Display Your Antique Ornaments

Sadly, I have no remaining Christmas tree ornaments from my childhood, though, I've taken great care to properly store the ornaments from my son's childhood. Every year I wrap them in tissue paper, and they're never stores in a garage, basement or attic. They're placed in a closet that's located in a part of the house where the temperature and humidity are relatively constant.

Fortunately, some of the ornaments from my husband's childhood survived. Every year we place some of them in an antique fruit compote that belonged to his mother. It may be my favorite decoration of the season. The compote is not especially large, and the ornaments are not particularly elaborate or of great value, but they are part of his tradition, and that is where their true value lies. As we unwrap them every year, we admire the beauty of the subtle colors and the soft patina that can only be achieved with the passing of years. It's a ritual that reminds him of his mother and father and Christmases past.

Some of the following ideas that could be utilized in displaying fragile antique ornaments, remind me of our own holiday tradition.

Photo: Steven Randazzo

Photo: Janis Nicolay

Photo: Keith Scott Morton

Photo: Robin Stubbert

Photo: Steven Randazzo

Photo: Keith Scott Morton

Country Living