Christmas ornament traditions

Buzz Baby is a column about life with little ones. Writer Annie McQueen is a mother of four children under the age of 9.

The Solar family has a cherished Christmas ornament tradition that has been carried throughout generations. Rachel Solar, a realtor, and her husband, Sebastien, a bank president, are parents to Sebby, 10, Beau, 8, and Pia Jane, 4. 

This tradition was started by Rachel’s grandmother, Myriam Martin, a Santa Claus collectible enthusiast. Each year, when Rachel and her siblings and cousins were young, her grandmother gifted her grandchildren a Santa Christmas ornament. She would usually tie the ornament to a gift, adding to the excitement of opening their gifts. Every child received a different one. The tree was covered in Santa ornaments, making a big, colorful display full of Christmas cheer.  

The tradition started when they were babies so as she grew into her teens, then 20s, a beautiful collection of keepsakes from childhood filled her tree. As the ornaments faded, they still looked as pretty as ever hanging on the branches of the family tree. 

The collecting of Santa Claus ornaments evolved into a family tradition that has marked the passage of years. “I have a crochet angel from my [other] grandmother Mary Etheridge, who passed away in 2017. It was always on her tree, and now it is forever on mine,” said Rachel.

Today, Rachel has embraced the tradition for her children. “I am a highly sentimental person,” she said. It is not about having a designer tree, or ornaments too valuable or fragile to touch; for the Solar family, it is about displaying little trinkets that hold a lot of meaning.

She changed it up a bit from her childhood; instead of a Santa ornament for each child, Sebby gets a star ornament, Beau gets a bear ornament, and Pia Jane gets a bell ornament. Rachel describes their tree as far from a curated masterpiece; it is a collection of ornaments that tell stories of years gone by, family history, special times, and generations. “The tree reflects the different phases of our lives," Rachel says. “It's our very own memory book."

Strolling through their home during the holiday season, the warmth of the Christmas spirit can be felt from the living room where their tree sits. Every ornament has a tale to tell. Among them, special ornaments mark the arrival of each child’s first Christmas. The children wear Christmas outfits and pose in front of their tree in front of their memory books of ornaments. 

The Solar family’s Christmas tradition is an annual opportunity to celebrate the joy of family and togetherness and carry on a tradition that meant so much to Rachel as a child and does to this day. It serves as a reminder that sometimes the most valuable gifts are often the simplest ones.

This ornament magic is also felt by the Rucker family. They have created a special tradition for their kids, Genevieve, 11, Weston, 9, and Hayden, 6. “It started when they were born,” said their mom, Jacqui Rucker. “I bought them each something special, and then as the years passed, I got them something that related to a first, like a seashell for the first time to the beach, a tooth for losing their first tooth, a football for the first time playing.” 

Poppy and Wills Cumbie’s handmade ornaments hang on their tree. 

Her children eagerly anticipate their yearly ornament. “They love guessing what it will be,” said Jacqui. These ornaments are more than mere decorations; they represent milestones and achievements for the kids to proudly hang on the tree.

The Cumbie family collects handmade ornaments with their children’s photos made from school photos. Lindsey Cumbie and her husband Sean have two children, Poppy, 5, and Wills, 4. Their tree becomes like a scrapbook of memories from the passing years, holding memories and adding more each year.

An ornament might be small, but its meaning can be so big. These families come together during the holiday season to celebrate the Christmas season, and in ways that give even more meaning to a meaningful time of the year. Now, that is a tradition worth passing on.