“The magic of Christmas shines through each little light.”
Posted December 22, 2025 by katryCategories: Musings
Tags: Christmas, Christmas tree, family, holidays, life
I apologize for the lateness of the hour. I slept in having gone to bed even later than the wee hours then I took my time savoring the morning. I finished the word puzzles and the crossword, always a good sign.
The morning is lovely though wintry cold. The high today will be 30°. I have no intention of facing the weather. I am actually going to clean starting with the living room. The dust balls have taken over, fodder for a Stephen King novel, okay maybe a short story.
The last day of school before vacation was fun. We colored, wandered the classroom and had a party. We all brought something. Chocolate chip cookies outnumbered all the rest. Sometimes they’d be sugar cookies. I’d grab one of those. They are Christmas to me. I think I ran home once we were dismissed.
I loved the living room with the lamps unlit and only the tree lights gleaming in the dark. They were always big, colored bulbs which got hot to the touch. On the ends of the branches were the bubble lights, my favorite lights. We’d sit and look at the tree right to left and left to right hoping to be the first to see the bubbles. I loved watching the red and green bubbles. My mother put her big glass ornaments on the tree. They were always safe on the top branches we couldn’t reach. When my mother gave us all some of the ornaments from our childhood trees, she gave each of us a big ornament. I always put mine on a top branch.
We had turkey for Christmas dinner, almost a repeat Thanksgiving. I never minded as I liked turkey and all the turkey dishes which came after, especially open face turkey sandwiches on bread, toast I think, covered in gravy with a side of cranberry sauce. My father always picked the turkey clean so my mother could make turkey salad and turkey soup.
My mother always put a few wrapped presents under the tree. We knew we’d open new pajamas on Christmas Eve. We didn’t have a choice. We needed to look good for pictures. My sister always tore a tiny hole in the wrapping paper of every present under the tree, all of our presents, not just hers. She had a talent. Just that little peek was enough for her to identify each present. Over time, she honed her craft. She could shake a present and know exactly what it was. She never missed.
Only two more days until Santa.
I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas: Gayla Peevey
Posted December 20, 2025 by katryCategories: Video
Dominick The Donkey: Lou Monte
Posted December 20, 2025 by katryCategories: Video
This is one of our ukulele songs.
”The stockings were hung by the chimney with care.”
Posted December 20, 2025 by katryCategories: Musings
The one day of warmth is gone. Winter is back. It is in the 30’s. I’d complain, but that does no good; however, there is a saving grace, a gift from Mother Nature. Despite the cold, the morning is a marvel with its deep blue sky, lots of sun and the stillest air. It is just lovely.
Yesterday’s wind split the pine tree once standing just inside the backyard. One large branch fell on the gate but didn’t do any damage. The top of the tree fell outside the yard just beyond the fence. I didn’t even hear a thing. I only noticed last night when I let the dogs out just before we went to bed. I saw something lying in the yard by the stairs. I thought Nala had brought stolen goods outside, but she was wrongly accused. There were couple of small branches lying by the gate then I saw the big branch and the split tree.
When I was a kid, after the walk home from school, I was usually cold despite the winter coat, the pink long underwear to my knees, the knee socks, the hat and the mittens. As soon as I’d get home, I’d shed all the layers and get into my pajamas. I’d lie in bed under the blanket and read. The lamp on the headboard lit the pages of my book and helped keep me warm. I got cozy.
Every Christmas morning, I’d grab my stocking, sit on the floor and take out one gift at a time to give each its due. I remember a coloring book and crayons. I’d find hand games like Jacks and Pick Up Sticks nd sometimes colored pencils. They’d be a wooden paddle with a red ball attached by a long elastic. Sometimes there’d be a pair of Christmas socks. Chocolate Santas were usually at the bottom of the stocking. A small stuffed animal or cloth doll always poked its head out of the top. My mother was the queen at stuffing a stocking.
(Everybody’s Waiting for) The Man with the Bag: Kay Starr
Posted December 19, 2025 by katryCategories: Video
keepthecoffeecoming.blog 