Making lasting memories this 4th of July

My family loves decorating for every holiday, and the 4th of July is no exception! The best part about decorating a 4th of July tree is that you can enjoy it through Labor Day - it's so worth the effort! I just love all the decorating ideas floating around on the internet. Pinterest is a great source of inspiration. It’s amazing how little you really need to decorate the perfect 4th of July tree, wreath and your home, so why not! 

I like a white tree to show my patriotic colors! While a traditional Christmas tree is defined by its red and green colors, Independence Day is all about the good ol' red, white, and blue. Remember when you decorate your 4th of July tree you can highlight a few very special ornaments by adding U.S. Flags, ribbons and bows, tiny blue birds and red birds, and flowers; take a walk through your local crafts store for tons of ideas and inspiration, and of course, don't forget the twinkle lights!

My husband and I inherited ornaments from our parents and grandparents. Among those precious family heirlooms there was a U.S. Navy ornament, an Uncle Sam ornament and a Cracker Jack ornament. Since then we've continued to build our patriotic collection. I refer to our ornament collection as the family jewels. We created Ultimate Christmas Storage to protect our "family jewels", and to help others safely protect their own family heirlooms. 

Opening my Americana box is always special, seeing each ornament and decoration safely nested in its own compartment waiting to be displayed for all to see. I like to used our acid-free shredded paper to "nest" each ornament in its individual cubby, but many of my customers like our acid-free Tisue as well. Either one is a great solution, it's just a matter of personal preference. It's so nice to know our fragile ornaments are neatly stored and looked after. 

Over the years our customers have requested other holiday-themed storage boxes. To date, we have 4th of July and Halloween and hope to introduce an Easter box next year. The decorative fabric prints help to keep our customers organized and make it very easy to identify what's in each box.  Early in the summer, I pull out my beautiful 4th of July themed Americana boxes and start decorating the house. These boxes are much more than just beautiful because they hold all my precious 4th of July ornaments and decorations, and of course, I know it's all safely organized and protected in an acid-free box when not on display.

I like to spread the love by giving our beautiful, decorative storage boxes to newlyweds and I usually put one special ornament inside as an added surprise. I do the same for a special housewarming gift. Keeping our precious ornament collections neatly organized in an acid-free storage box is quite important, and getting into the habit early on will protect their precious memories for many years to come. I feel, in this way, I get to be there with them during these special holidays, even when I can’t be there physically.