Personalized Ornaments: a Yearly Tradition
Every December, our workshop smells like fresh wood and coffee. The laser’s humming, the kids are helping pack boxes, and we’re surrounded by hundreds of little names — each one heading to a different family somewhere across the country.
We started Frontier Designs because we love that side of Christmas — the traditions, the stories, the things that make it personal. Our custom wood ornaments, made from real Baltic birch, aren’t about perfection or fancy packaging. They’re about remembering who those names belong to.
Some people order for their grandkids every year. Others for their pets. Some for families that just started, and some for ones missing someone they love. That’s what makes it special — each ornament means something different to the person opening the box.
You can see a few of our favorite styles here:
If you’ve ever wondered why people love personalized ornaments so much, this Reddit thread where parents share about giving their kids a new ornament every year really captures it. One user said they’ve been doing it since their children’s first Christmas and “love seeing them add up and change throughout the years as they grow.”
Another story that stuck with us came from a discussion among new parents sharing how keepsake ornaments mark milestones — first Christmases, new homes, and small family traditions that grow over time.
We make everything ourselves, right here in Alaska — cutting, sanding, and packing each order. The kids help tie ribbons, and we still smile when we see a name we’ve made before. It’s a small thing, but it matters to us.
Thanks for keeping real craftsmanship and family traditions alive.
