That is so fun! I shut my little ghs down last monday and really miss them already.

Having collected Xmas ornaments for 43 years (and not admitting I already have more than I need), you may imagine that storage is a huge problem for me! Firstly, because for 23 years, we had a live 12-foot tree that looked silly with just single ornaments, so I bought them in dozens, literally. Secondly, I still manage to find and buy new stuff every year. And I agree that storing them in their original boxes, if there are such, is bulky, even when multiple boxes are gathered into a large plastic bin. Not a terribly efficient use of space! What to do? I found that for me, using intermediate-sized outer boxes works well. I have bought over the years many sets of the very pretty Bob's Boxes or Lang stackable boxes which are very sturdy, have lovely graphics so they become part of my holiday decor, and stack quite nicely in my three Xmas closets. In fact, I don't even put them back in the closets after I decorate -- just stack them around the room as part of the festive display. Easy to then take everything down without hunting out and lugging the boxes a second time. You can find these on eBay and in some shops, tho I see that Lang is no longer opffering as many styles as they used to, sadly. You will have to wrap your individual ornaments in tissue to protect them inside the box, but that isn't too big a deal, I think. I then label the boxes with a sticky-note as to what is inside (if I remember to do it) which helps enormously. After all these years, and at my age, I have trouble remembering what is where! Anyway, this is a long-winded coming-out of lurkdom! I just found this site a few weeks ago, and have thoroughly enjoyed everyone's gorgeous photos and ideas. If I ever figure out how to post photos here, I'll share. We have moved to an artificial 8-foot tree as I no longer enjoy teetering on a 14-foot ladder, so not everything gets used in any given year, but I do have between 3 and 6 trees I decorate besides the main one. It's fun doing "theme" trees now! I'm of the philosophy that Xmas can never be over-decorated, and if it doesn't move, hang a festive frippery on it, LOL!!

We buy one (or more) Radko ornaments every year that has some meaning or is just beautiful to us. They range from $35 to $75. This year I hope to get the "Paddle On" ornament because it was the first year we took my son out in a canoe and because he loves scouting so much. We also have an adoption ornament from Radko for every year we've had my son. I buy the Radko because they are made by artists--not mass produced in China or Mexico. I feel they are worth their cost. I also have the hand made ones my son brings home from school and a tin foil star he made me for a tree topper. No matter the cost, they all have memories. The Radko ornaments are staying packed this year because of a new obnoxious dog, but once she grows up a little they will come back out. In all the years we have only lost one glass ornament to a lab tail. It never fell off the tree--he shattered it to pieces just wagging his tail and the hanger was still attached to the tree. I have no idea what the ornament was but we'll always have that memory of his waggly tail. If there was a more expensive ornament that I fell in love with, I'd have no problem spending more than I currently do. I've ordered plenty of vintage mercury ornaments off ebay over the years to use as filler towards the inside of the tree. Those are just as special to me.

It's not often I wish I had cable, but that sounds like fun.