This is an older Christmas post!
As the Captain and I have the Christmas boxes in from the storage shed, going through my collection of Christmas stuff and anticipating decorating for Christmas, it got me to thinking back on Christmas past when I was a child.
Although I have always had a fascination of everything sparkly and flashy, I was never too keen on the silver tree with the revolving light, making the tree seem to turn colors.
In fact, I hated that tree.
How did that fad catch on anyway?
Yuck! It was an awful looking tree!
There is something about a green tree with tinsel, flashing lights, homemade popcorn garland, and the toy ornaments that did something for me. That silver tree felt cold and sterile.
Something that bugged me about that silver tree is that it just didn't go with the nativity scene and the little houses that were lit up at the bottom of the tree. And the sweet little plastic glittery deer I loved to play with were not welcome at the foot of that silver tree. It was a different "Christmas look."
The "normal" green Christmas tree was a tremendous fascination for me, I loved all those festive little things that were banished from the silver tree . . . I could sit on the floor by the tree and be entertained for hours . . . but not the silver one.
We had a Christmas tradition that involved the neighbors . . . stringing popcorn garlands for everyone's Christmas trees. This was done every year . . . a total of three families got together with lots of bowls overflowing with popcorn to eat and string. It was loads of fun sitting around stringing popcorn after dinner, drinking hot chocolate and singing along with the Christmas music playing. The party was always hosted by our next door neighbors who never had one of those awful silver trees.
Funny thing about this annual party . . . we also helped decorate their tree . . . it was part of the festivities. The next door neighbors had no children, so they kind of adopted us neighbor kids and loved to spoil us throughout the year. The funny thing . . . and looking back in the real world as an adult, not really funny, but sad . . . anyway, Tom (the next door neighbor) was a serious drinker who insisted on putting the topper on the tree AFTER it was decorated later in the evening when he was a bit lit up himself from way too much booze. The problem was that he would always fall into the tree and come out laughing . . . then everyone helped to tidy it back up.
It was also traditional for him to fall into the shrubs putting the outside lights up. The neighborhood men always made sure to be around to help him back up when he would holler for help. He never failed to end up there!
LOL He was quite a character!
Those Christmas memories of my childhood are rather sad since almost everyone involved have passed away or moved away, a time in place that has truly moved on. However, I fondly think of them every Christmas and smile at the thought of Tom's big butt hanging out of the tree.
Happy Holidays!
