Really lovely tradition that I first heard on mumsnet - I want to pass it on to others.....

[IlanaK]

We buy a personalised bauble for each child each year that has their name and the year on it. The idea is that when they are 18 and leave home, they have their own collection for their tree. My eldest is 8 and therefore has 8 in his box and it is his favourite part of christmas - getting them out and hanging them on the tree. I have 3 kids, so they each have their own box and decorations and they hang them on the tree themselves. It makes for a lovely meaningful tree too.

We have started buying them for my nephew too in the hope his parents will continue the tradition for him.

I first heard the idea on mumsnet many many years ago so I thought I would pass it on.

[allaboutme]

where do you get personalised baubles from?

[norfolkBRONZEturkey]

was it me? not sur eif I talked about it on here

[norfolkBRONZEturkey]

oh no it wasn't I write on mine with those silver and gold pens and I've only done it since my first was small and hes only 6 so couldnt have been
Great minds though

[comefollowthatstarwithme]

Oh I do that too I think I posted on here about it last year.

[IlanaK]

Sadly, I can't remember who it was - but thank you to whoever!

I get them from here

[WeThreeNinks]

That's a lovely thought but what if they want co-ordinating baubles or have set up house with their partner?

I can just imagine it:

"AIBU to think that MIL is totally out of order to insist that we decorate our tree with her PFB's baubles now that he is a grandfather himself?"

[PCPlumIsMyHomeboy]

Oooh, look, some here:

[http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/shop/christmas/christmas-home/personalised-decorations]]

[FiveGoMadInDorset]

What a lovely idea, will investigate further tomorrow.

[geordieminx]

I do this.... Dh thinks I'm mad and there is no way that ds is going to want 20 odd baubles with his name on when he leaves home... I guess its a bit weird isnt it.. imagine you meet a bloke, set up home, and he produces a bag full of baubles with "Kevin/Mike/Craig" on them...

[norfolkBRONZEturkey]

we three ninks
ours are plain glass (with writing on) they go with most stuff

[norfolkBRONZEturkey]

looking at that link maybe I should venture out I now have quite a few 14 or so

[IlanaK]

My kids all have unusual names. But you specify the name and they make it.

[wannaBe]

lovely while they're little, but tbh I imagine the novelty will wear off at about the same time as the belief in Santa does.

Bit mad to think that they'll take them with them when they leave home but each to their own I guess..

[WeThreeNinks]

IlanaK yes, but would my future son-in-law be happy with DD's name all over the family Christmas tree when his isn't?

[norfolkBRONZEturkey]

mine arent taking them I'm going to keep them to enthrall the grandchildren with when they visit (might even do them some too)

[crumpetsolo]

I got a personalised bauble from here when DS was born - it is absolutely beautiful, and nicer than anything I've seen anywhere else. We've bought them for christening pressies for our godchildren too. Personalised with name, date of birth etc is £18, but they are really lovely.

[IlanaK]

If they don't want to take them with them, then I am happy to have the lot to decorate my tree.

As to the novelty wearing off, I doubt it - but that's how my kids are. As you say, to each their own.

[GoldenSnitch]

I sort of do this.

When DH and I first set up home together (when he was still Boyfriend) we bought a tree for our house and a pack of plain baubles.

Every year, I take one of the plain baubles and decorate it. We have "Our First Christmas - 2004", "Mr & Mrs - 2005", "waiting for baby - 2006" "DS's First Christmas - 2007" etc and this year I will make "DD's First Christmas - 2009"

Our cheap, plain baubles are now a lovely reminder of our Christmases togther and make decorating the tree extra special.

They are mine though. As others have said, one days the DC's will be grown ups and will want to make a life and memories with thier own other halves. Maybe I'll buy them thier own set of plain baubles when the time comes

[WeThreeNinks]

norfolkBRONZE you have struck the perfect balance. I dread to think what might have happened to eighteen years worth of lovingly-chosen Christmas ornaments bought my my parents when I first left home.

All smashed in a party-fuelled haze I should imagine and I probably wouldn't have given a toss

[HerBeatitude]

If my children want co-ordinated baubles, I will have failed as a mother.

[blowninonabreeze]

I am an adult recipient of this tradition (sort of) They aren't personalised as such but each year when we were growing up we recieved a tree decoration each. My mum pasckaged them up for me when I got married.

When I decorate the tree I have my baby's first Christmas Bauble alongside DD1's and DD2s.

I love it, each decoration is really special to me, some of them 30 years old and we've carried on the tradition with our DDs.

[blowninonabreeze]

Agree fully with HerBeautitude

[blowninonabreeze]

Should add the when Dsis I reached about 16, mum and dad realised that we intended to take the decorations with us at some point and that they were facing a bare Christmas tree at some point in the future.

So they started buying one each for each other too

I still get mine each year from mum

[LynetteScavo]

LOL at the thought of my DC's leaving home at 18. I imagine they will be returne to our house at Christmas untill they are at least 21. (They will won't they?)

There are so many reasons not to do this, I don't know whree to start!