Race Medals into Ornaments

I’ve done 4 “races”.  One those I walked due to seemingly never ending foot problems.  One I was pushed in a wheelchair due to very real foot problems (10 days post surgery #2).  Then I actually ran a 4 mile race last year after about a month of training and this year a 10k race after a whole summer of training.

We’ve accumulated a few race medals, 6 to be exact since Matt did two of those with me (the walking ones, obviously.  Apparently pushing Luke and I in a wheelchair for 4 miles did him in on “races”.)

I don’t have a need to have these medals all sitting around the house so two years ago I turned the first four into Christmas tree ornaments which is pretty much the easiest thing ever.  

Remove the ribbon and use pliers to take off additional rings/hooks as needed.  Add a Christmas tree hook.  Hang on tree.

That’s it!  My last two medals, the races I actually ran, haven’t made it on the tree yet because Luke loves playing this little game he made up called “running” when we all take turns running the length of our house and back (about 6 seconds) while the other two cheer and then we get a medal.  We need three medals for this “game”.  And Luke takes being medaled so seriously that it makes me willing to keep playing the game.  But eventually, once he gets his own medal for running the kids marathon next year (something he is SUPER excited about) I think a few more of mine can retire to the tree. 

I’ve been accumulating Christmas tree ornaments my whole life and it’s always nice to see another aspect of my life represented on our tree!  It’s almost a time capsule of my life. (Matt has little to no enthusiasm for Christmas tree ornaments or collecting them or Christmas decorations or nearly my enthusiasm for all of Christmas...so he’s not too concerned with being well represented on the tree.)  

What other non-traditional ornaments do you have on your tree?