120 Days of Christmas, 2026–27 edition

Inspiration

Christmas ornaments live in the attic, tucked away in a collection of deeply untrustworthy boxes. Some are battered and splitting at the seams; others are improbably pristine. No box ever contains the same contents twice. Somewhere in the pile are the prized ornaments, the glitter-caked pinecone from third grade, the antique German glass ball with kaleidoscopic frost, and the tree topper, whose big moment arrives tomorrow. Only your parents truly understand the archaeological layers of the boxes and which ornaments get first dibs on tree real estate. The tradition of decorating Christmas trees began in 16th-century Germany, where families adorned evergreens with apples, nuts, and gingerbread. These were symbols of abundance and gratitude. Candles came later, adding actual fire to the festivities and inspiring the first tree lighting ceremonies (and, one assumes, the first holiday fire codes). By the 19th century, German artisans were crafting delicate blown-glass ornaments, which swept through Europe and into Victorian America, where tree decorating became an art form. Then came electric lights in 1882, thanks to Edward H. Johnson, Thomas Edison’s colleague. Some families aim for elegance and symmetry, as if their Christmas trees were headed to a post-gala reception. Others, like mine, believe the tree should look like a rainbow unicorn collided with a Toyland vending machine. We put up every ornament, every year, whether it makes aesthetic sense or not—a tornado of adults and kids layering on hundreds of baubles. And every year I think, this is the most beautiful tree we’ve ever had. Wading through that annual tangle of ornament boxes and brittle newspaper wrap while Sinatra belts out another hit is one of the season’s greatest pleasures. Make a day of it.