Every family has traditions, and Christmas is probably the biggest source of them throughout the year. Like many of you out there, my husband and I have a tradition with Christmas ornaments, and we get a new one each year. What’s different about our tradition, though, is that our ornaments are very, very custom!

When November and December roll around (like they are right now), we sit back and think of the most important thing or event that happened to us throughout the year. When we decide on the event, we choose a photograph that encapsulates it well. I use photo editing software to put the year and title of the event on the image, so we can remember which year was which. Then I order a custom photo ornament (see below for sources) with that picture on it, and we hang it on our tree. As the years go by, we’re building a wonderful collection of ornaments on our tree, and it will serve as a sort of photo album of our lives together.

Here are the ornaments we’ve made for the five Christmases my husband and I have shared since we got married:

The first year was easy… our wedding was surely the most important event for us that year! Other years have included our cruise to Alaska, our first visit to Sanibel, our purchase of some land (which had to be mowed with a tractor), and the addition of our dog Jack to the family.

So where do you get custom photo ornaments?

• Cafepress – This is where I have always ordered my ornaments, and they do a fantastic job. They sell both pre-designed and custom personalized items, so be sure to dig through the “custom” section to find the “design your own” photo ornaments. They’ll print your uploaded photo on a round or oval porcelain ornament and glaze it with a very smooth, glossy finish. At about $6 each, it’s a hard deal to beat, and I really like the simple, classic look of the ornaments.
• PhotoWorks – I haven’t tried this company before, but they seem to have a very nice variety of ornaments, especially if you are looking for a more ornate style.
• Shutterfly – Their pewter ornament is their only photo ornament option, but if it’s anything like the pewter key chain Jo got earlier this year, it’s sure to be beautifully made.

Do you have any fun ornament traditions? We’d love to hear about them.