Tis the holiday season and everyone is in the spirit. We start opening up packages of new lights to put up outside or dusting off old decorations that our parents, or their parents gave them (seemingly 100 years ago). As we continue to don our doors with wreaths, yards with candy canes, twinkle lights, an inflatable “Grinch and Max”, and our homes with every Christmas scented candle you could ever imagine, we begin to see the holidays come to life.

Only there is one thing missing... The Tree.

Whether your tree is real (good luck with those needles), fake, big, small, pre-lit, tall, short, skimpy, or full as can be, putting it up is one of the most fun things to do with family and friends around the holidays. Many of us call it the “Christmas Tree”, but I personally like to think of it more as a “Memory Tree”.

The best thing about putting up a tree is putting the ornaments on it. If you are anything like my family, your tree is not all perfect and matching multicolored bulbs equally placed around the branches. It is a random and mismatched beauty. Nothing is alike. If a stranger were to walk in they’d think “why on earth do these people have a pickle ornament on their tree?” The great thing is, they don’t know, but you do. As you’re hanging each ornament on your tree you get a little flashback, a peek at the past. A memory comes back and reminds you of the time, place, people, and so much more. We all have these ornaments. The good, the bad, the ugly, and the downright embarrassing.

1. The Kiddie Craft

We all had holiday parties in elementary school. We got a day off of the real hard work and got to have a day of fun. Fun that included making our very own ornaments to gift to our proud parents. Some that included a paper gingerbread cutout that you got to glitter glue up and down (are you sure that’s a face?), a cut out of a tree that we got to color however we wanted, or the ornament out of clay that we made into whatever shape we could manage. Whatever it was, it’s still there, hanging right in the front, mocking you and your terrible elementary school art skills. You ask why, but in reality, it's your parent's favorite. They will never let you get rid of it... Sorry.

2. The Ornament Photo Frames

OH MY. We all know this one. The one that you also made in elementary school, where you picked a shape and then cut out a photo of your head and glued it right on. Maybe the one that is your parent's favorite picture of you when you were young so they made it an ornament. The one you and you mom bought that reads “Cat/Dogs first Christmas” and there’s a sweet picture of you and your beloved animal. Or maybe even the one that your cousin thought would be funny if he put a selfie in and handed it out as a gift to ALL the relatives (so mad I didn’t think of that myself). Last, but not least, the one that you have that is STILL empty, just waiting for the next embarrassing photo to surface.

3. The Family Favorite

All families have their thing. The thing that makes them unique and close as a family. The thing that stands out to them, and makes them stand out. If you’re as lucky as my family, then you can also have that “thing” as an ornament. We all have that one that we pull out of the box or tissue paper and say “Hey! That’s my favorite!” and then go on to argue about who gets to put it up and where it goes on the tree (front and center, duh). My families is a pickle (long story) but it’s a standing tradition. Each household has a pickle and we hide it in our tree for one of us to find. More recently, I purchased a talking “hide and seek” pickle ornament. You hide him and he gives you hints until you find him. Technology, am I right?

4. The Travel Purchase

We have all been there. At the beach, at that one amusement park, at this or that vacation spot, at that performance, or this sporting event, and we thought, “that would be a great ornament on my tree.” Why? The world may never know, but we have all done it. At one point or another we were somewhere and saw a tacky snowman with a “insert favorite sports team” jersey on. Or we were at the beach and swiped some sand for a DIY sand-in-the-bulb ornament. Also, possibly at an amusement park where we decided buying the silhouette of the park would be a great addition to that tree. I do have to applaud them though, businesses are wising up by doing this. Us suckers love a good souvenir and what would be better than an ornament for your memory.. or excuse me.. Christmas tree.

5. The "Made With Love"

The ornament that you pull out and think "Where did this come from?" And if you ask your parents they will go on to tell you that your mom's mom made that when she was little and it has been on their tree for years. Also, the ones that your talented aunt stitched many years ago. They may be older, but they sure bring a special touch to our tree that we couldn't seem to be without.

6. The Traditional

"They are just fillers for the empty spaces". I'm not sure I could count how many times I have heard this phrase while decorating the tree. You know these. The multicolored bulbs of all shapes and sizes, some covered in glitter. These are a staple to each family tree, whether they are fillers or the main statement piece.

7. The "BE CAREFUL WITH THAT, PLEASE DON'T BREAK IT"

Your mom's favorite. The all glass this-or-that. The one that YOU always manage to pull out of the boxand she goes on to make sure and remind you that "that one is her favorite" and "you don't know what I would do if that broke". So you hand it over, fully defeated by the delicate ornaments that you place high on your tree so your cat can't pull them off and break them.

8. The Personalized

You are walking around the store with your mom, your dad, your boyfriend, your girlfriend, whomever it might be, and BAM. There they are. The ornaments of every classic holiday shape (snowman, reindeer, snowflake, Santa, teddy bear, star, or just the classic ornament) with ALMOST everyone's name on them. So there you are, in the middle of the store desperately searching for your name on a little plastic ornament. If you are anything like me it was a miracle if you found your name, spelled correctly. So every time you found one spelled the right way, you obviously had to buy it. Which leads to having up to 6 or 7 tacky ornaments with your name plastered on it hanging on your tree. I must say, I feel for the people with names classified as "unique", because it's a sad day when all the members of your family receive them as gifts and you get a "blank" one so you can write your own name. Nonetheless, they're on the tree.

9. The Candy Canes

Pretty self explanatory. For however long, families have been buying packs of candy canes and hanging them on the branches of the tree. When you were younger you were desperate to eat those candy canes, and your grandma looked at you and said "honey, those are from a billion years ago, you can't eat those", so defeated you walked away and tried to find some other holiday goody. Little did you know, they weren't old, the adults just didn't want you to eat all the "ornaments" off the tree and get a sugar high before Christmas dinner. Jokes on you, and me I guess.

10. The Cracked, Ripped, Tattered, and Discolored.

No explanation necessary, but for some reason, we just can't get rid of them.

I'm sure there are PLENTY of other ornament favorites floating around on the holidays. These are just a few of the ornaments that almost everyone can expect to see on their tree this year. Happy Holidays to all!