I jotted down this post over coffee, Christmas Eve 2018 while things were quiet. Christmas is too important not to include it in the blog. Therefore, I post it today. In years to come my grandchildren will read this retelling of Christmas past.
Blue skies are like new beginnings, after several days of rainy skies and dark clouds, wait.. Okay, so we've felt we needed a Ark because it's rained for two solid months. At one point I think we had 12 straight days of rain. Sunshine today is a sight to behold.
We have had quite a winter this year, there has been far too much rain and cold for this southern girl. I'm a sunny-warm-weather girl who tires of winter quickly. I'm sure winter isn't done with us yet but today I will take the low 50's predicted and revel in the sunshine.
We have had quite a winter this year, there has been far too much rain and cold for this southern girl. I'm a sunny-warm-weather girl who tires of winter quickly. I'm sure winter isn't done with us yet but today I will take the low 50's predicted and revel in the sunshine.
It's Christmas eve day and there will be some cooking and some relaxing today. There are gifts to wrap and I'm sure I can find another Hallmark movie to watch. All in all It will be a fairly quiet day, unlike Christmases past.
I love how traditions evolve over time and each activity becomes a necessity, you absolutely can't have the holiday without?! One of my favorites was late-night baking of goodies on Christmas Eve.
Mama shared her love for baking with me when I was young and it continued throughout our lives. It was our ritual time together. Even when I was a teenager and my attitude was often lacking, as teenagers do, we baked. Baking was cathartic for mama and I find it the same for me.
When I later married, some days she would call just to let me know she was stirring up a cake if I wanted to come over and help. It was our time to talk through whatever was bothering either of us or whatever was giving us joy. Most often it was planning for transplanting flowers or small trees she wanted moved or maybe an upcoming trip to Pensacola to visit family.
Most Christmases wedding cookies, homemade caramels, tiger butter and divinity were top picks for my own family. My personal favorite this time of year is almond nougat. If any of the children spotted the four bags of slivered almonds after grocery shopping, they alerted the household and hid out. Mind you, not because they didn't like almond nougat but because it was a rather large recipe which meant hand wrapping 125-150 pieces of candy.
My sweet daddy died before I met and married my Don and for all those years it was only mama to visit us. Our children and their first cousins started their own tradition of laying claim to their granny for Christmas eve night. I'm not sure when and why they felt this necessary? It wasn't like they weren't all going to see her anyway. But yes, they "claimed" her each year.
"No, you had her last year. We get her this year".. and so it went between them all. I will say I was impressed with their honor when they realized it wasn't their year. They took the disappointment with dignity.
She would warn them all against arguing over her but she absolutely loved being fawned over. When it was your year for granny, she would show up with an overnight bag early in the day Christmas eve. The children would meet her at the door which was hilarious to me, as they had probably seen her two or three times during the week already. This was special though, it was Christmas. They called their cousins to announce the arrival of "the gran" and our home filled with children clamoring for mama's attention and time. They read books and played games all day, listened to her tell stories of her childhood, watched episodes of Murder She Wrote and immersed themselves in their granny. Mama was always a light-hearted, happy person but at Christmas she was at her finest.
Later in the day she would take the back up position while I baked. She was the most efficient sifter and nut chopper around. Exactly like when I was a child, she would share where she thought I could add another spot for Irises or Daylily's to my yard. When the children tired of all the work in the kitchen, it was just mama and I.
I will miss her today as I bake alone.
Every Christmas Eve the children would bed down in the same bedroom. Patrick would make a pallet in his sister's room and they talked and giggled until late into the night. Our bedroom was directly above them and we listened quietly together as they talked and planned.
They were warned not to wake anyone until at least 6 a.m. Of course, Patrick was awake by 5 and I could hear them talking and laughing all the way upstairs. Granny would be in Patrick's bed and I'm sure she wasn't allowed to sleep either.
~When they came upstairs, they would always shield their eyes from the Christmas tree because they wanted us all together before seeing what Santa had delivered. There was no racing to the tree to see what they had received. Neither child would look until everyone was in the living room. "Come on Granny, hurry" The children could not wait for granny to open her gifts, first. Usually something they had crafted just for her or something they spent their pennies on at the school Santa shop. I always loved that weeks ahead of the holiday instead of buying for themselves, they were thinking of their granny.
As the celebration continued, there were always my brothers and their families, favorite foods throughout the day and always so much laughter, and naps. Someone would slip off to a bed to rest.
What I also found amazing when my children were young was their insistence on not skipping traditions. (We mama's get tired sometime) However tired I was, they would become indignant if I even suggested leaving something out each year. I am grateful they now embrace family traditions which began long ago.
I watch them instill the same giving and loving qualities in their own children, create their own traditions and enjoy time with family and take time to rest.
Patrick puts their Christmas tree up as early in November as he can. He's like his mama in that regard, I like to enjoy it as long as possible. My daughter has her Christmas baking schedule down to their favorites and there is much "down time" at home- no manic Christmas for her. She is much like her granny.
Although today we have some hurts we are still healing from and are missing among others, our sweet granny, today will be another Christmas of celebrating Jesus birth, reading, gift-giving, laughter but most of all, togetherness (Not to mention really good food)
Remember, the really important gifts can't be purchased.
Later in the day she would take the back up position while I baked. She was the most efficient sifter and nut chopper around. Exactly like when I was a child, she would share where she thought I could add another spot for Irises or Daylily's to my yard. When the children tired of all the work in the kitchen, it was just mama and I.
I will miss her today as I bake alone.
Every Christmas Eve the children would bed down in the same bedroom. Patrick would make a pallet in his sister's room and they talked and giggled until late into the night. Our bedroom was directly above them and we listened quietly together as they talked and planned.
They were warned not to wake anyone until at least 6 a.m. Of course, Patrick was awake by 5 and I could hear them talking and laughing all the way upstairs. Granny would be in Patrick's bed and I'm sure she wasn't allowed to sleep either.
~When they came upstairs, they would always shield their eyes from the Christmas tree because they wanted us all together before seeing what Santa had delivered. There was no racing to the tree to see what they had received. Neither child would look until everyone was in the living room. "Come on Granny, hurry" The children could not wait for granny to open her gifts, first. Usually something they had crafted just for her or something they spent their pennies on at the school Santa shop. I always loved that weeks ahead of the holiday instead of buying for themselves, they were thinking of their granny.
As the celebration continued, there were always my brothers and their families, favorite foods throughout the day and always so much laughter, and naps. Someone would slip off to a bed to rest.
What I also found amazing when my children were young was their insistence on not skipping traditions. (We mama's get tired sometime) However tired I was, they would become indignant if I even suggested leaving something out each year. I am grateful they now embrace family traditions which began long ago.
I watch them instill the same giving and loving qualities in their own children, create their own traditions and enjoy time with family and take time to rest.
Patrick puts their Christmas tree up as early in November as he can. He's like his mama in that regard, I like to enjoy it as long as possible. My daughter has her Christmas baking schedule down to their favorites and there is much "down time" at home- no manic Christmas for her. She is much like her granny.
Although today we have some hurts we are still healing from and are missing among others, our sweet granny, today will be another Christmas of celebrating Jesus birth, reading, gift-giving, laughter but most of all, togetherness (Not to mention really good food)
Remember, the really important gifts can't be purchased.
