I've lived enough years to come across many ways other families and individuals celebrate Christmas. Not everyone has family nearby with which to celebrate, some don't care to be among crowds, and many celebrate totally on their own.
What is your favorite Christmas memory?
What is your favorite Christmas memory?
What are your favorite foods associated with Christmas?
What is your favorite Christmas music?
How do you (if you do) decorate for Christmas?
What is your favorite Christmas music?
How do you (if you do) decorate for Christmas?
How soon (if you do it at all) decorate before the Christmas holiday?
Do you ever take a driving tour to see neighborhood lighting?
What do you dislike MOST about Christmas?
What is your favorite Christmas Day tradition?
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Okay, in case you're somewhat shy; let me go first!
As for a favorite Christmas memory ~
I was very young - maybe four or so, if that. My elder siblings and parents surprised me with a doll - that doll was nearly as tall as me. I had never had anything that new - that very special. I was number six in line in our family with a brother yet to arrive on the scene. We were a family of dairy farmers, life was hard work and little money. As young as I was, I knew getting a brand new doll, with a doll buggy (it's what they called those four-wheeled beds on wheels back then - even had a collapsible canopy of sorts - it folded up flat, but I never had it in that position. My married sister and her husband gave me that toy for the doll. There were clothes, bottles, a diaper bag, and even a burp rag. That memory long stands as a favorite, because there was a sacrifice involved on the part of the givers.
What are your favorite foods associated with Christmas? ~
Food for the holidays are special treats at our house, because there is so much tradition tied up with it. Swedish tea rings became one of our fave treats (shaped like a wreath, they are made with a sweet yeast dough, lots of cinnamon, sugar, brown sugar, and butter - cut into slices nearly all the way through to the center,
As for a favorite Christmas memory ~
I was very young - maybe four or so, if that. My elder siblings and parents surprised me with a doll - that doll was nearly as tall as me. I had never had anything that new - that very special. I was number six in line in our family with a brother yet to arrive on the scene. We were a family of dairy farmers, life was hard work and little money. As young as I was, I knew getting a brand new doll, with a doll buggy (it's what they called those four-wheeled beds on wheels back then - even had a collapsible canopy of sorts - it folded up flat, but I never had it in that position. My married sister and her husband gave me that toy for the doll. There were clothes, bottles, a diaper bag, and even a burp rag. That memory long stands as a favorite, because there was a sacrifice involved on the part of the givers.
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Food for the holidays are special treats at our house, because there is so much tradition tied up with it. Swedish tea rings became one of our fave treats (shaped like a wreath, they are made with a sweet yeast dough, lots of cinnamon, sugar, brown sugar, and butter - cut into slices nearly all the way through to the center,
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What is my fave Christmas Music? ~
Easy peasy there - I LOVE the soft traditional Christmas carols - such as - SILENT NIGHT and THE FIRST NOEL, and O BEAUTIFUL STAR OF BETHLEHEM.
Then some of the secular tunes - SILVER BELLS and WHITE CHRISTMAS and JINGLE BELLS
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VERY SLOWLY - just have so much going on and I no longer go "all-out" like I once did.
I have a collection of Nativity Scenes that now more than fill the living room and have spilled into my library
I also have a collection of snow people - in Jan when Nativity scenes get put away, I spread out the snow people for the month of January - BRIGHTENING EVERY SPOT IN THE HOUSE with them, except bedrooms.
Lights are very important to me - garlands with lights on either side of the huge window in the living room and sliding glass door off dining room and around the top and down the sides of our china cabinet.
The tree has more colorful lights than it has ornaments. THE HOUSE SHINES during the grayest month of the year.
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How soon (if you do it at all) decorate before the Christmas holiday? ~
NEVER ever before Dec 1st in any given year. I LOVE FALL - I LOVE THANKSGIVING and I want to give it the honor it deserves by spending more time thanking the Lord for so very much than I spend decorating for Christmas.
This year - the very first Christmas decoration went up SUNDAY AFTERNOON - Dec 15th - rarely do we BEGIN the middle of the month - but - never do we begin before Dec 1st.
NEVER ever before Dec 1st in any given year. I LOVE FALL - I LOVE THANKSGIVING and I want to give it the honor it deserves by spending more time thanking the Lord for so very much than I spend decorating for Christmas.
This year - the very first Christmas decoration went up SUNDAY AFTERNOON - Dec 15th - rarely do we BEGIN the middle of the month - but - never do we begin before Dec 1st.
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Do you ever take a driving tour to see neighborhood lighting? ~
Jerry and I used to make a date night to go check out neighborhoods in Kalamazoo known for extensive holiday decorating - now we stay nearer to home, checking out Schoolcraft, driving slowly one street to another and sipping hot cocoa in insulated cups - enjoying the variety in lights and decor.
Jerry and I used to make a date night to go check out neighborhoods in Kalamazoo known for extensive holiday decorating - now we stay nearer to home, checking out Schoolcraft, driving slowly one street to another and sipping hot cocoa in insulated cups - enjoying the variety in lights and decor.
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What do you dislike MOST about Christmas? ~
A couple of things ~
HATRED toward the USE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR'S NAME - CHRIST in CHRISTMAS
COMMERCIALISM esp when it's so blatantly filled by greed before October 31st now.
What is your favorite Christmas Day tradition? ~
Time with our family ~ We have time with the Avery side of the family (It will be one less in membership this year as we lost my big brother to Heaven the Monday night before Thanksgiving 2019) we gather in one of the Avery's homes around EXCELLENT FOOD with GREATS AMOUNT OF LAUGHTER and LOTS OF LOVE EXPRESSED! I expect absolutely no difference this year, as it's exactly what Vern would have wanted for us ALL.
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Okay, my readers, it's YOUR turn!
I can hardly wait to read your comments/answers here!
I can hardly wait to read your comments/answers here!
If we do not see one another before next WEDNESDAY - CHRISTMAS DAY -
KNOW I wish for you the most BLESSED OF DAYS with a STUPENDOUS CELEBRATION OF OUR SAVIOR'S BIRTH!
PLEASE leave a comment, and I will be sharing them on FB the day before Christmas - WITH NO NAMES MENTIONED.
MERRY CHRISTMAS and A GLORIOUSLY PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR - 2020
2 comments:
Loved reading your memories and Christmas activities. If I tried to answer your questions, I would end up having to put my phone in a bag of rice to dry it out. Attempting to make new memories this year and coveting your prayers as I do.
I think my favorite Christmas memory is that my nieces and nephews would STOP opening presents when we got to the one that was the book, and want to sit and read it.
my favorite Christmas food is homemade gingersnaps.
It isn't Christmas without the Messiah
In my parents' house, we'd go all out, with three trees, "candle rings" of holly and pitchers with real holly from our own bushes, my mother's huge Santa collection would fill the long mantle above the fireplace and book cases, and my knitted nativity set Had to be on top of the TV. I also had a small tree (table top size) in my bedroom. We'd break out the holly patterned dishes.
The outdoor lighting went up while the weather wasn't a hindrance, The Christmas trees went up the day after Thanksgiving and stayed up until Epiphany.
Yes, a neighborhood lights tour was essential...three adults and six kids or more all crammed into a Suburban.
I least liked wrapping presents, except for the only year we somehow had wrapping paper with a grid marked on the inside, which helped even me cut pieces the proper size. Wrapping usually went on on Halloween.
Favorite tradition? Lighting that final candle of the Advent wreath/or, caroling.
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