A few years back I walked into our Aunt Janet and Uncle Mike’s house and saw spinning ornaments on their always beautiful Christmas tree. I was so impressed that Randall and I left their house and headed straight to Hobby Lobby on Christmas Eve and bought all the spinners they had left. I have had spinning ornaments since then and I heart them so very, very much.
I have had them for three years now. I hang my finer ornaments from them. Last year all of Henry’s firsts hung from them. It was so special. The spinning ornaments always gather lots of attention from our holiday house guests. It is pretty unusual, I reckon.
This year I am having spinning dilemmas. I know there are bigger issues in this world like war, starving babies, drought, etc., but if you know me, you know my Christmas tree is just about as important…well, to me at least. This will be my first year to have fully decorated trees in both sitting rooms. I say this will all humility, of course. My mother-in-law gave me her artificial tree because she thought this house needed two trees. I am now not sure if that was a blessing or a curse! ha. Figuring out how to decorate the new tree is throwing me for a loop. I thought I had a pretty good plan until I put that tree up yesterday and decorated it.
Yikes…it has been a mess. I thought going a bit sassy and edgy would be fun. I am also not using any of the decor I use on my normal tree. I bought huge big mesh flowers this summer on a clearance rack and a big glitter bow. Well, it did not come together as well as it did that summer day on that clearance rack!
So, my sweet husband comes home last night and says “Why are there big flowers sticking out of that tree in there?”…not exactly the reaction I was going for. Then, my sweet, older sister texts me and asks why I am unhappy with the tree. I tell her about the bow. She then asks me if it is vinyl. I tell her “actually, yes, but it has glitter on it”…she says ” That is a mailbox bow!” I am still laughing. So, today I worked with it a bit more and removed the bow. It is what it is.
So, back to the spinners. Ok, they are all on the tree that I put up yesterday. I have decided Henry will probably love a spinning ornament a bit too much, so putting them on the tree he will sit with the least, is best. It is hard to accept that reality, but I am trying to be realistic, despite the frown it gives me when thinking of no spinning ornaments on my old fashioned tree.
The saddest news is this…I went to purchase a few more spinners this year and they are junk! T-total disappointment. I plugged them in to the tree and you can literally hear the tree in the kitchen. A tree should be seen and not heard, don’t you think?!
I went to two stores that sell them and they are all made just alike. The ones I bought a few years ago are much more solid looking and there is no sound. The price of making things cheap…I tell ya! Why can’t they just leave things alone?!
Do you have spinning ornaments by chance….tell me we are not the only ones?! And if you have 2 trees, how do you keep them different in style without breaking the bank on new decor?
P.S. In case you are wondering why I am decorating so early. Two reasons, I like to enjoy the fruits of my labor as long as possible and I have two parties in my house the week after Thanksgiving. Randall is a good man…that is all I am saying!
I am thankful for the ability to decorate, the resources to do it, the husband who allows me to drive him batty about it and the encouragement I get from my friends and family.
Abby
Life With My Sister 
I am SOOOOO intrigued. I do not think I know what spinners are and I MOST DEFINITELY DO think I want some. But then I don't want noisy ones! Darn! I am going to have to go look for some that are silent. 🙂 Can you post up close pics? I am so interested in these!
LikeLike
I don't know what a spinner is, but I need one, ha! I have a couple of trees in my house. Only one really big one. It has traditional ornaments on it. I have another one that is strictly Razorback. MK has one in her room. I used old baby toys to decorate it with. Pretty cute. Now I have to think about one for Mady. Fair is fair, right? Sometimes Cracker Barrel has ornaments on sale. I lurve Hobby Lobby. Have you tried ETSY?
LikeLike
Looks good, Ab!Melissa
LikeLike