We got married, bought a house and then a dog. His ornament choices couldn’t be more perfect!
In 2003 I accepted the full time faculty position at the college! And in 2004 I was pregnant! (Another year of perfect ornament selections :)
In 2005 we became a family. 2006? Well 2006 was just 2006! LOL I’d like to think we were so busy running around after the toddler that nothing notable happened to mark with an ornament.
Last year in 2007 he made me laugh. I got two ornaments. One of Wonder Women as I was a mom, working full time and trying to start the business. The other ornament was the lounge chair. Which, at first I didn’t get. Then he told me to look at what was ON the chair. Magazines! LOL It was the year I was on the cover of Women’s World. I think I cried. :)
Funny thing is, sometimes the husband can be absolutely brilliant, other times I want to ring his unhealthy, annoying little neck. But I love him for who he is and in a weird way, who he isn’t. Does that make any sense?
If I asked him to remember what size I was or how much I weighed each of those years he couldn’t tell me (although I probably could.) No one will remember how you look or what size jeans you are wearing at Christmas dinner. What they will remember is how you make them feel and the memories you make together.
I hope you all have a wonder Holiday Season!
I’ll be around on twitter a bit, maybe. But I can’t promise a post in the next few days. :)
Update:Click here to see 2008’s ornament! It’s perfect! :)
Update:Click here to see 2009’s ornament! It’s perfect! :)
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On December 23rd, 2008 at 9:56 pm Mallka said:
Thats very sweet and endearing story.
Enjoy your holidays Roni with your loved ones :)
On December 23rd, 2008 at 9:57 pm Ideanna said:
” No one will remember how you look or what size jeans you are wearing at Christmas dinner. What they will remember is how you make them feel and the memories you make together.”
Classic…that made me feel all warm inside. Thank you Roni!!! You have an awesome Christmas as well!
On December 23rd, 2008 at 10:04 pm daniele said:
how very sweet! i love the way you closed with the sentences Ideanna quoted! What a beautiful sentiment.
On December 23rd, 2008 at 10:09 pm Ellen said:
Great memories!
Thanks for that last bit about “no one will remember.” In the past I’ve been so self conscious about what I was wearing and how I appeared to others. It would be somewhere on my mind the entire event…This year I am going to let it go and focus on the fun and family time!!!
On December 23rd, 2008 at 10:33 pm workout mommy said:
that is so sweet!
Have a great holiday Roni!! :)
On December 23rd, 2008 at 10:33 pm Michelle said:
Have a happy holiday with your family. I love the ornament tradition. Too, bad my hubbie didn’t think of something like that. There needs to be a manual for good ideas! LOL
On December 23rd, 2008 at 11:17 pm Tanya said:
Roni,
Thank you so much for sharing another piece of your world! It’s amazing how our significant others can surprise us one minute and baffle in another. Thank you for everything you do!! Have a wonderful and safe holiday!! Enjoy!
On December 23rd, 2008 at 11:34 pm Michele said:
Roni, that is a wonderful idea! LOVE the concept of NO one will remember what you were wearing or weigh! Makes me actually feel a WHOLE lot better and look more forward to a healthier 2009!
Here is an idea for you and the toddler next year. After christmas you go shopping and buy 25 different Christmas style books (hopefully on sale, hence after Christmas) and pack them away. Then at the end of November next year you wrap all of the books up and place them in a basket. Then each night the toddler gets to open a “present” (the book) and you get to read it to him before bed. It is just a fun way for you to bond and do the nightly reading, as well as get in the holiday spirit while he gets to have some fun! Then you pack them back away after Christmas and do it again the next year. Its always fun rereading the books you havent looked at in a whole year!
On December 23rd, 2008 at 11:52 pm Bonnie said:
Adorable, Roni! You have a nice little family. It just makes me so proud of you. You were born the same year as my youngest of 2 sons….you were both Bi-Centennial babies….I could be your Mommy!
On December 24th, 2008 at 12:17 am Suzan said:
Roni..What a precious story..You certainly have your priorities right..the thoughfulness of the husband is just priceless..and like you; in spite of the things that sometimes bug me..I appreciate and love my hubby just as he is..one that loves me,,a size 12..10 or ? Merry Christmas..
On December 24th, 2008 at 12:20 am Sally said:
Aww thats so sweet! =] My mom is crazy about ornaments.. she has to buy one for me and one for my sister every year.. She wants us to take them with us when we move out.. I just have no idea which ones are mine lol
On December 24th, 2008 at 12:24 am Ashley said:
How wonderful! Is it sad that I recognize all the Hallmark ornaments? My family and I get a different Hallmark ornament every year. I’ve got the Puppy Love ones, even though I’m a cat person!
On December 24th, 2008 at 12:24 am Sally said:
I just posted ^.. but i just looked at the link for the Womens World magazine and i was looking all on the cover for a good 30 seconds trying to see maybe an article that you wrote and i totally wasnt expecting a picture of you on the cover.. about a year late but congrats anyway lol =P
On December 24th, 2008 at 8:16 am patty said:
We have the same tradition,and we’ve extended it to our 3 children. They each get an ornament to represent them/their interests for the year. They’ll go on our tree for now but when they leave the nest (sob ;(, they’ll take them for their own trees. It’s a wonderful way to look back each year as we decorate the tree! Oh and I love Michele’s comment/idea about the books, I just might have to try that next year!
On December 24th, 2008 at 9:08 am vickie said:
merry christmas!!!
loved the ornament pictures!!!
On December 24th, 2008 at 9:09 am jojo said:
You are just too cute!! This touched my heart so much..
On December 24th, 2008 at 9:25 am Janice said:
Roni, Thank you for sharing. I have all my ornaments from when I was a child that I got from my grandparents and parents and they are the first ones to go on the tree. I even have my first ornament from the year I was born. The broken ones from when the Christmas Tree fell over and even one that was chewed on by a few mice in the attic over the years.
On December 24th, 2008 at 9:28 am Louis said:
Roni, once again (I can’t do this enough), thank you for making me think about something else besides weight loss. My family is in Brazil right now. This is a once every two year thing with my family. I do miss them more this year than in past years. I am not sure why, but it seems a lot of anger, stress, anxiety and other issues are breaking away from me and what is left over is my love for them.
Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. You touch us all, I hope we do the same for you as well.
On December 24th, 2008 at 10:23 am Israel said:
This is so cool. We do the same thing sort of. Ever since having our daughter 3 years ago, we decided to make it a family tradition to either make or buy one new ornament each year. So my daughter, my wife, and I each make or buy a new ornament every Christmas. 3 per year, we love it!
On December 24th, 2008 at 11:08 am Brandi said:
Those are some amazing memories! What a wonderful tradition :)
I hope your holidays are full of family and friends and some great food!
On December 24th, 2008 at 12:26 pm Mendy said:
I love this Roni! He’s very thoughtful. Have a wonderful Christmas!!
On December 24th, 2008 at 12:39 pm Tammy said:
I’m so glad to see you carry this tradition too. I have done this with my hubby and children. (DH is not quite so imaginative!) I’m the one who collects an ornament for us that represents our year. I started it with each of my children too. (3) In fact we were sharing them this morning as our Christmas Eve tradition! For each year of their lives, I have found an ornament that means something to them. After Christmas, I pack them up in their own box of ornaments to one day take with them when they move out. Each year as we put the tree up, they have their own box of ornaments to add to the tree and we always talk about them as we decorate. Today we were giggling about the naked baby ornament I got for my now 20 year old the year she was born. I thought is was adorable way back in 1988, but, I agree with my daughters it does look kinda alien. LOL But, these are the things memories are made of.
Merry Christmas Roni to you and yours! I have been blessed to have found my way to your blog. Participating in your blog brings so many things home and puts much into perspective! Thank you for sharing your life with us!
On December 24th, 2008 at 12:54 pm Tammy said:
One more thing! About this:
“No one will remember how you look or what size jeans you are wearing at Christmas dinner. What they will remember is how you make them feel and the memories you make together.”
This year is the first year in 25 years I am not having Christmas Eve dinner at MY house. My sister just decided to take it over! Didn’t even ask, just announced that was ho it was. I have been feeling very resentful of this for weeks now. It dawned on me only this morning the biggest reason that this upsets me. See, my sister is 9 years younger than me. She takes regular time for hair coloring, tanning and nail salons. She is thin and shapely yet. (I secretly think she has had a boob job too! LOL)She has always been the “pretty one.” Next to her, I always feel like an old cow.
I’m thinking that being the hostess with the mostest has been my claim to family fame. And, now she has that too! This year I can’t hide behind my apron! I got nuthin! So, I’m feeling like I’m going to this “naked” and everybody will only see my flaws!
I will go to her house tonight and try to remember your words Roni. They will be my life ring.
On December 24th, 2008 at 1:17 pm kilax said:
What a wonderful tradition! A coworked of mine mentioned that she does that with her husband and it made me want to :)
On December 24th, 2008 at 1:29 pm Krista S. said:
Ok that made me cry. Happy Christmas, Roni.
On December 24th, 2008 at 1:33 pm Amanda said:
You are SO right! Thank you for that.
I loved your little story, but now I have to know–what ornament did the husband get you for this year? A blog ornament? :)
Have a wonderful holiday, Roni! Enjoy your family–not only at Christmas but throughout the whole year too. The time goes by so fast.
On December 24th, 2008 at 3:03 pm Zoey said:
Hi Roni,
I love this tradition. Thank you for sharing it with us and for sharing your words of wisdom at the end.
On December 24th, 2008 at 5:41 pm Liz said:
Sweet story! :) My husband and I buy ornaments when on vacation and those are the only ones we use other than just plain metallic balls. They really do hold a lot of memories! Happy Holidays!
On December 24th, 2008 at 6:49 pm Sarah said:
Roni-
Your words made me cry. I have been beating myself up, over and over again about my weight. But you are right, no one will notice, especially my kids, what my weight is at Christmas or what size I am, all they will care about is that I am there with them, happy and present. There’s always tomorrow…..I am going to enjoy the time with my family now. Thanks Roni, have a Happy Holiday and keep the inspiration coming.
On December 24th, 2008 at 7:03 pm Christie said:
That is so sweet that I teared just a bit. I definately want to start something like that with my children when I have them. I love that you take the focus off what the weight is and just have a good time with your family making some good memories.
On December 24th, 2008 at 8:58 pm SeaShore said:
Those are so sweet. Thank you for sharing them and their stories!
Merry Christmas!
On December 24th, 2008 at 9:31 pm fitforfree said:
I love this story. It’s true that most of our insecurities are NOT sentiments that are shared by the people around us!! you are lucky to have such a supportive husband :-)
On December 25th, 2008 at 5:55 pm Julie said:
Merry Christmas Roni! We chatted a week or so ago here on Blog to Lose…talked about running :)
Love this post! Have a wonderful holiday with your family and loved ones! Thanks again for sharing all your ideas, recipes, experiences & inspiration – you’re a gift to us all.
I’ve decided 2009 is going to be a big year of running for me too! Can’t wait for our snow to melt off…it finally seems like it’s stopped, and the melting is beginning!! Yay…can’t wait to run!
On December 25th, 2008 at 7:10 pm victoria said:
I loved reading this. I am the one that buys the special ornament each year (or more than one special – for this reason, or that). It was nice to see someone else doing it also, especially when it is your husband that takes this special tradition to heart.
Question: What was for 2008?
On December 26th, 2008 at 12:40 am Biz319 said:
Great post Roni! I know exactly what you mean. Sometimes my husband has it right on, and other times, not so much. But the fact that he TRIES is priceless!
Merry Christmas Roni!
On December 26th, 2008 at 12:45 am Steph. said:
Finally catching up on blog reading/commenting. This is such a neat tradition. I love how each one really goes with where you were in your life that year. Your husband must be a very thoughtful guy! Hope you had a great Christmas day!
On December 26th, 2008 at 10:13 am Brandy said:
This post literally made me cry. I have felt defeated by my weight so long and it’s constantly on my mind. How refreshing to remember that my husband and kids could care less as long as I love them. Thank You so much!
On December 26th, 2008 at 7:32 pm Zandria said:
That’s a very cute tradition. :)
(Although I have to admit, the only reason there’s a Christmas tree in my apartment right now is because it belongs to my roommate and she put it up entirely by herself.)
On December 29th, 2008 at 4:08 pm Sam said:
Love this post! … So what ornament did you get for 2008??? :)
On December 30th, 2008 at 4:32 pm roni said:
Sam… http://ronisweigh.com/2008/12/post-holiday-wrap-up.html
:)
On December 31st, 2008 at 11:22 am Deb said:
That is really cute Roni. Hubby always tries to get me wizard of oz stuff.
On March 8th, 2009 at 8:36 pm wls said:
Super-Duper site! I am loving it!! Will come back again – taking you feeds also, Thanks.