“Christmas isn’t a season. It’s a feeling.”
The first sounds I heard when I woke up were the drops of rain. By the time I rousted myself out of bed, the rain was heavier, no more drops. I went downstairs and started my morning rituals: I made coffee, fed Henry and raced to get my newspaper. I settled in and started reading. My day had officially begun.
Henry is gnawing on a marrow bone. It keeps dropping off the couch. On the floor below the couch are indentations in the wood from the bone. I hid the bone. He went looking for it. I felt sorry and gave it back. There are three more indentations.
When I was a kid, we lined up for baths on Saturday nights. My two sisters took one together, and my mother used to stay in the bathroom to monitor them. She also did all their hair washing. After my sisters were finished, my mother combed their hair. The problem was their hair was filled with snarls, and No More Tears didn’t exist yet. My sisters screamed, and they cried. It was torture listening. I used to block my ears so I didn’t have to hear their pleas.
Around this time of year, my town used to string Christmas decorations across Main Street. The whole string was covered in greenery. Bells were in the middle. They were white with specks of gold and were lit up every night. The fire station was outlined in lights, and Santa was poised to go down the chimney. He was atop a small ladder, befitting for a fire station.
I loved to go uptown and look in the windows. There was a Grant’s, a Woolworth’s, three drug stores, a biscuit and cheese shop, a small diner like restaurant, a men’s store, the Stoneham Spa, a bakery and a fish market. A police box was in the street where the roads met. The square was a delight at Christmas.
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keepthecoffeecoming.blog 
December 2, 2018 at 12:47 pm
Driving around and looking at the Christmas lights is still one of our December rituals. My 21 year old son doesn’t accompany us because he thinks it’s dumb but my daughter still loves the lights. Of course he’s at that age when anything we like must be dumb. We not only tour the retail business sections but also the residential areas.
Unfortunately, the only department store that still exists in downtown Dallas is Neiman Marcus and I haven’t been there in over 40 years at the holiday time. I’m sure they decorate their windows for the holiday season. However, the few malls that have survived do decorate for the holidays including an elaborate electric train display at the North Park Mall. The holiday season is infectious regardless of how cynical and jaded I seem towards the festivities. I enjoy a beautiful array of well thought out light shows and decorations. I’m amazed at the how much money has probably gone into some of the decorations.
It’s about ten degrees cooler today than yesterday with the passage of a cool front. Still the sun is shinning and our first chance of a real rainfall is Friday.
December 2, 2018 at 6:22 pm
Bob,
A light ride was always one of our traditions. There was one town where houses competed against each other for the best lighted house. They were beautiful. All the cars went slowly through the streets. We didn’t want to miss a single house.
Even now I do a light ride. I know some places I never miss. One house even has a TV out front playing a Christmas movie. Every bit of their house and property is lit up. It is amazing.
I think by 21 I was beyond thinking what my parents liked was dumb. We all liked everything about Christmas.
I can’t remember the last time I was at the mall so I don’t know how they decorate. I bet they still have Santa. It used to be that many of the stores were highly decorated.
We had rain the whole day.
December 2, 2018 at 2:48 pm
I remember the christmas decorations in my home town, they were rows golden chains with a huge golden crown in the middle hanging between the buildings and the entire things was stringed with lights. Looked very impressive and I know they were still there when I moved away 21 years ago.
The last thing I’ll hear tonight is the sound of rain. It started in the early afternoon and has continued without rest all the time and by the sounds of it it will continue for quite some time. I don’t mind because that means it stays warmish 🙂
I wish I could give my dogs marrow bones but I can’t because of Albin’s allergies. I brought sticks with me to work so they at least have something to chew on and they sure chew, I must clean the room before we leave every night .-) 🙂
Have a great day!
Christer.
December 2, 2018 at 4:01 pm
Hi Kat,
I’m pretty sure part of the appeal of gnawing a marrow bone on the couch is to periodically drop it on the floor. At some point the impact might crack the bone and make getting the marrow even easier. And that must be one honking great marrow bone to dent the floor.
Last night was our town holiday stroll. Main St was closed to traffic at 1PM and the stroll began at 3PM. The shops were all decorated and some businesses that are not on Main St were also participating. The lights along Main St are up. I don’t know if they lit the official tree on The Rockery but I think so. Santa’s Workshop is in place on the Upper Common.
When I was a kid, there would be a parade and Santa would ride in one of the fire engines. I think Parade Santa was usually one of the firefighters. I remember watching the parades when Santa arrived each year and I remember the whole business with the Santa Workshop but I don’t remember that I ever went in there to talk to Santa.
Today it poured all day.
Enjoy the evening.
December 2, 2018 at 6:39 pm
Hi Caryn,
It isn’t all that big a marrow bone. I have wide pine floors which are soft which is why there are indentations. I don’t think the bone will ever crack so I have hidden it again.
Today was the stroll in Yarmouth, but it rained most of the day. I like this stroll as some of the B&B’s are open. They alternate year by year. The rooms are lovely and much of the furniture is antique. Next week is the stroll in Dennis. There is always a horse drawn trolley to take you from place to place.
Santa arrives at the shopping center near me in a helicopter. I was out yesterday when I saw the copter circling around so I knew kids must have been delighted to see both Santa and the helicopter.
It poured here as well.
Have a great evening!
December 4, 2018 at 1:11 pm
My father played Santa the year Santa was to arrive in a helicopter. They landed him on the lower Common and the helicopter took off. The kids were all waiting in a big crowd and when they saw him, they started running towards him. My father saw combat in WWII and was a firefighter. He said he had never been so frightened in his life as when he saw all those kids stampeding towards him. He never offered to play Santa again. And they never dropped Santa off from a helicopter after that either. 😀
December 4, 2018 at 1:57 pm
Caryn
I laughed out loud when I read this. I felt so sorry for your poor father. I pictured all those kids running at him, and he had nowhere to hide. I totally understand that being the first and only year of him being Santa.
December 2, 2018 at 6:30 pm
Christer,
I usually go to my old hometown to see a play every year at Christmas. It is really fun to be in the square even though most of the stores are gone. The theater where I see the play is my old movie theater.
It rained most of the day, but it isn’t raining now. I was surprised how warm it was today. I’m glad as the wet roads might turn to ice.
I have hidden the marrow bone again. Henry dropped it too many times. Henry gets billy bones which are chews. They are all natural. He never stops chewing one until it is gone. I bought 3 the last time I got dog food and all three are gone.
Have a great day!!