Our tradition is only three years old, yet already we are building a treasure trove of memories and anecdotes. This one makes for interesting conversations with our family and guests at Christmas time. 

As early as in November, we begin an exchange of hand-made Jamaican Christmas Tree ornaments with ones brought by our guests from their country of origin. Let me share some of these stories with you.

We will always remember the first exchange: The Janzen family from Abbotsford, British Colombia, Canada; a couple with their son and wife who brought one from each of their homes to ours.

Then, there was Greg who is from the UK. His father, of blessed memory, once worked for a factory that made Christmas Tree ornaments. Greg's family had only just cleared his father's attic, several years after his passing, and there they found the most delicate and unusual miniature pieces dating back to over 50 years ago. We can confidently say that we have antique pieces adorning our tree. Thanks Greg.

Anders is an outdoor-sy guy from Sweden, and he likes to spend long weekends in a cabin way up north. Up there above the tree line is the Fjall Ugla, a little, white-feathered bird, a replica of which he brought to exchange with us. We place her near the top of our tree.

Sometimes, our guests like Buket and her lovely famiily from Turkey, no longer live in the country in which they were born. So as a memento from their new home they exchanged a lovely piece from Hoboken, New Jersey. 

One of our early exchanges was with Martine and her husband, a couple from Limoges, France. Their offering was, not just hand-made, it was a home-made, hand-stitched, red-felt, shoe, fit for an elf! And, if that was not enough, we thoroughly enjoyed her hand-made chocolates. My heart melts just thinking of them.

No doubt, we have special memories of each and every guest who stays in our bed and breakfast home. But we have to admit, there is something about Christmas which makes for special memories. So, as the Season of giving and receiving approaches, we look forward to hanging each and every ornament with a smile and a special thought for each and every one who has shared our home at Christmas time.