“Like snowflakes, my Christmas memories gather and dance – each beautiful, unique and too soon gone.”
It is by all accounts a dreary day, dark and rainy, but being so close to Christmas, it looks, to me anyway, to be bright and beautiful. The tree is lit, and the house is filled with the scent of pine. I’ll be baking most of the day, my orange cookies, my mother’s favorite, and one more kind yet to be determined. My mother used to hide some of the orange cookies so they wouldn’t disappear too quickly. I’ll share mine with my friend because they remind her of her mother’s orange cake. That’s what Christmas is, remembering Christmases past, making new memories and carrying traditions from one generation to another.
Today is the last day before school vacation. I remember my high school kids were almost giddy. Santa hats were a common sight in the halls, and the spontaneous outbreak of carols was a lunch time treat to hear. One year a junior boy stood on a table and sang a solo. It was beautiful. Age is never an impediment to the joys of the seasons.
My sister is buried deep in snow. We’re having rain again, but I’m okay with that. I’ll just dream of a white Christmas. That’s enough for me.
I used to love my Christmas stocking. It was always stuffed and filled to the very top. Reaching my hand in and pulling out one thing at a time was the best approach. That way emptying the stocking lasted a long time. My mother was the stocking stuffer of legend. When we were kids, nothing was wrapped, but when we were older, she wrapped every single thing. Our childhood stockings had crayons, coloring books, baby bottles and a stuffed animal hanging out of the top. The rest of the little gifts were always a surprise. When we were grown, my sisters and I knew they’d be a pair of earrings for each of us in our stockings, but that was all we knew would be there. The rest of the stuff, just like when we were kids, was always a wonderful surprise because my mother found the neatest, most original stuff for those stockings.
My nephew used to call today Christmas Eve Eve.
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December 23, 2011 at 1:48 pm
Tomorrow is the last day to shop for those last few gifts to fill up a stocking. Everyone should run out and buy one last gift to help boost our troubled economy.
One of the big surprises I had while in Mainland China was how many Christmas decorations and Christmas songs that were being played in the hotel and in other places in Zhuhai. I have always been taught in school that the Chinese Communists were atheists. Maybe its all part of the new economic freedom in China. Let’s make a buck trumps dogma.
In Hong Kong Christmas trees and lights were everywhere and the Malls were crowded with shoppers just like here in America. One huge Mall in Hong Kong had the largest two story Apple Store I have ever seen. It was packed with shoppers. Hong Kong was a part of the British Empire until 1999 so I expected to see lot’s of Christmas cheer.
Two years ago we actually had a white Christmas Eve here in North Texas. This year the forecast is for a sunny with mild temperatures. Our friends in West Texas might get some snow tomorrow. I think the fun of Christmas is the anticipation. Like most things, when it’s all over on Christmas morning and the living room is filled with crumpled wrappings Christmas is just another day off from work to watch more football and eat.
December 23, 2011 at 7:58 pm
Bob,
Tomorrow is shopping only for the evening. We’ll eat hors d’ oeuvres and put our gingerbread houses together.
Like you, I would have been surprised by the Christmas decorations. I didn’t think that a Christian holiday would be observed in any way in China, but as you say Hong Kong was British for a long time so those traditions might have hung on.
The anticipation is the best part.
December 23, 2011 at 5:01 pm
Much the same whether over here today but I’ll add some fog too. But it has been a pleasant day anyway, I talked with my stepson on the phone for over three hours, the battery in my mobile phone almost died š š š
I think most kids here has had a week free from school already or at least half the week. I can’t remember us ever continue until the 23 december. I can also honestly say that no one has ever sung carols spontaneously in our schools š nor has anyone ever sung a solo anywhere in school unless forced by a teacher š š š Caroling is unfortunately not special common over here, it’s a shame because I really like it!
I think they could write a greek drama about my family’s christmases š š š Most have problems liking each other normal days and being forced together for christmas was never a good idea and I just don’t understand why they continued all these years.
I’ll stay at home tomorrow and will enjoy the day to the fullest š
Have a great day!
Christer.
December 23, 2011 at 8:53 pm
Christer,
I didn’t go out so I don’t know if there was fog on the river. This sort of weather usually brings the fog over the bridge.
Three hours is one long phone call. I don’t think I’d have enough to say.
The 23rd is the latest the schools get out for the holiday. The 20th is the earliest. When I was still working, they tried a two week vacation to see if it saved heating costs. It didn’t save enough.
People don’t really carol overhere. I used to have a dinner party every Christmas, and I always hired the school chorus Christmas choir to come and sing. It was wonderful.
It seems almost every family thinks they should be together at Christmas. Maybe they were hopeful that this year might be different.
December 23, 2011 at 6:41 pm
We spent hours shopping for stocking stuffers. I told Ann you look for special items all year long. We were so exhausted when we got home we both napped.
December 23, 2011 at 8:55 pm
Z&Me,
It’s true. I shop for stocking stuffers all year. When I see something perfect, I buy it. The odds are against my finding it again nearer Christmas. Finding stocking stiffers is great fun for me. I do neat stuff, funny stuff and always a bit of whimsey.
Nothing wrong with a nap.
December 23, 2011 at 7:18 pm
Hey Kat!
Just a note to wish you a Merry Merry!
I can’t wait for Christmas! All good wishes for 2012!
Waving from Jersey –
Coleen
December 23, 2011 at 9:00 pm
Coleen,
Thanks-love the merry merry.
Today I baked cookies with a great deal of enthusiasm. The Christmas spirit kicked in making me a happy baker.
Waving right back from a wet Cape Cod!
December 23, 2011 at 7:32 pm
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFBbLHZD7qA&w=640&h=360]
December 24, 2011 at 11:24 am
Thanks sister-soo,
I love Louis!!
December 23, 2011 at 7:41 pm
December 23, 2011 at 9:01 pm
sister-soo,
I’m so sorry this was disabled. It is one of my favorites, but all is not lost. I’ll toddle over to youtube and find it.