The Christmas Post I Promised

     Christmas Eve is upon us. As usual I find my memories taking over. My mother loved Christmas, she got me loving it too, I still do. I remember midnight mass and Christmas corsages. God they were so big, but uber cool, with mini ornaments and bells. I loved the funny ones, like the one of Santa with the nose that lit up when you pulled the string. I still think of my Mom trimming the tree every time I hear the song It's Beginning To Look A lot Like Christmas. I still shed a tear when I hear  O Holy Night , my grandmothers favorite song.  I gave tried, but as soon as I hear that hymn I get weepy. Grandma was awesome at Christmas. She had so many traditions. Some Mom did with her, others I did. I remember one of them was washing your face with Christmas snow would make your skin beautiful.  May have been something to that as Nona had great skin. Lol 

     Staying up all night cooking with the bayberry candle burning in the sink. Oh yes the bayberry candle. A staple every year. I remember them well. They sold them at school every year, along with other candles and wrapping paper. They looked the same every year. A glass holder that looked like a glass you would make a hurricane or zombie in. Filled with bayberry wax. The outside had green, or red, or hold glitter. Holly was wrapped around the stem.  Had to burn it in the sink as it burned all night long. This way if the cat tipped it over it would go out and not cause harm. 

     Washing all the "good china" because it came out for it's yearly display. It was my mothers wedding china. It's mine now and by some miracle hubs likes it. Bonus!!! :-)  these plates and serving bowls held more food than anyone could ever finish in one meal. I'm talking full house with a kids table. 25 people to cook for, and get the house ready for. I polished the furniture and wrapped garland around the bannister. Our home was truly a Christmas masterpiece of holiday decor. It always seemed so bare when the decorations came down. 

       Decorations strung across the Main Street in our town, and Mom taking me to Macy*s or Gertz to see Santa. Real tinsel on our tree, that always seemed to make the cat look like a pull toy ( not explaining that, but if you know , you know lol) we used those stencils that you sprayed with white paint on the windows to look like snow. And SNOW! Yes it seemed to snow back then.  It may be my mind playing tricks on me. It was a fairyland back then. I loved every minute of it.  Dad always sat in his chair after midnight mass and have a beer and cigar, looking very Archie Bunker. Mom and Nonna had ammaretto

and as I hot older it switched from ginger ale to ammaretto for me too. Awesome memories.

It seemed simpler, but it wasn't. It was just family and friends and lots of love.  With all the unrest going on in this world, I wish you all find a bit of peace and joy with loved ones and friends. Ciao For Now