Christmas Countdown: Decorations old and new

I got out my box of decorations today. I love doing this every year. It's like seeing old friends!

There are some old one that have hung on every one of the Christmas trees of my childhood, including the skiing Father Christmas and the tiny book with a real story inside. There's a bauble my grandparents gave me for my first Christmas. There's also some modern ones added to my collection. An angel sitting on a glass bell given to Alice last year, and a star a thoughtful friend brought round when I complained I had nothing to put at the top of my tree.

They may not all be the most tasteful items (to put it mildly) but they all have their stories and their place in my home. In our modern times, most people no longer live by the seasons and many of the high days and holidays of the past are long forgotten. I think Christmas is the perfect time to remember past times and think of future ones. In some small way, these little decorations help me do just that.