(This entry is a part of A Photojunkie Christmas, and there are more pictures of our 2003 tree here)

My daughter was given one of those brass 'Baby's First Christmas' ornaments, engraved "D'arby 1990," shortly after she was born. At the time, I was unemployed and my Christmas decorations were limited to the dozen-for-a-buck ornaments from the drugstore, crowded together on a Charlie Brown-sized tree. I decided that each year, we'd buy a few new ornaments and eventually get rid of the glass balls.

She's 13 now. We only make or buy one ornament a year each. The balls are long gone because, even though we've moved on up to a 6' Noble fir, there's no room left for them. We ooh and ahh as we unpack our ornaments every year -- Remember that one Christmas? -- reminiscing about the clay ballet slippers she picked out after a Nutcracker performance; the glittery seashells on green ribbons made by the girl who's been her best friend since the first day of second grade; the handpainted glass bee that's a private joke between my boyfriend (who will be buying his fourth ornament with us this year) and I; the beaded snowflakes made by our cousin Lisa, who died two years ago at the age of 20...and my favorite, an angel made by a friend of mine who cut up a picture of D'arby as a toddler and crafted wings and a halo for her.

Those boxes encapsulate all the special events, and, more importantly, the people who have touched and shared in our lives since my daughter's birth, and sifting through them is my favorite of our traditions.

Mr. Snowman here is the latest addition to our collection, sent by Brandon in Indiana via the 2003 Blog Ornament Exchange. Mr. Snowman's a little lonely, because he's been sitting on the tree all by himself, but soon he'll be surrounded by 13 years worth of friends.

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