I caught site of it's shadow one morning... thought it was artsy!
I tried making sugared pecans this week
Watching online: very intriguing puzzle ... don't blow off the elders' knowledge....
https://youtube.com/shorts/2JHsowO3o2E?si=0CJxVhl5g26QvdlY
Our prompt this week:
How was Christmas done in your childhood home/family?
example, if you woke earlier than the parents did you have to wait? Did the gifts go under the tree after you went to bed? did your family all exchange gifts? Did you dig in and all open your gifts at the same time or have to go around a circle opening one at a time?
Early in my childhood we had a real tree, and I had to go to bed early on Christmas Eve. Not allowed to come out or sneak a peek before the parents got up. My parents had two daughters who were married by the time I was 5 (I'm adopted) so we spent the day with them often.
My mother , as Santa spent a lot of time arranging packages and a couple open things. I remember one year with a tricycle front and center, another year with a big doll, another with a bike. Since it was just me mostly, I was told to just open the gifts and loved, still love, all the little things in a stocking.
When I was about 12 we got a silver tinsel tree with a light wheel that twirled.
I remember as a10 year old handling one tubular shaped wrapped present and trying to guess what it was. It was the first thing I opened Christmas morning, it was from granny (who had lots of grand kids and not a lot of money) it was a roll of quarters, I felt RICH. you can buy a lot of penny candy with that after school.
In Tampa, the wonder bread business held a yearly event of a tour of the factory and free tiny loaf of white bread. I always wanted to go, loving bread so much. The city had a creche and my family took a film of 3 year old me running to kiss the baby Jesus and getting clothes-lined on the ropes. Knocked me flat and the family laughed.
lest you think it was all good times It was not Hallmark-ville around our house.
one parent always fell of the wagon after being given alcohol by his family yearly, the other parent going thru the motions but openly resentful that she never got lots of toys. From the outside it looked like a good home...
So when I left to live on my own, Christmas became a decorator's dream with me. I fell in love with tiny ornaments collected on travels, sparkly twinkle lights, a big real tree. I was a social worker and poor generally but kept up the magical sparkling time with foods and decorations. My first dog Chelsea, a big black lab took a bite out of all ornaments she could reach as an older puppy. A chelsea-bite. I cry when I see them surface, remembering that year as one where I wasn't alone.
Milo's Memories
Milo loved toys but got overstimulated with more than one at a time. At most I gave him three wrapped so that he could tear the paper off! He would play with it, then go get an old toy and spend time with it. He was a fair and just poodle.
The shark sleeps on our bed now. In his toybox is a pea pod stuffie he picked out as a puppy. We went on a Christmas stroll in Frederick MD the three of us. He loved shopping like Cole did, looking at everything eye level and lower, not touching, til he spied that pea pod. He sniffed it, and grabbed it, taking it to the counter to be paid for. He watched the clerk closely, as she took off the price tag. I said no need to wrap it, he'll escort it out and he pranced at the end of the leash holding that toy. He never tore that one up, we still have it.
Our family is broken hearted without him this year, the first Christmas without him.
now please visit these folk to read their lists this week
Your window star and mantle decorations look terrific! I enjoyed seeing the solution to the puzzle and reading your story about Milo going shopping!
ReplyDeletethe ikea star is a cult object here... all have one... if you have none you are not in the christmas club...great that you have one too... the star of swedish christmas travels around the world ... love that
ReplyDeleteAs kids, we all dug in and opened gifts and as I got older, it was one at a time to see what each one of us got. Love your star and sugared pecans are so yummy! It's so hard to spend our first Christmas without our special pups. Hugs♥
ReplyDeleteSuch a sweet story about Milo!
ReplyDeleteWe had a large tree, with tinsel! I still have some of the ornaments my mom put on the tree. When young, we went to my grandparents for dinner Christmas Eve and then returned to open gifts - my parents tired of getting things setup to be awakened by my brother as they had just drifted off to sleep yelling - Santa's been here. Tons of fun when we were young in a house of 5 kids. We did get kittens one year, and the neighbors what happened that caused my brother to do a cartwheel in the living room. Hugs to you from afar - Milo will be remembered and missed - thanks for sharing your sweet memories!
ReplyDeleteThat star is really beautiful. And your mantle looks very festive. Christmas Eve was always at our house with just me, my parents, and my grandparents. The church pageant was early evening, then we stopped across the street at family friends before going home. They didn't have children, but always had a gift for me. The silver tinsel - makes me laugh because my mom was so anal about hanging it 1 strand at a time. The best gift I remember from childhood was the year I got Barbie and Ken dolls. They were originals. I understand how much you miss Milo. It's been 3 years and I still miss Sammy. He always loved to sleep under the Christmas tree.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this wonderful post that reminds me of childhood Christmases. And Yes we do think of Milo and you. Wishing you warm Aloha friend
ReplyDeleteYour star is great! The pecans look yummy, too. Loved that video - Grandma knew what to do! I have also enjoyed collecting ornaments from our travels. Sweet Milo - your stories make me smile!
ReplyDeleteI like that star too and the shadow star is very cool. Lots of good Christmas memories. The first holiday is so tough without your Milo, hugs from all of us, we get it. Thanks for joining Angel Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.
ReplyDeleteI love your mantel decorations. I did more decorating this year than I have since Mark died. It's been 3 years now, which is hard to believe. All of my family lives out of state, except for my daughter, so Christmas is always quiet.
ReplyDeletePat
The window star and your mantel decorations are so pretty. I'm sure it's a tough season for you without Milo, but it's neat that you have things around the home still that remind you of him. Happy Holidays to you!
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine makes candied nuts every year. I love to get a bag of them! Ah - tree tinsel - it got EVERYWHERE. :-)
ReplyDeleteThe Ikea star. Everyone has one. Mine is red and hangs in the window.
ReplyDeleteChistmas as A child? I don't remember much about Christmas.I do remember we had a Christmas tree. A real one and it stood on an old bedsheet, so that when the pine needles started to fall off, all we needed to do is bundle the dry tree (after all the baubles and tinsel had been taken off) in the sheet and carry it outside. After Christmas there would be a communal neighbourhood burning of the trees.
Also we never got any presents as I grew up in the Netherlands where the children get their presents on the eve of St Nicholas (Sinterklaas) on the 5th of December. I have fond memories of those evenings.
It must be a quiet and strange holiday without Milo. You must miss him loads. Wishing you a lovely Christmas nevertheless.
Hugs,
Lisca
The nuts look scrummy, it's ages since I've had any like that. It was interesting reading about your Christmas as a child, my parents got fed up of me getting up early and waking them as I went down stairs to see if Santa had been so they would put my presents in my bedroom. I obviously took after my mother as when I got older and they came to stay with us it was her that would get up early and wake us all up, she loved Christmas. I understand how you must be feeling about losing Milo, he was such a gorgeous boy. Even though Stanley my earlier Shnauzer was fourteen when he died I still miss him every day he was so special. Milo may not have been with you for long enough but I know he had a happy life. Sending hugs Angela xXx
ReplyDeleteWishing you and hubby a warm Christmas.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your colorful posts of yummy and fine things all year long! s
Totally loved this post. Christmas has its good and bad memories for me too. I don't enjoy the season so much, not into buying gifts, but then I miss it when it's over and am relieved it's over at the same time. And reading your story about Milo and that he's gone made me cry. The memories of our animals are so joyful and sad at the same time. Cheers to the memories and clink a glass of Chardonnay together 🤩😍🥂. ~Brenda
ReplyDeleteOh the beloved pea pod!
ReplyDeleteI love the Ikea star and it makes me think I need one, seriously! Childhood Christmas memories are a mixed bag for most of us, I think. Every family has its troubles. I enjoyed reading about Milo and I know you miss him terribly. Sending you all of my best wishes for a wonderful Christmas. Thank you for taking the time to link up.
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