What a father did at Christmas may become clearer when it stops: the lights that went up without anyone asking, the tree tied to the car, the fire somehow already lit. An ornament keeps his name among the things the family will see all season.
What can go on it
- His name, or simply "Dad." Grandpa and Papa versions exist in the same designs.
- The years, or only his birth year. The main memorial page walks through the one-date-or-two question.
- A line he actually said. The thing he repeated every winter about the thermostat, or how he signed his cards. I would choose one of those over anything written for a catalog.
- The thing he loved. Designs exist with a fishing rod, a workbench, a truck, a team crest, with his name and years worked in.
- A cardinal or a photo piece, same as the rest of the memorial designs.
A father who spent Saturdays on the water can be remembered with a fishing ornament carrying his name and home lake. A workshop, truck, team color, garden tool, or familiar chair can do the same. The object lets the ornament sound like him before it sounds like a memorial.
Good to know
Questions people ask
What should it say?
His name and years are enough. Add a short line he actually used when the family can hear it in his voice. See the parent section of the wording guide for quieter alternatives.
He was not a words person. What then?
Then skip the words. His name and a design that was him, the boat, the workbench, the team, says it without a line.
Is the first Christmas too soon?
There is no schedule. Add one when the family wants his name on the tree, whether that is the first Christmas or years later.
When should I order for Christmas?
Personalized pieces are made to order. December 10 is the safe cutoff for standard shipping.
From the Ornamagic studio
From our studio
Our own memorial designs are made to order. You see the preview with the name and dates before anything is engraved.
Seasonal reminders
Three emails a year. That's the whole list.
September (order early), late October (personalization deadlines), late November (last shipping day). Plus 10% off your first ornament.