Why should we get an ornament for our first Christmas as a married couple?

They’re a great way to make the tree-decorating tradition your own. With a newlywed ornament, you’ll have an opportunity to reminisce about your newlywed Christmas as you decorate your tree each year. If you get a commemorative ornament with your wedding photos and/or details on it, Christmas also becomes a time to remember your wedding day. As Nicole Reid, the Vice President of Hallmark’s Ornaments and Gifts Department, puts it, “Why not have another way to remember your special day every year when you put up your Christmas tree?” She explains that ornaments can be a “wonderful way to commemorate and celebrate that memory [your wedding day] year over year.”

What do most couples want in an ornament?

According to Reid, “Most of our consumers that we hear from love to look for something classic and pretty in design with the year and date. That last part is the most important as you want to remember the year! Often they also want something in a more premium material—like ceramic, metal, or glass with beautiful finishes like pearl and occasionally some gemstone attachments. We also hear that people like to have an ornament that holds a photo from their wedding day.”

Should we get a personalized or custom ornament?

If you think your partner would find a traditional ornament to be too stuffy, go for something a little more quirky and unexpected. On the other hand, if your person likes commemorative items, go ahead and personalize a more formal ornament with your wedding date or photos. Or, you could follow Reid’s advice: “I’d vote for both! Get one to celebrate your nuptials , and another to celebrate other wonderful experiences, memories, or adventures you had as a couple.”

The 15 Best Newlywed Christmas Ornaments of 2022

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This holiday season, you’re going to be decking the halls as a married couple for the first time. And as you trim the tree together, chances are you'll want something special to commemorate this landmark moment in your relationship. The answer? A personalized ornament that will remind you of your first married Christmas every time you hang it on the tree (for many years to come!).

With all the options out there, you may feel like you need a Christmas miracle to find the perfect ornament for your tree—so here it is. We’ve put together an assortment of ornaments that suit all kinds of tastes and styles. Whether you’re looking for something traditional, rustic, or modern; classic or cutesy; silly or sophisticated; durable or delicate— we’ve got you covered. So, don’t get your tinsel in a tangle.

Read on for the best newlywed Christmas ornaments.

Lovely Rustic Weddings First Christmas Photo Ornament

No matter where you are, you can have a white Christmas with this sweet and whimsical ornament. An ethereal glass disc features a photo of the two of you resting on top of a little bit of “snow", and is finished off with a flowing white bow. Does it get any more romantic?

Violet and Pine Minimalist Typewriter Ornament

This cute and classy ceramic ornament is just what you need for a very vintage Christmas. In its square form, the ornament looks like an old polaroid; its typewriter-style font is also a nod to the past. Personalize it with your initials, wedding year, and one of your favorite wedding photos. The message at the bottom reads “merry + married,” but you can customize that too.

Shop Salt and Sparkle “Our First Christmas” Jingle Bell Ornament

ShopSaltandSparkle âOur First Christmasâ Jingle Bell Ornament — Etsy

Ring in your first holiday season together with this incredibly cute jingle bell ornament. The bell comes with an aluminum tag that reads “Our First Christmas” and includes the year. It also has a red, satin ribbon that makes it pop. The ornament comes in gold or silver, and you can customize the message too if you like.

Rubi and Lib First Married Christmas Ornament

This glossy, aluminum-coated ornament is a lovely token to remember your “First Married Christmas” by. The front features your wedding date, names, and an image of a bride and groom holding hands (from the back). The reverse side bears the message of your choice. Customize the image to make it resemble you and your partner, and select your favorite font to create a keepsake that’s just right for the two of you.

Wood By Shem Custom Christmas Ornament

If you’ve always dreamed of owning a log cabin or simply enjoy spending time in nature, this ornament—handcrafted of a round slice of basswood log—will be just the thing you need to complete your tree. The photo of your choice is printed on the front, while a personalized message, the year, and your names are engraved on the back.

New Embers “Our First Christmas” Ornament

NewEmbers âOur First Christmasâ Ornament — Etsy

For a couple of starry-eyed lovers, this ornament is perfect. It’s engraved with a scattering of stars, the text “Our First Christmas,” and your names and wedding date. Select from Eucalyptus, European Poplar, or MDF woods for a rustic look. For something more modern choose one of the acrylic options: clear, mirrored silver, mirrored gold, or mirrored rose gold.

Liv Love Learn Maple Leaf Couple’s Ornament

LivLoveLearn Maple Leaf Coupleâs Ornament — Etsy

Nature lovers will fall in love with this gorgeous maple leaf ornament. The artist makes them by hand, using fallen maple leaves to create an impression in polymer clay. She then stamps them with the text of your choice and paints them to look like they’re fresh off the tree.

Susabella’s “Our First Home” Ornament

Susabellaâs âOur First Homeâ Ornament — Etsy

Are you celebrating your first married Christmas in your first home? If so, this one’s for you. This house-shaped ornament is carved out of clay and is fired twice for durability. It reads “Our first Home” and includes the year and address. Choose from white, black, silver, or gold text to make it your own.

North Pole Treasures Marshmallow Couple Personalized Christmas Ornament

Warm their heart with a cup of hot cocoa and the world’s cutest pair of marshmallows this holiday season. This ornament is personalized with your names, the year, and the message of your choice. It arrives in a gift box with a red ribbon attached, ready to be placed on the tree. What a sweet way to celebrate this year.

Timeless Notion Weight Lifting Couple Christmas Ornament

If you can lift each other up both literally and figuratively, this weightlifting ornament is perfect for the two of you. It’s made of birch and laser engraved with an image of a groom lifting a bride on a barbell while she, in turn, lifts a dumbbell. The ornament features your first names, family name, and the year you were married. It’s a fun way to show everyone just how well you work out as a couple.

West Elm Brownstone Blown Glass Building Ornament

If the two of you live or lived in a city like New York, Philadelphia, or Boston, this brownstone ornament might look just like your first home or rental. If so, it’s a great way to commemorate the beginning of your journey together. This intricate, painted glass ornament will be a beautiful and unique addition to your tree.

Gabi and Tali LGBTQ Christmas Ornament

Those that like to make the Yuletide gay in a literal way will really get into the holiday spirit as they add this decoration to their tree. On this circular, glass ornament, a wreath encircles the couple’s names and their wedding date. At the center is a rainbow-colored heart because love is love is love is…

Ornament Shop Travel Suitcase Christmas Ornament

Relive your honeymoon with one of these colorful suitcase ornaments. These delicate glass pieces are painted with the name of your honeymoon destination and some major landmarks you may have seen there. You can find suitcases for Thailand, the Bahamas, Mexico, and more—it’s a wonderful reminder of your first major adventure as a married couple.

Unifury Personalized Dog/Cat and Couple Ceramic Christmas Ornament

Would Christmas feel incomplete without your fur babies? Then include them with this adorable family portrait of you and your cat or dog gathered around the tree. Personalize it so that the portrait looks just like you and your fuzzy friends. As your family grows and changes, you’ll be able to look back on where it all started each Christmas.

Hallmark The Muppets Kermit and Mrs. Piggy Ornament

This ornament says “I love you as much as Mrs. Piggy loves Kermit.” And if you’re 90's kids who grew up with the Muppets, you know that means A LOT. If you want to show your spouse how happy you are to be their Mr. or Mrs., this adorable, nostalgic piece will do the trick.

What to look for in a newlywed Christmas ornament

Personalization

There are plenty of great pieces specifically made to memorialize your first Christmas together. You can create a beautiful personalized ornament that features wedding photos, your wedding date, your names, etc. These ornaments honor a momentous occasion in your lives together, and they can be passed down from generation to generation without anyone missing or forgetting their meaning.

Sentiment

On the other hand, an ornament that has special significance only to you and your partner is a sweet symbol that the two of you can share privately every year. Maybe the ornament is related to an inside joke between the two of you or to a memory or experience that is important to both of you. An ornament like this offers a moment for just the two of you when you hang it every year.

Material

Do you need it to withstand your cat’s annual tree-climbing excursion? You or your partner’s butterfingers? The roughhousing of small children? If so, consider getting something made of wood, aluminum, or acrylic so that it won’t perish in an unfortunate accident. If you and your partner don’t have to worry about any destructive forces in your home, it’s safe to get something made of a more delicate material like glass or porcelain.

Style

Try to choose something that fits with the style of your home and the theme of the other ornaments you already have. If you’ve got a set of decorative pinecones to put in the tree, a rustic piece would blend in wonderfully. If your ornaments are vintage, pick something retro to go with them. If you like to deck your tree out in simple, contemporary bulbs, something modern might be the way to go.

FAQ

Why should we get an ornament for our first Christmas as a married couple?

They’re a great way to make the tree-decorating tradition your own. With a newlywed ornament, you’ll have an opportunity to reminisce about your newlywed Christmas as you decorate your tree each year. If you get a commemorative ornament with your wedding photos and/or details on it, Christmas also becomes a time to remember your wedding day.

As Nicole Reid, the Vice President of Hallmark’s Ornaments and Gifts Department, puts it, “Why not have another way to remember your special day every year when you put up your Christmas tree?” She explains that ornaments can be a “wonderful way to commemorate and celebrate that memory [your wedding day] year over year.”
What do most couples want in an ornament?

According to Reid, “Most of our consumers that we hear from love to look for something classic and pretty in design with the year and date. That last part is the most important as you want to remember the year! Often they also want something in a more premium material—like ceramic, metal, or glass with beautiful finishes like pearl and occasionally some gemstone attachments. We also hear that people like to have an ornament that holds a photo from their wedding day.”
Should we get a personalized or custom ornament?

If you think your partner would find a traditional ornament to be too stuffy, go for something a little more quirky and unexpected. On the other hand, if your person likes commemorative items, go ahead and personalize a more formal ornament with your wedding date or photos.

Or, you could follow Reid’s advice: “I’d vote for both! Get one to celebrate your nuptials, and another to celebrate other wonderful experiences, memories, or adventures you had as a couple.”

Meet the Expert

Nicole Reid is the Vice President of Hallmark’s Ornaments and Gifts Department.

Why Trust Brides

Mckenzie Eggers loves all the sentimental holiday traditions and knows how important something as small as an ornament can be. Years ago, she purchased stockings for herself, her partner, and their dog—embroidered with their names—as a gift to her partner. Every holiday season, when the stockings are hung, they make the house feel even more like home.