Holiday Memories

I guess I am feeling nostolgic, but anyway, when I was a wee lassie, my sisters and I begged our parents to let us open one present on the 23rd instead of our usual tradition of Christmas Eve. Well, one present led to others, and finally, we had them all opened. On Christmas Eve, we piled into the car and drove through town looking at decorated houses and lights and wishing we hadn't talked our parents into opening our gifts a day early.

Growing up, we were often strapped for cash during the holidays, and so to help stretch the budget, my mom cut the top off an old juniper bush........that was our tree that year, but decorated, it was lovely.........

Any other holiday memories? Please share....42

We always had a cedar tree. There is a grove just north of the farm house (across the highway that runs through our farm) so it was easy to go cut down a tree. Never had electricity so all the ornaments were just plain bobbles. In my younger ages the tree was always up on a table because of all the little ones. If we went to Gramma and Grampa's (in the big house on the same farm) sometimes he had shot a goose. Sometimes ducks or pheasants. My 2 aunts and uncles and 2 cousins were there sometimes too. It was always exciting.
If we went to my Grandparents in town, there were more relatives and I remember they would shut the kitchen doors and we would play in the dining room or parlor. After a while they kept laughing a lot and getting louder and louder. Didn't realize until I was older they had liquor. Funny thing is I don't remember much about the presents.

I am so jealous of your cedar and juniper trees. I love both of those. We always have a fraser fir and our family has always used all blue lights, non flashing. My grandmother always said that they looked sacred to her. To me they make everything look so peaceful very Silent Night. We never use tinsel either. My mother and I both continue the blue light/fraser fir tradition. We have a clear glass ball for each family member with their name on it. It's always kind of special when someone new joins the family and their ball is added to the tree for the first time. We had always had Christmas at my grandparent's house. When my grandfather died suddenly in 1984 we were all dreading how Christmas would be without him. That year we moved the celebration to my house, my thought was that if it seemed different we could "blame" it on being held at my house and not because Pop Paw was gone. Everyone got through the day and evening and when it was time to go home we all knew that we were going to be all right. Now we have it at my house every year which I love. This year we are blessed to have my favorite niece's new baby, Ashlyn, who will be 5 months old, so her ball will be added to the tree.

Both my grandfather and great grandfather kept a shopping bag full of oranges, apples, and candy (chocolates from Sear's candy counter) behind their recliners. In the evenings when TV watching time came at about 8 pm they would bring out the goodies. They always had those huge peppermint sticks that had to be cracked with a hammer.

Piel

GrGranny and Piel.........thanks for responding; those were lovely stories...................42