Christmas decorating is probably my most favorite activity of the year. It is by far the most exciting and looked forward to activity of the year. My family decorates our house ourselves.

There are several items that we use from year to year. The tree has been the center of our decorating since before I can remember. We use red tinsel and multi-colored lights spun around the tall green tree that sparkle and glow.

There are multi colored metallic balls that sparkle the lights. Balls or gold, silver, purple, red, blue and green make the tree look like a festive fruit cake. My mother also has a set of antique metallic balls from the 1960s that dot the tree with glee.

The other decorations have been given as gifts each year. Most of the ornaments are Halmark and were given to me and my sister as presents starting from year one and continuing.

There is the Precious Moments baby’s first Christmas to the Santas from Around the World; I love them all. However some are gifts to my parents. I have gotten older I have made it a new tradition to bring Christmas ornaments home from my vacations.

My favorite one I have gotten them is a gold plated aspen leaf from Colorado. Colorado is my family’s favorite place in the world. It makes me smile and remember our family trips together.

We decorate Thanksgiving evening as an entire family, even the basset hounds help. We also decorate the outside of our home with lights. My father climbs the ladder to roof and we trim the house.

My parents have a bungalow style home which they decorate with white icicle lights hanging from the rafters and white lights on their bushes. When it snows over the top of the lights it gives the house a glow.

The most prized ornament in our home is the alabaster manger my mother collected when I was a child. The set was sold by Avon in the 1980s. The set was not completed until last year when she was able to find the wise men on Ebay.

The wise men are my mother’s favorite decorations and the sight of them brought her to tears. After over 20 years her set is complete. They hold a place of importance on the piano where my mother and I play Christmas carols for the family and sing. The happiest

I have been at Christmas has been this last year when the red and white plush stockings gained one more with the addition of my husband’s. Our idea of decorating is one of great traditions.