If you have a tradition of dc picking a decoration for the tree each year...

[HairyPorter]

I know im overthinkin this but this wil be the first year we start- Do you then label it by dc name and year? And pack it separately?

Ours sometimes choose one and always get one in their stocking. No I don't label them - the dcs seem to know whose is whose and have done from being very young. The stocking ones tend to be on a theme so I know everyone has a tin Santa etc.

We have colours for each person - I'm always gold, DS always red etc. We tend to pick them up on our summer holiday (lots are meant to be key rings) and so that takes care of the year as many have the place names on.

My mum did this when I was little - the ones that have survived from my childhood have got a number written on (my age at the time I think)

Yes, I put a little label on - I'm thinking about getting them each a little box this year to keep 'theirs' separately, but only because I've run out of room in the main box!

No we just choose one between us!

We have a list with a description and a note of who opened the shared advent calendar first last year. The box is getting quite full now so may need to split into 3 boxes. They know it stops at 18 and they get to take the box to uni or wherever for their first Christmas tree.

Thanks! I like the idea of labelling it by dc and year, so those of you who do label them, how do you do this?? All I can think of is getting some plain ribbon to string up the decoration and then I can write on the ribbon. Any other suggestions?

No I don't label them, and they just go in with all the other decs and they argue about which one was "theirs"!

We don't label, and so far we always remember who's is who's even if not the year.

I put a little sticky label folded round the string that hangs them up. It just has their initials and the year on it.

Sometimes I discretely write initials on with a gold pen or black marker. But there's no need as the DC do remember which is theirs. They all go in the box with everything else.

We buy two of the same each year - chosen by DD. One goes on the tree and the other into a box so when she leaves home she will have a 'starter kit' of Christmas decorations. We don't label, but I am thinking that maybe we should start. With DC2 due this Christmas day I think we may be needing another box!

DD choses a new bauble decoration ech year They are just packed with the other decorations though and not labelled or dated in any way.

I put one in their stockings every year.

But no-one can remember whose is whose!

We do let the DD's choose their own decoration every year. When they were younger I chose something for them, that had their name on them, so no argument about whose is whose.

Now they choose their own, but they have their own tree in their rooms so their decorations are stored in their own tree boxes .

I like the idea of labelling them, but am not that organised.

You could cover a shoebox in festive wrapping paper to make a box for each child, that way you can keep them separate. Then you could write the bauble and the year on the inside of the lid to keep track without writing on the bauble itself

I have a box for each DC with their own decorations in, one per year that they have chosen themselves
They will then be given the boxes to take when they leave home
I haven't labelled them so far, but I really ought to put the dates on before I forget! (DC are 3 and 2).

Thank you! I like the box idea and the fowl's sticky label idea! Christmas was such a magical time for me growing up and them for a long time I didn't celebrate it dyer leaving home. I'm so glad I now that i have dc i have an excuse to get ll excited about it again