I still haven’t found the right time for trimming our main tree. Maybe today! I’m not altogether sure, how I want to decorate it this year. For someone who was formerly dubbed “the ornament lady,” surprisingly I always lean toward our simple paper snowflakes, the kids and I cut when they were little.

The alternate choice of course, is none other than, the original, hand painted, made in America, signed by the artist, glazed and fired ceramic ornaments!  Chuckle. Here are some of the last produced that I managed to hold on to before Tidings of Great Joy moved into art licensing. You can see how the cookie cutters were utilized to make them and why I began collecting the cutters.

With all of the cookie cutter collection talk on Tuesday, I was reminded of my treasured time and handiwork of years gone by. I unpacked them today. Maybe this year they will make it on to the tree. I’m still trying to find a way to get them back into production. I’ll keep everyone posted.


On each of the Tidings of Great Joy ornament hang tags it reads:

…for unto you is born this day in the city of David a savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11

It was the Christmas story read by Linus in Charles M. Schulz’s ” A Charlie Brown Christmas,” that inspired the (then holiday ornament producing) company’s name. Est. early 1980’s.