When a reader shared this timeless and charming holiday idea with us, we knew we had to pass it along. Here’s the letter from RA, describing how a simple set of frame ornaments became a meaningful family tradition.
After last Christmas I bought a set of ten small silver circular frame ornaments at a deep discount from Red Envelope (about $15 for ten). I intended to put black-and-white photos in them, but the ornaments sat in their box for almost a year before I finally did anything. A month ago I decided to mark a memorable photo from each year my husband and I have celebrated together, and then I had to rush to get them ready for the holiday. I declared the tradition retroactive, chose four black-and-white prints — a wedding photo from 2005, a home improvement snapshot from 2006, a picture of our new puppy from 2007, and a photo of me crossing the finish line at my first 5K in 2008 — and framed them. We love our new family tradition, and maybe one day we’ll have a tree dedicated entirely to framed photo ornaments to celebrate each year of our life together. – RA
This idea is both elegant and accessible: inexpensive frame ornaments become keepsakes filled with personal photos that tell your family’s story. It works especially well with black-and-white prints because the monochrome palette creates a consistent, classic look across different years, camera types and photo styles. Whether you place these ornaments on your main tree or start a smaller memory tree, framed photos make every holiday display feel more personal and sentimental.
Why this makes a great holiday tradition:
- Easy to create: Pick a handful of favorite photographs, convert them to black-and-white if you like a uniform look, and trim them to fit the small frame ornaments.
- Budget-friendly: Discounted frames or simple DIY frames keep costs low while yielding a high sentimental return.
- Flexible and scalable: Start with a few frames this year and add one for each year moving forward, or plan to fill all the frames with highlights from past years to establish the tradition retroactively.
- Meaningful décor: Framed photos add storytelling to seasonal decoration, helping family and guests connect with your memories as they admire the tree.
Tips for making your own photo frame ornament tradition:
- Choose photos that capture milestones, small victories or amusing everyday moments — weddings, new pets, home projects, races, birthdays and quiet candid shots all work well.
- Print photos in black-and-white for a cohesive aesthetic, especially when images vary in color tones and lighting.
- Crop images to highlight faces or key details so they remain clear at ornament size. Test-print before cutting to avoid losing important parts of the image.
- Label the back of each ornament with the year or a short note to preserve the memory and help future generations understand the story behind each photo.
Small, thoughtful traditions like these can turn routine holidays into meaningful rituals. Whether you plan to dedicate an entire tree to framed photos one day or simply hang a few cherished images among your other ornaments, this idea invites reflection and shared storytelling. If you’ve been holding on to inexpensive frame ornaments or spare picture frames, consider turning them into a yearly memory project — a simple, beautiful way to celebrate your family’s journey.
Happy memory-making from RA’s idea — and from all of us who love discovering creative, heartfelt ways to celebrate the holidays.