Middle Aged Memories

Home made decorations are the best!

One of my sisters had a special Christmas outfit that she wore every year to our family get-together.  It was hideous, the sweater was pink with a huge Christmas tree on the front, and dangly charms and chains for ornaments, and the matching skirt was a floral pattern, with gold threads running through it.  This wasn't that long ago, and I haven't been back home for the party, so I'm not sure if she still wears it or not, hopefully not.  It was starting to look a little bit ratty the last time I saw it, which would have been 6 years ago.

I had some cute homemade ornaments that my kids made, and some beautiful ones that my mom made, but we lost our home in a fire in 2003, and we were unable to save any of the Christmas decorations.  It took me a few years to enjoy Christmas after that, since nothing about it was familiar.  

Each item seems to spur a little memorie of something of our past.

My grandmother rarely had a tree, as they spent the holiday with us, but she had a plastic holly wreath with red plastic berries, and some S&P shakers of Mr. and Mrs. Claus.  The funniest thing I remember is when she made a wreath out of bread bags.

She also had two bowls of candy.  One with spanish peanuts and the other with M & Ms.

We always had ribbon candy.  I remember when it was in our stockings, unwrapped, and stuck to the inside of it.

I made rum truffles one year.  Might try agian this year.

Oooh those flavors do sound good.

Okay, when I was very little I thought our family was dutch because my father owned a "Dutch Boy" paint store.

That was cute.  Can't say I'd ever seen that one before.

I was going through some old recipes and found a little booklet put out by TC Guide and this ad was in it.  Even at a young age it grossed me out to think of how the sheets smelled if the guy wasn't showering everyday!

I remember being in a second grade dramatic reading of "The Night Before Christmas."  We all had to wear stocking caps, and most of us had the outdoor kind which were in fashion back then.  I think my lines were, "When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter." 

I was never in th e inner circle of lead role players either.  I remembr in Jr. high I played an elf in the Christmas Play.  I had a green skirt with red pom poms hanging off it.

I found this very interesting:

DH's sister's funeral was last Saturday.  She was a teacher in a public school.  A chior from that school of 2 & 3 graders sang at the funeral.  They sang Jesus Loves Me, and andother song with Jesus in the title. It was in the program that the chior was from this school.  I was seriously surprised that it was allowed.  Not that I disagreed with it, just that in these times, it was done, and nobody fought it.

Unless some disgruntled person sues the school district.