Christmas Through the Ages

There has been a tradition in my family where each each year my sister and I would receive one Christmas ornament that had some sort of special meaning for the previous year.  The thought being, when my sister and I moved away from home we would each have a starter collection for our own Christmas trees.

My Charlie Brown Christmas tree.

Now, I've been living alone for a few number of years and still I continue to buy myself a yearly ornament.  Without further ado, (from left to right) I present Christmas Through the Ages:

The Early, Early Years.

1981 - Baby's first Christmas and a manger scene from the Lea's (our backyard Merrillville, IN neighbors.)

1982 - Picture of Santa framed in tooth pics and an Angle with symbols from the Lea's.

1983 - Frosty the Snowman and a caroler with a bell from... the Lea's.

1984 - Little boy riding a dove. (a dove?)

1985 - Wooden rocking horse and a red wooden sleigh (Rosebud).

The Christmas Tree Years.

1986 - A wooden tree with glued on stars and tinsel.  I probably made this in Kindergarten.

1987 - First grade school portrait photo and a rain dear that I tried to write my name, age, and year.

1988 - Handmade drum made from the top of spray paint can, random Santa, and another Christmas tree

1989 - Skates with paper clips and a present that plays Silver Bells (and has a Christmas tree on top).

1990 - Snowman in double wooden rings and... a Christmas tree (4th grade classroom project?).

The Skiing and Water Skiing Years.

1991 - Another rocking horse? (Found one that belongs to my sister that my mom tried to pawn off on me).

1992 - A little dog with a wreath for the year when I received Muffy as a pet.

1993 - Santa Skiing and a Christmas gerbil running on his wheel (random, I know!)

1994 - Speedy Gonzales skiing... a bear dressed as Santa wind surfing.

1995 - Santa and Mrs. Clause water skiing for the year that I learned how to water ski on Lake Hanska in Minnesota.

I'm not really sure if there is a theme for these years.

1996 - I love model trains, and I love to fish!

1997 - I think my mom slipped this one in b/c I was missing a year (plus it's stamped 2008 in plastic).

1998 - Leaving for college at Penn State, a year whole before graduating from high school.

1999 - Graduating from Franklin Regional High School and routing for Penn State!

2000 - A mouse sleeping in his "new home" for when Kathy welcomed me after my dad passed away that year, plus a computer to symbolize the computer I built from scratch.

The traveling years?

2001 - I must have learned how to ski really well that year.  I still like just the easy green circle slopes.

2002 - A plane to symbolize my trip to Japan with Allen, Dave, and Rob.

2003 - A lantern with a Thomas Kinkade painting (the same one hanging in Kathy's Bed and Breakfast), and a penguin with a scarf from my mom.

The Early, Adult Years.

2004 - Missing.... :-(

2005 - A blue ribbon that supports the Red Cross and the Katrina Relief project that I went to support, and a Delta Chi ornament for when I was inducted into University of Pittsburgh chapter.

2006 - Delta Chi for when I helped the University of Cincinnati's colony as their finance advisor, and a blue Santa with a graduation cap for the year I graduated from Temple University School of Medicine.

2007 - Mickey and Minnie from a great trip to WDW with Jamie

2008 - Santa on a turtle for my Caribbean Cruise, a random snowflake that I don't remember buying.

2009 - Amy's "I'm a real doctor now" ornament gift to me and a fat Santa that sings when you press his butt.

And if you ever forget why ornaments are important for children:

It's great to know that all those years and memories fit into a tiny cube!

Thanks for reading,

Dr. Alex