Decorating the Family Tree Christmas Tree

This year, I have put together a "Family Tree" themed Christmas tree.   I'd like to show you how it came together.

For this tree, I used the slim-line artificial pre-lit tree, and added extra strings of green lights.  As a garland I chose gold beads and then added a strand of craft beads that the kids had strung together about 10 years ago.

The strand of craft beads are the same beads that I used to make the Family Photo Ornaments, so it ties nicely together.  I like the idea that we're using a craft project from when the kids were little, it ties into the same sentiment as the rest of the tree, I think.

Next up, I added some colorful but simple ball ornaments to give the tree some color, since the photo ornaments are going to be plain white with black printing.

The tree was still pretty bare, and so I needed more to go on it in addition to the photos.  So I dug through all my Christmas ornaments and found any and all angels.  I like the symbolism, the angels representing the family members who have passed and are here in spirit from heaven.

Here are just a few of the angels on the tree.  Clockwise from top left:  our daughter's First Christmas angel; a Breast Cancer Awareness angel to honor my mother in law who passed away of cancer; a hand-carved angel made by my dad; another hand-carved and painted angel by my dad; the plastic angel that adorned the tree when I was a little girl (my mom just gave this to me last week); and the angel that my husband and I put at the top of our tiny little tree the first year we were married.

The angel tree topper is special, it was crocheted by hand by my mother in law.   She was such a wonderful woman, I've always thought of her as an angel, and now she watches over us all from heaven.

Finally, I hung the family photo ornaments that I made last week.   I tried to keep things organized by family grouping, with the older generations on the top of the tree, and the siblings and their families kept together in the same areas.  I've rearranged things quite a few times since I snapped these photos, and still might make more changes as I add more photos.

At the top, my mom and dad.

Also at the top, my husband's mom and dad.

This is the area for me, my husband, and our kids.

There are too many groupings to show all of them, but there are a couple special ones:  my mother in law pictured underneath the angel that represents her,

and my dad, pictured near a cardinal that represents him.

I'm still gathering photos from our grandparents' generation and our aunts and uncles and cousins.  

This tree is not the most fancy one you'll ever see, and it doesn't follow all the rules of design and decor, but it is so special to me and my family.  I love it, and I'm so happy to have it in our home this year!

Thank you for visiting!  I hope you'll say hello in the comments section.  Have a great holiday season!

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Linking to:

Between Naps On The Porch:  Metamorphosis Monday

Creative Country Mom:  Christmas in the Country Holiday Link Up

A Delightsome Life:  A Return to Loveliness

StoneGable:  The Scoop

Fluster Buster:  Fluster's Creative Muster