Dear, creative - Judy. I took on one of her family traditions as our own. Every year they cut a slice off of their Christmas tree stump and write the year on it in fat black Sharpie. On the back they write one big event that happened in their family that year.  She aligns the tree slices across their mantle every holiday season and it makes for a meaningful display.

Now, every year I look at the 2002 enormous stump slice and remember the comicly huge tree we had in our tiny South Minneapolis bungalow. (last tree on the lot) Then there’s the gaping “2004 year without a tree”  (none left on the lot) Um, we tend to procrastinate in the tree buying.

Now when we flip over the 2006 tree slice it, of course, says “baby Ben’s first Christmas.”

Go ahead, faithful commentor Shruti…I know, I know, is this Cribsheet or Hints from Heloise?