Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories - Christmas Trees

 One year, our story was not so much about the decorating of the tree it was more about the change it made in what kind of tree we would get in future years.

We had obtained a pine tree from the local store this time.  The kids had had wonderful time with the Hero decorating and playing while decorating.  It was a beautiful tree. 

It had been a cool year and we had the fireplace going.  When it was time to take the tree down, the Hero decided to be efficient and burn the limbs in the fireplace. Sounded good.

When he put the first branch in the fireplace (it was a large stone fireplace), there was a loud roar, and the whole house shook. We all came running to see what had happened.  The Hero looked pale, but it was not because of the house shaking, it was because he had thought of where the tree had been sitting.  The first words out of his mouth were “It was sitting under the girls’ bedroom.  If it had caught fire, we would not have been able to save them, if this is what one branch will do.”  He disposed of the rest of the tree outside.

In the coming years, we had an artificial tree that was flame retardant, underlined by the fact that we moved to a house we heated with a wood stove. 

The new artificial tree.

We missed the smell of the fresh cut trees, but it was worth the sacrifice to have a tree we felt would keep our children safe. 

Sentimental Sunday The Hero Had Christmas Traditions

While the Hero was living, we always split our Christmas days. We spent early in the morning with my mother, the late in the afternoon with his mother...  Both mom's are now in Assisted Living, and the Hero is gone, things have changed.

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2011 Forgotten Cookies

At a church Christmas activity for the youth, a young girl brought some meringue type cookies for refreshments. I fell in love with them and asked what the recipe was. This is the recipe she brought me. I love that you make them and leave them in the oven to cook. Tastes wonderful and leaves time for you to play with the cowboys and princesses in the family.

Created for John

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2011 Santa

A hero moment here.
When he was small, he and his brother visited Santa. As he grew, he loved playing Santa. When he reached his white hair and beard time period, he was mistaken for Santa.

I believe.

Christmas Advent Calendar Christmas Memories 2011 Outdoor Lights

Last year's visit to the Christmas lights.  Won't go this year they are 5 hours away.

Outdoor light have always been something we loved, but did on a very small scale. Lights around a window or around the porch.  We did love to drive around and see the more elaborate lights. Last year I blogged about the outdoor decorations. 
My most memorable year of viewing Outdoor lights was around 1959.  My parents decided to have a Christmas vacation and we went to visit my aunt who lived in Albuquerque.  There were many fun things around this visit, but the Luminarias Tours was one I would never forget. We did not take pictures.  The small lunch sacks with sand and candles in them, and their being set from the street to the tops of the houses was so beautiful! (If you missed it, you can click on the Lumiarias Tours in the sentence and see a picture) I couldn't believe that either the owners or someone hired by them would vigilantly watch the candles and if one went out, they would replace or relight.  I know there are electrical Luminarias you can purchase now, but it was more than the lights themselves. It was the background of the Spanish style homes, and walls that was so very beautiful. It really felt like maybe you had gone back in time. Visions of old style Spanish missions floated in my head.  Maybe, it was a forerunner to my love of history.

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2011 Christmas Tree Ornaments

Once again I am falling short in the picture area.  When my first 4 grandchildren were born, I made each of them a personalized Holly Angel hand sewn ornament.  I customized the angel to have the same color of hair and any other marks to match them.  When they moved away, I gave them the ornaments to keep.  I am also about 12 ornament behind for the rest.  My what happens when you are having so much fun.  I loved making the ornaments and still have the patterns for making the others. Here is one of the patterns. I saved the instructions because the patterns were not available any longer.  The plan is to finish when I settled down in my life one of these days.

Holly Babes Needlepoint ornaments.

Christmas Advent Calendar Christmas Memories 2011 Holiday Foods

Last year I wrote about the Hero's grandmother's Rum Balls.  Those are still in the oldest daughter's memories.  My food memory is of my mom's Date Roll Candy.  It was a process, not a a quick candy.  I looked forward to her making it, the recipe book she used has been  lost or she gave it away, but I found a recipe on the internet that I think is pretty close. Date Roll Candy.  She only made one and would watch closely and ration it out, because it was so rich.  Yummy stuff, may have to make some this year.

I don't write much about my mom. It hurts that the dementia has taken her from me.

Advent of Christmas Memories: Christmas Tree Wars

1st year in our own home.

Now, why would I say 'Christmas Tree Wars'.  Let's say it was for lack of a better way to express the recent memories shared by my son and daughter when reminiscing about their father and decorating the Christmas tree.
I was visiting with my son and daughter-in-law at Thanksgiving. The subject of getting a Christmas tree came up.  My son said, "You don't like decorating the Christmas tree do you, mom." (Said more as a statement not as a question.)
I was surprised then, smiled.  Before they were old enough to help, their dad and I would decorate the tree.  The Hero loved "perfect lights" on the tree, then he would let me put on the ornaments, next he put on the garland and finished it with icicles.  Okay, he had a plan and allowed me in on it. ; )

3 teen age children helping.

I told my son, I loved helping when they were young, but when they were old enough to help, I got the decorations out and let them and their dad have the pleasure together.  The Hero would sing carols as they worked together.  My daughter-in-law laughed and said that must be where my son got his obsession with the lights.
I stopped by my daughter's home when returning from my son's.
She was decorating her Christmas tree, or maybe I should say she was putting on the lights.  I am giggling as I write this, because it reminded me so much of her dad.  No one was to touch the lights.  They had to be just right, no blank spots, full color, and evenly spaced.
Some traditions are handed down...even when it is not intended.
Now I am waiting for my youngest son to put the tree up at my house. It will be fun to see what he does.
Hopefully my other children will stop by and leave their comment on how the Christmas tree was decorated.