In last month’s post, I took the time to say thank you. Thank you for being a part of my life, and for making it a more enjoyable place. So for Christmas, what to write?

How about a trip down memory lane? (Complete with Scary photos!)

• Christmas was different, way back when. (Seriously.) It absolutely DID NOT START IN JULY!
• There were no such things as TACKY LIGHT TOURS.
• Wrapping paper and Christmas cards and ornaments went on sale the day AFTER Christmas.
• Santa lived in the NORTH POLE, not the center court of the mall.
• Making a Santa list meant lying on the floor perusing the Sears or JC Penney catalog.
• It was a clever and desirable decorative accent to have bushy metallic garland wrapped around the tree.
• You were oh so contemporary if you had tiny colored lights on the tree, and even more sophisticated if you used twinkling WHITE lights.
• At our house, we used the big honking Christmas bulbs. And the tree was not artificial and wired for lights and sound.

 Indeed the thing was barely capable of standing on its own in the stand. It was helped along every year by strategically placed string. Some string was tied to the French door behind it, some was tied to a nail on the opposite wall. The illusion was that of an upright tree in the corner of the living room, next to the (working) fireplace, complete with stockings.

One year, in my determination to prove that Santa didn’t exist, I began to scavenge around the house, looking into every hidey-hole and drawer. I scoured the basement, even climbed into the little room under the stairs on my search. (as if Grandma could have climbed into that hole!) I finally did find the stash. It was on the top shelf in the closet in Grandma’s room. I discovered first, the Tiffany box that had a set of crystal ashtrays that Daddy Gus had received for some event ( I still own those) I discovered whatever must have gift as well, so I was very proud of myself.

And then, Christmas morning, I was let down. I had no anticipation, or excitement about the day, because I KNEW already that Santa-Grandma had come through. I prefer to be surprised, I discovered that day.

One other memory, and a fond one at that. We used to go Christmas Caroling in the neighborhood. Mr and Mrs Nichols, the Cernera family, the Grace family, maybe even the Nordnesses and the Padulas or the Suerats. We would travel from home to home on Ellicott Place and up and down Prospect Avenue. Ringing doorbells, singing our hearts out, loudly and probably off key in the dark of Christmas Eve. We always opted to ring the front door at the Graces. Probably the only day the door was used. Hot chocolate, cider and cookies were provided at a variety of homes. We would gather in the kitchen of Mrs. Beveridge, my kindergarten teacher, and warm up before continuing our rounds.

Christmas does have it’s memories, doesn’t it?

I hope that you and yours make wonderful new ones this Christmas season. May your day be merry and bright. And may next year be as wonderful as you deserve!!!

Love ya,

Trish

Trans-siberian Orchestra  Gorgeous Christmas music, with narration by Ossie Davis, who helps to tell the story of an angel who visits earth one Christmas eve in search of a star to follow.

What,  you didn’t forget the scary photos, did you? Check these out! (look over to the Flicker bar and double click if you are brave!