The Tree - 2011

Growing up, my family tree was always decorated with tons of colourful sparkling lights and ornaments collected and saved for ages. Even today, my parents still trim their tree with those vintage lights and ornaments, and I love being there every year to help adorn the branches of the real tree my father, brother, B and myself venture out to cut down. However, growing up with this sentimental mish mash of ornaments and lights has always had me craving a beautifully planned out tree, and since I was about 18, I've been collecting my own ornaments in blues, whites and silvers - that now make up the tree that stands in our living room.

I love me a real tree, and I'm glad I can still get my fill when we visit my parents. (We also have plans to incorporate a real tree into our Christmas traditions starting next year). For now, we're happy with our Home Depot purchased artificial tree... and a Yankee candle that smells of balsam. 

Some of my favourite ornaments? The tin Victorian tinsel that we purchased at the One of A Kind Show a few years back. It adds that extra sparkle to our tree every year...

Our tin snowflakes. We actually bought these at RONA on boxing day a few years back. They were ridiculously inexpensive, with it being the day after Christmas, and we got them for less than a dollar each!

These white porcelain ornaments I grabbed at The Bay last December, the week before Christmas. They were already marked down and I knew they would be the perfect addition to our tree... so I grabbed four.

The one ornament that makes it onto our tree each year, without being white, blue or silver - is the Jameson bauble that we bought on our trip to Dublin in 2009. It was our first trip overseas together, so it's a special memory for us. 

And new to our tree this year - this sweet baby's first Christmas ornament gifted to us by my parents! I've put them front and center, and they look so sweet. 

Even our tree skirt matches well. This blue suede skirt, with white fur trim came home with us from Massachusetts after our Thanksgiving trip there in 2009... and I still adore it!

I'm linking up our sparkly blue tree today with Megan over at Honey We're Home for the Holiday Blog Link party.

How do you decorate your tree? Do you keep it the same year after year like we do - or do you like to switch it up and try something new?