Many surprises came my way this Christmas season. It started off with the arrival of a live Christmas tree with accompanying lights and birds for decoration. My daughter has sent three of these to me before and all three were planted out front and are thriving, not growing fast but are healthy and happy where they are planted. They are Alpine Spruce and have a conical shape with small needles and a nice " fragrance".
My next surprise was to go out my entrance and see that my mailbox had been decorated. I do not usually decorate it so I began to wonder who had done this. My neighbor had been seen walking down the road with greenery in her arms so the secret was out and I knew it was our new neighbor from California. I called her and indeed she was the Christmas elf . The call ended with an invitation to her home to have Christmas Eve dinner with her, her husband and visiting daughter. It proved to be a very interesting meal with foods I had not eaten before. They are steeped in Norwegian tradition and I got to see her amazing Santa collection gathered from all over the world. I had expected to be staying at home so that was a fun surprise.
Normally during Christmas season I have only one day with my family but this year we had two days, with a lot of games and laughing and good memory building. The visit I had not expected occurred the day after Christmas when two friends from my early days in Atlanta came by to see me . I had a tea pot which had been her aunt Martha's. My friend had let me take it home in 1978. I had always felt it should be with her as a memory of her aunt so on this day I gave it back to her to take home. I had enjoyed it all this time and at some point the lid had been cracked but it was a precious family treasure all the same.
Now that the visiting is over, things need to get back to normal, an adjustment in thinking has to take place. Some are going back to their jobs, others taking trips planned for during school break.
We get back to a normal routine pretty fast just by responding to the things going on around us, whether it is children, spouses, or every day events. The unwinding takes a few days and probably does not get us back on target until after we say good-bye to the old year and take up the new one. It will not be as easy to write 2010 on checks, etc., as it was to write 09 for 2009.
There will be seed catalogs coming in and income tax reminders and in my case still some bulbs to be planted. The new year will shake down and settle down and my Daphne will be blooming and greeting me with the most heavenly fragrance ever. The red Camellia is already starting to bloom and the new Yuletide sasanqua is settling into the new spot on the west side of my house. Before I know it the 100 daffodils I planted down near the foot bridge will pop up and make a glorious yellow mass to move and sway with the breezes. It all sounds so attractive to me that I am already eager to get into it all and try some new things for the spring and work my way into the summer. I need to plant a lot more cucumbers to use for the bread and butter pickles which has made a lot of friends for me. Christmas will soon be another fading memory but I hope I never forget the fun we had again this year.
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Monday, December 28, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Christmas Past
This Christmas Eve I was awakened by Christmas music on my radio. As I listened, I began to remember the events of this time in my own life and that of my parents and siblings.
My parents and especially my father wanted Christmas to be a happy time for their children. I think this stems from the fact that as they grew up their Christmas memories were not as they would have liked to remember. I do recall that as a child my father had wanted a little red wagon, and he never got it. Why, I am not sure. It may have been financial constraints in a large family or the fact that in the late 1800's the custom of gifting was not the main focus in families struggling to survive.
I recall special gifts at Christmas when a young child, as the time my brother and I both received tricycles and we rode them around inside the house. I believe we both had mumps at the same time as we had the tricycles. That was my earliest memory of gifts for me. I do not recall any talk or events surrounding "Santa Claus". It was simply a Christmas gift from our parents.
On a different Christmas my father had an oak doll bed made for me. It is one sturdy piece of furniture. I used it as a child and then my daughter used it when she was young. When her first child was expected I passed it on to her, but alas little boys do not care for doll beds. At this time the doll bed sits in my north bedroom awaiting some repairs on one of the legs. I could not pass it on to either of my three grandsons, so it is waiting for a great granddaughter to one day join the family.
On a different occasion my father had for me a gold necklace with a heart, anchor and cross attached to it. I have spoken of that before. Unfortunately I do not have all of it, only the tiny cross which rests in my jewelry box.
One Christmas my father surprised my mother with a new car. That one is a little strange as she did not drive !! On another Christmas -perhaps to make up for that time - he presented her with a beautiful cherry secretary. That was certainly more appropriate for her and she put it to good use. As far as I know it is still in the family perhaps with one of the grandchildren. I do know that my sister (the artist) at one point painted it yellow ! She liked to use color and even painted her maple bed a gray color. I know where that is as I sleep on it each night !
When I was very young I was given some money to spend for family members for gifts. I was limited to 10 cents per gift. The only gift I remember buying was monogrammed handkerchiefs for my father. I remember that as I really goofed up. Perhaps because we called him "DAD", I got handkerchiefs with a "D" monogrammed on them. Needless to say, my shopping was not supervised. My face is still red ! I had only heard him called Dad or Mr. Matthis as in my family my mother did not call him by his first name. She had other pet names for him. One was "Mister Blister". I don't know where that came from.
The thing I remember best is that when we were all older we celebrated Christmas as a family on Christmas Eve. That is when we had a huge meal and all of the extended family would be there and gifts were opened. Even if you had a date for that evening it had to wait until the main party was over. The reason for the celebration on the night before was so the grandchildren could be at home or with their other grandparents on Christmas Day. That custom is a natural progression as I see it happening today with other families.
Wherever you are and however you celebrate, in a large family or a small family, it is a special time so hold it close to your heart for it becomes a part of you forever.
My parents and especially my father wanted Christmas to be a happy time for their children. I think this stems from the fact that as they grew up their Christmas memories were not as they would have liked to remember. I do recall that as a child my father had wanted a little red wagon, and he never got it. Why, I am not sure. It may have been financial constraints in a large family or the fact that in the late 1800's the custom of gifting was not the main focus in families struggling to survive.
I recall special gifts at Christmas when a young child, as the time my brother and I both received tricycles and we rode them around inside the house. I believe we both had mumps at the same time as we had the tricycles. That was my earliest memory of gifts for me. I do not recall any talk or events surrounding "Santa Claus". It was simply a Christmas gift from our parents.
On a different Christmas my father had an oak doll bed made for me. It is one sturdy piece of furniture. I used it as a child and then my daughter used it when she was young. When her first child was expected I passed it on to her, but alas little boys do not care for doll beds. At this time the doll bed sits in my north bedroom awaiting some repairs on one of the legs. I could not pass it on to either of my three grandsons, so it is waiting for a great granddaughter to one day join the family.
On a different occasion my father had for me a gold necklace with a heart, anchor and cross attached to it. I have spoken of that before. Unfortunately I do not have all of it, only the tiny cross which rests in my jewelry box.
One Christmas my father surprised my mother with a new car. That one is a little strange as she did not drive !! On another Christmas -perhaps to make up for that time - he presented her with a beautiful cherry secretary. That was certainly more appropriate for her and she put it to good use. As far as I know it is still in the family perhaps with one of the grandchildren. I do know that my sister (the artist) at one point painted it yellow ! She liked to use color and even painted her maple bed a gray color. I know where that is as I sleep on it each night !
When I was very young I was given some money to spend for family members for gifts. I was limited to 10 cents per gift. The only gift I remember buying was monogrammed handkerchiefs for my father. I remember that as I really goofed up. Perhaps because we called him "DAD", I got handkerchiefs with a "D" monogrammed on them. Needless to say, my shopping was not supervised. My face is still red ! I had only heard him called Dad or Mr. Matthis as in my family my mother did not call him by his first name. She had other pet names for him. One was "Mister Blister". I don't know where that came from.
The thing I remember best is that when we were all older we celebrated Christmas as a family on Christmas Eve. That is when we had a huge meal and all of the extended family would be there and gifts were opened. Even if you had a date for that evening it had to wait until the main party was over. The reason for the celebration on the night before was so the grandchildren could be at home or with their other grandparents on Christmas Day. That custom is a natural progression as I see it happening today with other families.
Wherever you are and however you celebrate, in a large family or a small family, it is a special time so hold it close to your heart for it becomes a part of you forever.
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