Thanks to Annie for today's questions! You can join in HERE.
Tuesday 4
Counting Down to Christmas
Let's talk about the countdown to Christmas or Chanukah or both!
1. What was the countdown to the holidays like for you as a child? It seemed to take forever! Special projects at school.. at home.. with friends? When I was very young, I remember going to Columbus (the BIG city) to see the Christmas windows at Lazarus (a department store). Think about The Christmas Story Christmas window with the animation and toys every kid would want. Before they took Jesus out of the schools, we would do a concert with the chorus singing carols, and the band would also play carols. It was actually called our Christmas Concert. My school chorus did The Messiah one year. I sang first tenor for that concert. Was a big deal made of the month in your family or town? My birthday is exactly two weeks before Christmas so many years we would decorate the (real) tree on my birthday. Back then we didn't decorate right after Thanksgiving. What does your countdown look like now? No little ones anymore so that innocent and joyful fun time is gone. Christmas just comes and goes now. Yes, I celebrate and am blessed to have my sister coming. We are both widows so we are creating new traditions and memories. I really miss the big family gatherings of the olden days, though.
2. As a kid did your family stay home on the holidays or go visiting around ... what do you do now? My family celebrated three times. The Sunday before Christmas we celebrated with my mom's family and the Sunday after Christmas was with my dad's family. That way we had Christmas day at our house. The grandparents would usually show up but we had the BIG gatherings at their homes with aunts and uncles and cousins the Sunday before and after. It worked for us during our growing-up years. Now... not nearly as much fun but that allows me to spend more time on the real meaning of the season. I am happy we have church on Christmas morning this year!
3. What foods did Mom and Grandma make for those days? Loads of food at the grandparents' homes. Turkey, ham, and all the trimmings. I remember at least three of those big roasters sitting on the counters in grandma's kitchen. What snacks were out? I don't remember snacks at the grandparents' homes but my dad loved ribbon candy so that was always part of Christmas. We were also big cheese eaters. Cheese and crackers were front and center. Mom always made a red velvet cake for dessert. What is the food situation in your home today? Since I had covid for Thanksgiving and had to cancel 9 people, I will be serving the turkey for Christmas. Seventeen pounds for four of us. Leftovers will be shared!!
4. Did you have a traditional way of spending the day with time to open gifts, visit, special breakfasts, special dinners, or guests? Gifts were always opened on Christmas morning. We did open one gift on Christmas eve. My grandma made flannel nightgowns for me and my sisters every year for years and years, and those got opened on Christmas eve so we could wear them.
My girlfriends (Elaine and Barb) would come over. Sometimes we went ice skating on the lake if it was frozen by Christmas. What do you do now? Joe and I used to go to a movie on Christmas evenings. My sister will be here and we will probably chill with a movie here at home. And eat. We Kellys are very good at snacking.
Helen update: Writing this on Monday night. No word on getting Helen moved. I spoke with all three entities involved and they all just said they would call the other and try to get it done. I will be back on them today. I will make it more urgent today and still be nice but make sure they know it has to happen. The nursing home has no motivation because a filled bed is money. I need to work on Hospice and Brookdale to make it happen now.
Note: Some of my longer-term blogging friends might remember fellow blogger Chuck Carmichael who was a retired airline pilot and loved cruising... He died a few months ago and I just learned that his wife Pat has also passed. Chuck had many health problems and was in the hospital. I don't know about Pat. I am always so sad to learn a blogging friend has died.
I love hearing about your Christmas memories. I agree, when there were young children around Christmas was always more fun and exciting, but now that we are just "old folks" it's not quite the same, but we do focus more on the real meaning of Christmas. I am glad your sister will be with you again this year. Praying for the situation with Helen. I know that is a great concern for you and it would be wonderful to have her settled one way or the other for Christmas. God knows best, and He is in control of her life...and yours! Praying. Have a blessed Christmas week. Enjoy your time with your sister.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your Christmas memories. I miss being a kid at Christmas, but even more I miss having kids in the house at Christmas. I remember Christmas concerts at school and "programs" at church. I enjoy the Christmas traditions we have at our church each year. I hope Helen gets to be moved today.
ReplyDeleteI recall when very young, Christmas also fell on Sunday. I was so distressed to learn that my mother was going to insist we had to go to Church. The thought of leaving what Santa had just given was almost too much to bear. We had gone to Christmas Eve but..... anyway, in the end my mother reneged and we didn't go. More likely that she had second thoughts as we were hosting the family get-together that year. :)
ReplyDeleteHow I enjoy hearing everyone's traditions! Growing up it was just my parents and me -- after my father returned from his second shift (security) job, he and mother would put on their nightclothes, pour themselves a beer (I had eggnog) and we'd open presents. Even as a little girl, 'Santa' was never a thing -- rather a mythical figure who'd fill the stocking I discovered on Christmas morning.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you and Tammy will be together, making your own traditions.
Hope and pray someone in a position of power has an empathetic heart to get Helen moved!
I love hearing your Christmas's past. Good memories and traditions.
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing how much magic children bring to Christmas. I am lucky to get to teach littles. We had our Elf on a Shelf this year and they loved that. They would talk to him. Your Christmas tradition sound wonderful. Loved your answers! Merry Christmas. Have a nice day!
ReplyDeletehttps://lorisbusylife.blogspot.com/
Merry Christmas Terri: We did not decorate the tree until five days before Christmas, we went to Grandparents house had turkey ham and some kind of beef, with all the fixing's, no snacks not like today's parties.
ReplyDeleteChristmas day was off to another Grandparents house, more presents and back home to let mom and dad relax.
We have the Christmas Train come to town the week before Christmas, they collect food and money for the food shelf here, (Canandian Pacific) it draws thousands of people to our small town of less than 4000.
Catherine
I think it's the coolest thing that your grandmother made nightgowns for you and your sisters for Christmas, Terri. I don't know that many grandmas today would do the same thing.
ReplyDeleteWe spent most of our Christmases as a family of four since all our relatives lived so far away. I do think having family gatherings is the best, though.
Merry Christmas!