Treasured Ornaments for a Unique Christmas

While I absolutely adore all sorts of trends, I just can't get behind the fashion for a completely different Christmas tree every year—whether it's entirely golden, decked out with bows, or some quirky version.

Did these people never experience the joy of diving into a family treasure chest of Christmas ornaments and decorations on a delightful December day? I remember every year unearthing the same old decorations and yet feeling just as excited to rediscover each piece as if it were new.

Our family treasure trove is only three years old now, but let me show you what we've managed to collect so far!

1️⃣ For our first tree in Abu Dhabi, we bought all sorts of trinkets from Flying Tiger. I even found some amazing Santa Clauses on camels! That year, my mother-in-law gifted us some handmade ornaments. Only this year did I finally hang up the shells we collected from the beach back then. We also picked up this gorgeous tree topper in Abu Dhabi!

2️⃣ The second tree was in Yerevan. I created little flags from Armenian postcards and wedding gift photos. There's a ridiculous panda ornament, part of my charitable initiative "No one would ever buy these." I gifted similar quirky ornaments to friends as well.

My mom also lent me a pine cone and a small drum from her treasure chest!

3️⃣ The nutcracker became our first ornament from London, bought from that charming antique shop. This year, I couldn't resist adding another paper garland—my social media is overflowing with them!

Strangely enough, my husband and I either burned through or exchanged our main New Year's gifts. So, we decided that before the holiday, we’d put three small gifts under the tree for each other.