Cruise-Themed Christmas

[bepsf]

I decided this week that I'm staying home for Christmas this year - which will be the first year here in SF in quite a long time.

So I was looking online for Christmas-decor ideas - when I ran across this on the Pottery Barn site:

http://www.potterybarn.com/shop/holiday-decor/christmas-tree-ideas/travel-tree/

...and it suddenly hit me: Why can't I use all those things I've collected from my own travels over the years to make my own travel-themed Christmas decorations?

All those postcards, HAL tiles, Luggage Tags, Airplane-shaped Salt & Pepper shakers, etc. would make great Christmas ornaments!

Has anyone else ever done something like this?

Is this something you might want to try too?

I'm excited to start getting busy decorating this weekend!

(Did I mention I have to pack for a cruise too?)

:D

[mountainmare]

I have a tree completely decorated with travel stuff, keychains, ornaments etc, and flamingo lights and sea shells. Everyone always wants to see what is new on the "trip tree"

[bepsf]

I have a tree completely decorated with travel stuff, keychains, ornaments etc, and flamingo lights and sea shells. Everyone always wants to see what is new on the "trip tree"

 

How cool!

Will you take photos and share with us?

:)

[Micmac]

What a great idea! Hopefully you will share a picture?

 

I am ironically traveling the entire month so I am not sure I am going to decorate - maybe I can live vicariously through your tree!

 

Happy Decorating (and packing)!

[innlady1]

I decided this week that I'm staying home for Christmas this year - which will be the first year here in SF in quite a long time.

 

So I was looking online for Christmas-decor ideas - when I ran across this on the Pottery Barn site:

http://www.potterybarn.com/shop/holiday-decor/christmas-tree-ideas/travel-tree/

 

...and it suddenly hit me: Why can't I use all those things I've collected from my own travels over the years to make my own travel-themed Christmas decorations?

 

All those postcards, HAL tiles, Luggage Tags, Airplane-shaped Salt & Pepper shakers, etc. would make great Christmas ornaments!

 

Has anyone else ever done something like this?

Is this something you might want to try too?

 

I'm excited to start getting busy decorating this weekend!

(Did I mention I have to pack for a cruise too?)

:D

 

Wonderful idea, Brian...and there's even a stocking on the PB site with your name!!!

 

Our decorations span our 40 years together and my favorite part of Christmas is decorating the tree and seeing all the ornaments I've collected over the years...ones our kids made when they were little, ones our grandchildren have made...and ones from every place we've traveled...I even have two or three from the Noordam...reminds me I need to buy a Maasdam next cruise! I forgot to look for one on our last cruise.

 

Have a wonderful cruise...and have fun decorating your travel tree...please post photos...it'll be awesome, I'm sure.

[sparky-elpaso]

Great idea. I don't do a tree anymore - our 2 cats would probably look at it as a gigantic toy.

[Rowsby]

Great idea.....how fun....!!!

[azrose]

My tree isn't totally dedicated to "travel"....but I always try to purchase an ornament from my trips - ports / hotel stays. When I am decorating the tree each year, I remember all of the wonderful places I have been blessed to see.

[Boytjie]

I have a tree completely decorated with travel stuff, keychains, ornaments etc, and flamingo lights and sea shells. Everyone always wants to see what is new on the "trip tree"

 

We once attended a party where they had a similar tree - very cool.

 

I collect things on travels - not always Christmas ornaments - and use it to decorate but it's not an exclusive travel tree.

[ellbelle]

My tree isn't totally dedicated to "travel"....but I always try to purchase an ornament from my trips - ports / hotel stays. When I am decorating the tree each year, I remember all of the wonderful places I have been blessed to see.

 

 

Mine isn't totally travel either, need to have the ornaments that DD has made! Sometimes if I can't find just the right ornament, I'll get a key chain, small picture frame to hang (adding photo of trip). Our keepsake "ornament" from a trip to Disneyland this past summer is a 2011 Disneyland lanyard with a picture of us on a ride, our park passes and a World of Color hat pin. I love taking these out every year and reliving the memories.

 

You have a great start on your tree already! Have fun decorating, I'll bet you will find this tree to be your favorite yet!

[Nurse 3D]

For every destination, I purchase an ornament that reminds me of the blessings I have had to see those places. I have collected some great ones and some cheesy ones but I have multiple trees in the house. Starting this weekend to decorate before I leave on my cruise on the eurodam next weekend

[luv2travell]

[3rdGenCunarder]

I love house tours (OK, I admit it, I'm nosy!), and there are two good ones in my town every year. One is a Christmas tour, and one year a house on the tour belonged to people who travel a lot. In the guest room, instead of a bedside table, they used a stack of vintage luggage with handles loaded with tags. Every bedroom had a hotel "do not disturb" sign on it, sometimes, more than one.

 

Their Christmas tree was decorated with the usual ornaments plus all kinds of travel bits and pieces--old lift tickets, luggage tags, etc. A fun and very personal idea.

 

I was so inspired by this house, that when I redecorated our powder room, I gave it a travel theme. It's decorated with all sorts of tchotchkes from our travels. It even gets its own mini-Christmas tree (1 foot high, sits on a shelf), which I decorate with small ornaments bought on our travels.

[erewhon]

 

Thank you for posting this Christmas tree photo.

Really great.

[Boytjie]

We have used many a cruise souvenir as Christmas tree ornaments. :)

[PathfinderEss]

That is an awesome tree, wow.........:D

 

 

[fatcat04]

We specifically look for Christmas ornaments (or things that can be used as ornaments) when we travel. It is so much fun pulling them out of their packaging every year and saying "Oh you remember when we got this!!???" and then putting it on the tree. So many good memories from all over the globe. So blessed to have been so many wonderful places and met so many fantastic people. :)

[fatcat04]

What a great tree luv2travell!!! :D

[Krazy Kruizers]

I decided this week that I'm staying home for Christmas this year - which will be the first year here in SF in quite a long time.

 

So I was looking online for Christmas-decor ideas - when I ran across this on the Pottery Barn site:

http://www.potterybarn.com/shop/holiday-decor/christmas-tree-ideas/travel-tree/

 

...and it suddenly hit me: Why can't I use all those things I've collected from my own travels over the years to make my own travel-themed Christmas decorations?

 

All those postcards, HAL tiles, Luggage Tags, Airplane-shaped Salt & Pepper shakers, etc. would make great Christmas ornaments!

 

Has anyone else ever done something like this?

Is this something you might want to try too?

 

I'm excited to start getting busy decorating this weekend!

(Did I mention I have to pack for a cruise too?)

:D

 

The only thing we do is one special Christmas tree that has ornaments from all over the world.

The other trees are decorated with normal christmas ornaments.

Ho HAL tiles, postcards, luggage tags, etc on anything or anywhere displayed for Christmas.

[3rdGenCunarder]

We specifically look for Christmas ornaments (or things that can be used as ornaments) when we travel. It is so much fun pulling them out of their packaging every year and saying "Oh you remember when we got this!!???" and then putting it on the tree. So many good memories from all over the globe. So blessed to have been so many wonderful places and met so many fantastic people. :)

 

I agree! I'm very sentimental about souvenirs. I have the same feeling you do when I take out ornaments from our travels. I have found that a good way to get small things for the tree is to buy key chains and take the little object off the key chain and put it on a tree hook.

 

THANK YOU to everyone who posted about Christmas trees (plural)! It's nice to know I'm not the only one with multiple trees. :D

[solocanadian]

Great idea. I don't do a tree anymore - our 2 cats would probably look at it as a gigantic toy.

One of my two cats would treat it as a toy & scratching post. Haven't done a tree in 3 years & miss it but I love my Lucy! :)

[serendipity1499]

Christmas is my favorite time of year & I leave my tree up forever! Last year we moved from our big house into a smaller Condo & I refused to give any of our Christmas things away..I've collected things from all over the world since I started in the Airline industry in 1956..

 

The only things, we gave away were few wreathe's for our patio doors & our very large tree..This year I decided to get a smaller tree, but guess what, we bought another tree which goes to the ceiling..Had to bend the top branch down to put the star on top..I love Santa's too, & have Santa heads with the ornaments from around the world & some balls on our tree..

 

Just mentioned to a Friend that we'll have to take our tree down early this year as we leave on our cruise Jan 5 for SA...She said why not keep it up until you get home..LOL. This is our old tree from three diferent sides..

 

[erewhon]

I agree! I'm very sentimental about souvenirs. I have the same feeling you do when I take out ornaments from our travels. I have found that a good way to get small things for the tree is to buy key chains and take the little object off the key chain and put it on a tree hook.

 

THANK YOU to everyone who posted about Christmas trees (plural)! It's nice to know I'm not the only one with multiple trees. :D

 

You are not alone with multiple Christmas trees.

Takes me weeks to do complete our Christmas Decorating.:D

[serendipity1499]

Christmas is my favorite time of year..I've been collecting ornaments from different places since 1956 when I first started in the Airline Business..

 

Then after DH & I were married I started collecting Santa & Nautical ornaments..When we moved from our house, I refused to give any Christmas decorations away except our large tree & a couple of wreaths, only because 1/2 the lights were out..Decided last year to purchase a smaller tree, but that didn''t work, so had to bend the branch down on the new tree to fit the star on it..;);)

 

Our tree always stays up until the end of Jan, but mentioned to my Friend last week that we will have to take it down early since we leave on our cruise Jan 5..She said, "why not leave it up till you get back" Hmmm.....I'm thinking of doing just that..

 

This is our old tree taken from three different angles..

 

[luv2travell]

thank you all for the nice comment, atleast now i know im not the only one who collect christmas ornaments,cant wait to see what im going to bring home from our baltic cruise this coming aug

 

marion,