All of us tend to create one or two family Christmas traditions over time, many of ours began when we had our own children, as our two girl’s loved to repeat what we had done the previous year and so it went on.
And now they have flown the nest but the traditions started back then still carry on.
Some of our family traditions happened accidentally, in that they were never started with the intention of becoming a tradition, rather they just evolved as they became a much loved repetitive theme.
One of these was the Christmas angel.
A tradition that began unintentionally the year I made a stocking for each of us in about 1987 when our two daughters were 6 and seven.
The very first year of our new stockings I had found two lovely little angels to balance on the top; poking out over the top they somehow finished the stocking off quite nicely and the girls of course loved them.
The following year I repeated this with another two different angels and after that they always waited eagerly each year to see what kind of angel would greet them on Christmas morning – it was more exciting than the stocking itself and so the tradition was born.
Over the years we have had fabric, wooden, metal, glass, porcelain, wire and even chocolate angels – whatever I find that catches my eye. Some have been quite tiny and others much larger but they always fit into the stocking. I haven’t got this year’s angels yet and it is one of the reasons we go for a trip into Derbyshire each year as there are plenty of those lovely little gift shops and I can search for just the right angel.
Of course by now, as you can imagine, I have a collection of angels carefully wrapped in tissue paper in a box labelled Special Christmas Angels and this is where they all reside – others are kept at my daughter’s homes. Sometimes one or two are allowed out at Christmas to hang amongst the other decorations and a few of them will now be over 30 years old.
Although both daughters left home long ago we still use the stockings I made when we are all together – but now there is one difference…….sometimes they surprise me with a Christmas angel on the top of my stocking if they happen to see one they think I would like.
Yesterday was quite a slow day…. I didn’t do very much other than make up the little posy of flowers for Helen’s mum. I deliberately chose these really cheerful colours as it is so grey and miserable outside.
I had to leave them on the doorstep as she was out but she rang me this morning and we had a lovely catch up and arranged that we will meet in the New Year…. (Covid willing).
where the journey takes me 2 
This is so lovely. And what a beautiful collection of angels. Isn’t it wonderful how these traditions just evolve over time. X
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I would definitely have added your mouse angel to the collection this year – not seen anything as lovely yet in the shops. x
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Viv! I love this tradition! I read this and I thought- I have to try and adopt something like it. They would have to be sent in the mail but… it’s such a beautiful tradition it’s worth it❤️
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What could be nicer than receiving a little package through the post with an angel tucked inside. 🎄🎄
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Love your Stocking Angel tradition.
As my four were growing up, every Christmas I bought each of them a new tree ornament that represented something personal about each of them–perhaps a hobby or special interest or a place we had visited. When they reached adulthood and moved into their own homes, I packed up “their” ornaments–as well as any they may have made when they were growing up–and handed the box over so they had a bit of a head start when it came time for them to decorate their own trees. Each box contained a little bit of family history.
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That is such a nice thing to do – the decorations mean so much more when they have a history. My two girls have most of the angels now but I still have a box full here which I might pass on to the grandchildren when they are a bit older or perhaps recycle them into the tops of their stockings. Though I am not sure little Freddie would want angels he is more likely to prefer diggers or dinosaurs!🎄🎄
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That’s such a lovely tradition. I think a tradition has to just evolve to make it work, it can’t be forced. I love how you now have so many different types of angels, treasures for sure. I was sorry to read about your friend in your last post, it must mean a lot to her mum that you remember her each year and mark the occasion in this way. We always appreciate others remembering close family who are no longer with us. It sounds like the two of you had such a lovely friendship.
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I like to keep in touch with her mum it must be so hard losing your only daughter. Helen and I were such opposites – she the party girl, me the homebird, but working together for so long we could finish off each other’s work and finish each other’s sentences and we shared the same sense of humour. She supported me through my cancer – I just wish she’d had the chance to live longer with hers.🎄
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What a lovely tradition. We still have an angel on the top of our tree that LB made as a toddler. I love her.
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