5th Day of Sock Yarn

On the 5th Day of Sock Yarn, Simply Sock Yarn gave to me...

one recently rediscovered skein of Prism yarn from the Yarns on Stage event in 2010.

To have a chance at this skein of sock yarn-a-liciousness, just answer the following question in the comments section below:

Do you decorate a tree this time of year?  If so, tell us if you prefer traditional colors and decorations that you've collected over the years, or if you like a more matchy-matchy tree that coordinates with your particular decor.  Or what about a theme?  If you don't decorate a tree this time of year, tell us about your favorite winter decoration- do you like berry wreathes?  Or perhaps just the clean, white snow that covers a formerly muddy landscape?

Our tree is decorated with a combination of Hallmark ornaments that I received every year of my life, along with some that James created, and very old glass balls.  Some of the glass balls came from my grandma, which means they are quite delicate and decades old, which I think makes an oddly interesting contrast to the hardened dough oranments James brings home from preschool.  I'd call this a "family tree"- nearly every ornament has an memory.  There's no star on the top, as the tree we chose is taller than our ceiling allowed.  This is evidenced by the brown scrapes on the ceiling when I told Joe "oh, it will fit once it's stood up all the way- just DO IT,"  Yeah, didn't make sense then either.  We have both wilte twinkle lights and colored lights all over the tree.  Sometimes we put up a 4 foot tall silver tree out too, and we have a bunch or fun retro ornaments for it, and pink lights, but I don't think that's going to happen this year.

Comments

[Cecilia David]

inspiration for socks for 2012. cd

[Lisa Viviano]

Family tree perfectly describes our tree. I too collect Hallmark ornaments for myself and loved ones. Added to that are lots of school/boy scout handmade ornaments and lots of old glass.

[Susan Benzer]

No,I don't decorate a tree due to allergies. I do make ornaments occasionally and give them away.

[Cathy Smith]

We do decorate a tree with the tried and true ornaments from years ago.

[Carol]

mostly handmade ornaments, needlepoint on plastic that my Granny made, felt ornaments from my church circle years ago, ceramics, painted wood and counted cross stitch from friends

[Jill]

Yes, we decorate a Christmas tree. My family and I use various Hallmark(R) ornaments that we have collected since our son was little. The cats love to sleep on the tree skirt.

[Sandra]

I do not decorate a tree... I have a small ceramic tree that just plugs in and lights up!

[mary]

Our tree is decorated with memories. Ornaments from my Mother, ornaments gathered from various happy times of our lives, ornaments I made when working at a craft shop, ornments my grandchildren gave me.

[Jean]

We have a tree and try to do it a little differently each year. This year it is covered in white lights and snowmen! Very pretty. Last year it was white lights and red balls (department store tree).

[deetyblue]

We decorate a tree, with crafted and gifted ornaments. My favorite ones are the family ornaments, the first ones were just for my husband and me (Marge & Homer, Kermit & Miss Piggy), now that we've got kids we get the recordable ornaments and have the kids sing. So fun to rediscover every year!

[Jess White]

I usually do decorate a tree, but this year we ate traveling to Florida, so we're taking a small, pre-lit tree with us!

[Elaine]

Our ree is an eclectic mix of yearly Hallmark ornaments, Avon ornament that my grandmother gave me as a child, handmade ornaments from the kids, and a lot of Scooby Doo ornaments from when the kids when through a Scooby Doo phase about 8 years ago.

[NancyN]

I decorate a tree each year with ornaments collected and made over the years. The only thing that changes is that some years I use white lights and some years colored ones.

[Mary Chrisman]

We decorate a big tree with multicolored (now LED) lights and all the ornaments we've collected through the years. To tie it all together I add colored glass balls in whatever color scheme turns me on. This year and last it's been red and lime. In the family room we have a small "alpine" tree with white lights and white and silver ornaments, mostly birds, snowflakes and crystals. Unfortunately both trees are artificial, but that's because we had a Siberian Husky who climbed trees and we didn't want to entice him to climb the Christmas tree!

[kristieinbc]

We have a real tree every year, but as the years progress we have gone more "minimalist" in our decorations. We string some lights, then put up just a few decorations. With a new puppy this year's tree is naked from the bottom half down!

[Judy]

I don't celebrate Christmas - no tree. However, I love to do needle-pointed ornaments for friends. I have a Chanukah wreath given to me by a good friend that is on display and a general winter themed wreath of silver and white that I hang up once my holiday is over.

[Sandy Landreth]

My mother in law passed away in October and I found several ornaments in her things that she had made. I had many more that she had made years ago for us. Our tree also has a crocheted strand of popcorn that my husbands grandmother made many years ago. There are many sweet memories of Christmas past on our tree this year. I also crocheted and knitted birds to put on the tree from my scrap yarns.

[Ann]

I'm a traditionalist--fresh cut tree, family legacy ornaments, icicles (hard to find these days), and then whatever else I have time to hang up throughout the house.

[Jackie]

We have two trees. The one I call "fancy" is in the living room of our home. It is red, burgundy and gold. A mix of bulbs collected over 42 years and 3 new Mark Roberts fairies. There is a star on top. The other tree has a natural theme. Lots of birds, pinecones, frogs, fish and other bulbs in colors of greens, browns, rusts and burgundy. The garland is made of leaves. The top is fern fronds.

[Jenn]

We do decorate a tree. With 4 growing girls it's full of their ornaments, the adult's ornaments stay in their box. So there isn't much theme, we try to get an ornament every year to represent each of the kids' interests. this year though, I filled ornaments for each of them with sock yarn in their colors.

[chevas]

Yes.....and it's funny b/c Dan and I are pretty much the only ones that see it=)

[Diane Eskritt]

I don't put up a tree because I am Jewish. Sometimes I decorate for 1) Chanukah or 2) with snowmen for winter but 1) it isn't as fun since the kids are grown and 2) doesn't make sense since we moved to southern CA.

[Shirley Beard]

I decorated 5 trees this year and they all have a special place in our home reflecting themes for each room in which they are found. The main tree in the living room is covered in ornaments so densely that very little green is seen underneath. The tree in our room is constructed of ornamental brass and is framed pictures of our family from Christmas through the years. Then we have one in our media/sports room reflecting our love of the Seattle Mariners. And my dining room is graced with a feather tree and it's European styling to coordinate with my love of Paris and France. Lastly the kitchen has its tree of retro baking.
My inner Mrs. Claus is showing.

[Stephanie V]

Even with my minimal decorations I have to have a tree. There are only family-meaningful decorations on it. I like the decorator trees in public places but for home traditional is best.

[tami]

we don't really do an inside tree, not enough room, but we do have a couple of little lighted trees outside and some snowflakes in the window.

[Mary Ann]

I too put up a traditional tree. Colored lights and ornaments made of Hardanger, felt, counted cross stitch and knitting.
I also have many cardinal ornaments that my children have found for me over the years.
The tree is very festive and many fond mermories are on it!

[Kim Deiro]

I do not decorate for Christmas. I have a little handmade Christmas Tree that hangs in our house year round. It stands for holding the Christmas season year round. When the grandkids got old enough to ask why we don't have a tree - I show them the one they didn't notice for years. I tell them we have a Christmas tree all the time, not just once a year. May the Spirit of Christmas be will ALL of you ALL year!!!

[Vicki]

I don't have a tree yet, but I would like it to be all white lights. Not sure what kind of ornaments, maybe just snowmen or snowflakes.

[Belinda]

We have little trees that we bring out each year.

[Carol]

Traditional colors with a collection of special ornaments/mementoes from each year. A gift each year includes a Christmas memory/ornament of some type which is added to the collection. And, of course, hand made ornaments. Plus my collection of Snowmen.

[Cynthia Parker]

We go the traditional route. Ornaments that have been picked up over the last fifty or sixty years. Yes, we have been married that long!

[Evie]

We do decorate a tree. Ours is a mishmash of decorations from all the years, some made by the children, some bought. It is lovely!

[Renee' Sawyer]

Yes, I decorate a tree. Mine is full of memories! My favorite decorations are my 3 daughters school pictures - from preschool thru high school. I look at their pictures and they bring up many wonderful memories. Also, my Grandma was big on giving ornaments for the Christmas tree - when I was little it was NOT my favorite gift, but she is gone now and every year when I take them out I am flooded with memories. I treasure each and every one. Throw in a few knitted ornaments from friends and the occasional Hallmark and it is a total hodge podge - AND I LOVE IT!

[Lynne]

We decorate a tree with ornaments collected for years, a number of the wood ones made by my father. At this point, each of our daughters (23 and 26) has a box of her own ornaments that go on the tree, but eventually they'll take those to more permanent establishments of their own!

[Connie]

We do a small tree and like to use the ornaments crafted by our kids in grade school.

[Terri]

Our Christmas tree is the 'star' of our Christmas decorations! Lots and lots of glass ornaments, cute little things my kids made in the '80s and "Old World Christmas" ornaments I have been collecting. It really is so pretty when we turn on the tree lights. It's my favorite time of year when I decorate the tree!

[Brenda]

Yes, we do have an Christmas tree up. We have more then one up. Each part of our house has something Christmas in each room. The tree's have homemade ornaments on them.
I started to make our own when the kids where little. Then every year since,we add a new handmade one to the tree. This year it's mini mittens.

[Sue]

I get a tree up and decorated—eventually. Quite possibly on the 23rd.... but then it stays up through the 12 days of Christmas. It's a 'live' tree, in a pot and gets used for a few years before being planted somewhere. The most important decoration is lights, after that, whatever I feel like putting on. Recently its been apples, ribbons and cones. All the special decorations are in a box, and may go on again some year.

[Janine]

I have two trees, now artifical. One is in the bay window in the front so you can see it from the street (show tree). It has small red and gold balls and red velvet ribbons. The one in our family room is our family tree - this one has the ornaments with a history - ornaments that the kids have made, ornaments from our travels (how about a roadrunner from Arizona?) some hand stitched ones, and a pickle (German tradition). A very cheerful tree.

[Kim Baker]

Definitely a family tree with handmade ornaments and old fashioned bubble lights.

[Merna]

No tree, no snow either, lots of yarn.

[Margo]

No we do not decorate a tree. I'd settle for frozen ground to deal with the muddy landscape but snow would work too.

[Susan C.]

We got our first tree just two years ago, so all of our ornaments are matching quicky purchases from the local garden center. I suspect over time we'll replace them with more sentimental ones!

[Holly]

No tree for me as I am Jewish, we do decorate for Hanukkah and I am looking for one giant menorah (the blow up kind like Santa Claus and Snowmen I see everywhere).

[Margaret]

I put up a real tree every year, decorated with white lights and a beautiful collection of ornaments that I have accumulated over the years, many received as gifts. A lot of great memories!

[Alison]

We don't usually have a tree. I do like the snow we've had this year!

[Lliisa]

I like to have a real Balsam fir,decorated with lots of glass balls and old ornaments that we've collected over the 33 years of married life.Kid stuff goes on too, including son's black paper Christmas spider.And now there's granddaughters' pictures and stuff on the tree too. I also collect reindeer of all sizes and material and there's some of them too on the tree.And now I've started making and collecting elves of all sorts.The reindeer have overflowed to outside this year.

[Kathy]

This year I didn't dig out the big tree, only the little tabletop tree. My grandsons decorated it with Hallmark mini ornaments and bells collected over the years.
The big tree is decorated with ornaments collected over the years. We were a military family so have ornaments with many memories.
I'll probably do dinner next year so I'll put up the big tree then and hopefully the grandsons will still find it fun to decorate Grandma & Grandpa's tree!

[Shirley]

I always buy a Christmas ornament whenever and wherever we travel, so my tree is filled with wonderful memories of the places we've been. Also, now that both my mother and my husband's mother are no longer with us, I have many of their ornaments on the tree, bringing back more beautiful memories.

[Christine]

We decorate our tree with ornaments we've collected over the years. I like getting the decorations out and seeing them every year. There are a lot of good memories associated with them.

[Jane]

No tree here. We really don't have room for one, so I substitute with pine boughs scattered around since I love the smell of Christmas. And I love snow! I'm disappointed that it looks like we won't have a white Christmas this year.

[Laura]

Yes, family tree decorated with memories...and we play the same Disney "Christmas With Mickey" cd every year as we decorate, even though the kids are college age now...sometimes they sneak in a little TSO Christmas music into decorating now, too, but only after the traditional one. Can't miss Goofy singing "5 onion rings" at some point in the "Twelve Days of Christmas" on the Disney CD!

[Kristen]

I actually don't have a tree. I always return to my parents home for Christmas, so "my" tree is there, and it's always decorated by the time I get there.

However, I recently moved to a new city, and live trees are VERY affordable here. I suspect I'll have my own next year!

[Nicky]

We decorate our tree with ornaments that have been collected over the years. Most of them have a fishing theme but the kids homemade ornaments have been added to the mix. Love looking at the all the ornaments and see all the memories associated with them. So much fun!

[Anne Sadlemire]

we have the traditional live tree decorated with ornaments filled with memories with an angel on top.

[Chaddy233]

I collect ornaments so I love decorating my tree. Mine are a hodge-podge of vintage inherited ornaments and gifts from friends. Homemade ones, wierd ones, ones picked up on vacation. I love my tree to remind me of happy memories.

[Georgienne]

Yes, we do a tree. We still use a live tree that we cut at a farm near us. Of course since it's just the 2 of us, I do the decorating. I miss having the excited kids that want to help. Ornaments include small socks, baskets of yarn, a knitting lady, and sheep.

[Debbie H]

I don't have a tree this year, my hubby is dying of pancreatic cancer, I'm busy taking care of him, so no Christmas for me this year. But I would love a present of this yarn! Debbie H gussek on Ravelry

[Sue]

We decorate our tree with ornaments we've collected over the years through our travels, so many of them are reminders of wonderful places we've visited.

[Loribird]

I have a tree this year, though the ornaments are nothing special (shatter-resistant balls in various colors & levels of sparkle-ness...) When I was a kid, my family decorated the tree with lots of ornaments that had been passed down - there were some that had belonged to my great-grandparents. Those were hung (by my parents) up near the top, away from little hands...
My favorites were some hollow balls decorated with scenes of carolers; they twisted apart into two halves and every Christmas morning we found that Santa had filled them with candies!

[Ruth]

As a retired person living in an area that has wonderful trees, we decorate the trees along our drive with 1 big red ornament on each tree. Since we rarely have anyone visit for the holidays, I do not decorate the inside of the house or a tree.

[Kay Morrissey]

We decorate a tree. The kids put the decorations on it. We have no theme, just whatever ornaments we like and have at hand. The tree is different every year and that makes it fun.

[[email protected]]

This year I'm a little out of sorts. Father is seriously ill and not at home. Mother was in a head-on car collission and due to her injuries is not home. I'm handling my dad's business and I am alone too. No brothers, no sisters, no husband, no children....My mom is artistic, so many years ago, she painted an eighteen inch ceramic evergreen tree with snow on its branches, and little holes at the end of the branches to insert plastic lights. There is a light inside of it, so, there are little plastic lights on top of each branch and the colors shine through them. I put a bed downstairs with hopes, but no one can come, so, at night I fall asleep on my dad's makeshift bed and wake up to the pretty little ceramic tree. A big tree would just be too much for me this year. The little one is a warm reminder of the holiday.

[Phyllis Oviatt]

I decorate a tree every year with all the precious decorations my two grown sons made during their growing-up years. All those handmade decorations bring back so many memories. They are now in their 40's and still enjoy helping to put those ornaments on the tree and talking about all the previous Christmases.

[Andrea]

We alternate staying in town and visiting my parents in California every other Christmas so I only buy and decorate a tree on the stay home years. When I do I have a color scheme of deep red and gold. I don't have a ton of ornaments that have been given to me so I only put my gold and red bulbs on the tree. I hang the ornaments on an ornament tree in the kitchen.

[Jo]

Usually I decorate a tree, but I wont be at home over the holiday, so I didn't put it up this year. I have a little silver tinsel tree with ornaments that match my furniture, green and blue and brown. I put white lights on it and have a sparkly green star for the top!

[nina]

We have a tree, and the boys decide on the colour theme each year, based on the ornaments we already have. I love the homemade ornaments the best - eventually I would like to have only ornaments the boys have made!

[Kim]

I wasn't going to do a tree this year -- I've been in a holiday blues mood -- but saw the most adorable knitted garland of mini-mittens. I just had to buy it. So, what is a garland without a tree. I looked and looked and finally found a skinny (weird because I always love FAT trees!) artificial tree that looked rustic...thought the mitten garland would go well. Put on tiny white lights and the garland. Didn't dig out the ornaments. Rather, I'm now assembling leftover yarn and starting to knit ornaments for it. No matter what other tree I have, this will be my knitted only tree!

[Ashley W]

My family always decorates a tree, and since my husband and I are staying home for the holidays this year we put up one too. It's a hodgepodge of ornaments from my childhood and ones we've acquired together. The tree topper is a popsicle stick and glitter star I made at age 4.

[Nancy]

We put up an artificial tree each year. it is pre-lit with tiny white lights, and we add strings of old-fashioned bubble lights. Our ornaments are a mix of old-style glass ornaments collected over the decades and things that are home-made. We also finish off our tree with tinsel (which has become hard to find in the stores). Like yours, our tree holds years and years of family memories. This year I am busy knitting Julekuler from the book 55 Christmas Balls to Knit. I am giving most of them away, but will keep some for our tree. I'm using sock yarns, and it is a great way to use up old leftovers.

[Michelle]

Our tree is full of old glass and handmade ornaments from my parents, along with some of the more current ornaments that we've gotten as presents the past couple of years. We just have plain white lights on it, but the glass Santa tree topper really compliments the ornaments. We also have a smaller tree with multi-coloured lights, which is where we hang all of our older Hallmark ornaments.

[Holli]

Our tree must have colored lights and all the ornaments have a story. Many were given to me when I got married. I had an ornament shower. On trips we buy ornaments as our souvenirs, the cornier the better. My favorite is Mount Rushmore in a wreath. And then there's the Danforth pewter annual ornaments for every year of my son's life. The angel on the top was given to me by my parents. We always do angels, never stars. And the tree must be down by New Year's. This is an Alabama thing I've transferred to Tennessee.

[Donna]

Since the arrival of the grands we rarely spend the holidays at home. I have a small (2'?) ceramic tree that my sister made for me years ago. It is a creamy opalescent color with little colored Christmas tree lights. When my girls were little, I crocheted little stockings which were just the right size for a small candy cane & bells which had 1" Christmas tree ornaments as clappers. I also made a lot of baker's clay ornaments with the girls. Other than that, the tree held solid colored glass balls, icicles & little twinkly colored lights. I love an old fashioned looking tree with hand made ornaments, including the ones children make.

[Savannagal]

I decorate a tree with all sorts of ornaments I've collected and made, children in the family have made, and ones that I've bought through the years. Each one has a story and I love taking them out every year and reminiscing. Thanks much for the giveaway. Happy holidays!

[Abby]

I have not decorated a tree in years, but now that I have a granddaughter, I may change that. But not this year.

[Dawn]

We downsized our tree from quite a large tree that took up way too much space to a smaller 4 foot tree. We rotate the ornaments we put on it each year. Most of our ornaments are handmade or Hallmark ones.

We stick with white lights, pre-lit of course! To save that stress point!

[KathyB]

No tree this year; too much going on at work. Finishing up mittens for the shelter, which seems more rewarding than a tree this year.

[Annette]

We decorate two trees. My granddaughter decided this year's theme is going to be reindeer,so the ornaments are reindeer.

[Ruth viste]

No tree since I got a dog with a waggly tail....

[Donna]

We also decorate with Hallmark ornaments from years past. Right now our tree has lights and thats it! Seems each year we get the tree up later than the year before.

[carlee]

No tree this year, but a Della Robia wreath over the fireplace and one on the front door.

[Terri]

Our tree is very traditional: mulit colored lights, bulb ornaments for each year that we have been married (dated) and some other small ones that fill in. And of course, there is an Angel on top.

[Irene]

Our tree has decorations from my childhood and ones I have collected over the years. And white lights.

[Marianne]

I decorate the tree, with a mixture of ornaments - not matchy matchy at all! I like a few white lights and some glitter feathers too

[julie]

Our tree is decorated with a mix of ornaments made by the kids and ornaments collected from our travels. We get a new ornament from each city we visit.

[Kristin]

I prefer a more eclectic tree for our family, gathering ornaments over the years.

[Melanie]

I have a huge box of ornaments I didn't even bother with this year because my girls bring so many handmade creations home from preschool. I love eclectic trees full of memories!

[Karen R]

We are trying our first artificial tree this year and with that goes a whole new way to decorate it...no more Hallmark and beads...now simple balls and ribbons...nice change

[Chocolattebutton.wordpress.com]

We keep collecting xmas tree decorations over years, would like to have small collection by the time kids (4) will grow up, so i can pass on each of them box full of memories.

[Kelly]

I switch it up every year. One year it's traditional with ornaments that have been collected over the years, the next it might be contemporary and color coordinated!

[Gale]

We have a little bit of everything from thing's the girl's made me to thing's other people have given us. I have made some with girls to. Alot of memories!

[Martha from Ohio]

ours is definitely a family tree but with a growing number of hand-stitched and knitted ornaments; every year we change out a few things. White lights on a pre-lit tree.

[Debby]

I haven't gotten the tree up and decorated this year, but there's still a week, so who knows. If I can get the rest of the presents I want to get knitted done in time, I'm hoping to get the tree up. We decorate with a mix of ornaments collected over the last 40 years. It's what I would call a family Christmas tree like many others have mentioned.

[Ann Austerman]

I don't decorate a tree anymore because I'm living in a small apartment. I do have a mini-tree that I put out on the table. This year I received some ornament kits and I've strung some garland around the living room doorway and decorated it with the home made ornaments. My sons do put up trees, so I try to include an ornament each year as a Christmas memory.

[Jill Noblitt]

We used to decorate a tree until the cats arrived! Now the mantel is the only safe place for our decorations!

[Sue J]

Last year, the tree was decorated with white lights and red ornaments. It was really pretty.
This year, I have ornaments I bought my children when they were growing up, wooden, painted Christmas shapes, with their names and the year painted on them. It's way more sentimental............I go awwww every time I turn the lights on the tree.

[Sarah]

We have a live tree decorated with ornaments collected from special events or trips and ornaments made by my children.

[Sharon Hurlbut]

Our tree is decorated with individual ornaments - no bulbs - including lots of Hallmark collected over the years and many knit, crochet, beaded, and needlepoint ornaments made by my grandmother over 40 years ago.

[Kathy Sue]

We have a HUGE collection of blown glass ornaments, so they rotate through getting onto the tree. I like lots of lights, white and colored. And my Tinkerbell collection, of course. Usually we have a fake tree because of allergies, but this year I found a fir bush that has no sap and I guess no pollen. It is a bush, not a tree, so it looks kind of weird, but it is a nice change from the fake thing! I think the soil is an issue, so it won't stay up til the end of January, but that's OK, at least we tried.

[Susan]

Our tree is a collection of one off pieces, and things that we've collected over the years. There are memories in those items, also I have knitted some mini socks which look great this year.