Christmas Tree Picture Ornaments

Christmas 2011
 

Are you tired of packing and storing all your Christmas ornaments?

Christmas 2012

When I was younger we had a fire at our house and ALL our ornaments were burned.  In a matter of seconds the Christmas tree we once knew would never be the same.  Did it change our Christmas the next year? NO.  It was a little sad when it was time to decorate, but we still had all the memories and best of all we still had each other.  

I don't know if it was the fire or just the fact that I have never been a fan of having "extra" stuff, but a few years ago I was in need of ANOTHER plastic tub to hold all of our ornaments and I decided the madness had to stop.

I always felt weird buying big plastic tubs to store all our ornaments in for 11 months of the year, but that didn't stop me from buying all the "cute" ornaments I saw. 

If we didn't buy ornaments then what would we use to decorate our tree?

How about................PICTURES!!!!

We filled our tree up with special pictures from throughout the year!  

My husband put a title on each picture before we printed them out.

6 Sparkly Polliwog Kids

  

(You could also use white address labels and write a title on each one before sticking it to the picture) 

The kids LOVED looking at all the fun things we did that year and I loved not having to buy another plastic tub.

On New Years Day I took down all the pictures and put them in a photo book.  I also included all the Christmas cards with pictures that were sent to us and any important papers from the year.  

It's fun, cheap, and a great way to celebrate all the special days throughout the year.  It's also a great way to keep pictures and papers organized.  If the kids really like a picture they bring home from school I just have them hold it up and I take a picture of them holding it. 

No more plastic tubs for me!!! 

**We back up all our pictures on an external hard drive, just in case something happens to the photo album.

Here is how I did it:

1. Pick out all the pictures you would like to have on your tree.  This year we did about 75.  

2.  Put a title on each picture using Photoshop.......or fill out the white address labels and print pictures.

3.  Start making bows.  I used red ribbon this year, but last year I just used paper clips.

I used a water bottle to tie my bow.  After you make one use that as a guide and cut all your ribbon the same size....... then start tying! 

Make enough for each picture you want to put up

4.  Punch holes in each picture.

5.  Put ribbon thru the hole with the bow in the front.

6.  Put bow thru the back of the ribbon.

7.  Pull tight and now your picture ornament is ready!!!

My kids wanted to put a few of our old ornaments on the tree this year with the pictures

 Can you see our elf "Bongos" hiding in the tree?