Our 2014 Christmas Tree and Some of Its Special Ornaments

I just wanted to highlight some of the special ornaments on our tree this year. The camera and donkey are fairly modern; the rest have been in my family since I was a kid and even then they were old: passed to us by grandparents and great grand parents - so many are probably around 100 years old (some may have come from Germany).

 No lights this time around - just ornaments. The tree is a Colorado Spruce that will be planted somewhere on the acreage in a few days.

Santas just don't look this serious anymore.

Hand blown glass...needs some tail feathers I think.

This is hand-blown glass and feather-light. Ooh, there's a modern robot at lower right.

The face is a lithograph

I restrung the web this year, which I also restrung at least 55 years ago. The spider itself has survived just fine.

  

I found this and another donkey at a yard sale somewhere. It is probably made in Mexico of very fragile, low-fire clay. I've had to epoxy several broken legs. Melina loves donkeys, so although this isn't officially an "ornament" it had to go on the tree.

I made a series of these cameras about 15 years ago and distributed them to several friends at work. I know of at least two that have wound up on Christmas trees this year. 

Not sure why Santa has no legs - maybe they wore out?

 Amanita mushroom anyone??? I Googled "amanita" and discovered they are now sold legally for their hallucinogenic properties. I was always told they were highly poisonous. This one ain't for eating - it's hand-blown glass.

I bet the dull orange spots were once meant to be bright, shiny red balls (but I won't be messing with them).