Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Past, Present and Future

A little something about

Christmas's past...

When I was a kid, I remember that we did have a real tree for a few years. I don't know when we quit doing that. I remember hating to have to clean up after the darn thing, it shed worse than our cat did.
Dad had those very large multi colored Christmas lights. I loved those!
Mom's tradition for stockings (when we had stockings, if we didn't she would use a box)...
one Apple
one Orange
one Banana
one box of Cracker Jacks
and a book/box of Lifesavers

We didn't ever have a fireplace, so my mom would slide these under our beds in the middle of the night. How do I know this? I would peek! Naughty child that I was!

We made our tree's decorations. Mom would get colored glass balls, gave us glitter and glue and we always did one with our name on it. One year we even made our own stockings with felt and glitter.

The good old times when we did things together, before I caught wind of all the things other families were buying instead of making.


Christmas's present...

Lets just go back five years. For my side of the family, we have always gotten presents for my parents and the four kids and my niece. Well since the family has grown so much (with spouses and nieces and nephews), we finally decided to draw adult names three years ago. Which really didn't change things much for my parents with having to still buy for seven grand kids, each other and two adults. For me and hubby, even with the new system were having to buy for over 20 people (kids and adults combined).

So finally after many talks on the matter and to ease every one's financial burdens, we have agreed to only do our own households and to get together only for a Christmas dinner. Lets hope everyone got the memo!

Mom usually is the one to tell everybody where and when Christmas is going to happen. We haven't had Christmas on Christmas day in a long time. It is always based on when everyone is available. Last year's Christmas wasn't celebrated till January of this year.
I actually liked that, cause it gave me more time to get stuff at the after Christmas sales.


Christmas's future...

My grand kids are going to be thrilled next year. Most of the money I spent on my family will now be able to go to them and their parents. Something I haven't been able to do for sometime. I always felt like a bad Nana, cause our money was being stretched too many ways. I will be able to focus more on them and regain my great Nana status!

Hopefully, my hubby will return to me, that happy HO-HO guy that has recently been replaced with the Grinch!

12 comments:

Joshua said... [Reply to comment]

That. Is. Brilliant! I declare that Christmas should happen December 31 every year now, so I can hit the sales on December 26. This is awesome!

-Joshua

mch3n said... [Reply to comment]

Yes the good old days I miss them too. I sill do the one Apple, one Orange, one Banana,
Cracker Jacks. I also put her stocking beside the bed. I'm keeping the tradition alive

Love ya sis

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

Oh sweet memories and traditions! Have a ho ho merry one!

Menopausal New Mom said... [Reply to comment]

I love the stories of your Christmas celebrations and decorating growing up. You were doing things together, making ornaments, the kids today just show up and it's all there, they grab their toys and run til you call them for dinner. I like the old way of everyone pitching in. Yes, it will be nice that you can now focus your budget on the grandkids, which is exactly where it belongs. Hope the Grinch moves out too! Yesterday my husband unplugged the lights on the Christmas Tree at noon, too expensive on the power bill. WTF, seems like the Grinch has moved in here too Lol! BTW, I plugged them right back in and he didn't say anything!

Tinkerschnitzel said... [Reply to comment]

My mom still puts apples, oranges, and bananas in our stockings. (Yes, I'm 28 years old, and still get stuff from Santa! :)) She used to put a handful of uncracked nuts in there too. I miss cracking those open on Christmas morning.

mindy@thesuburbanlife said... [Reply to comment]

Nothing makes a person cherish traditions more than Christmas, it seems! And I have a theory about your Grinch of a husband...I think all the honking is altering his brain waves. Maybe the poop in the yard is EXACTLY what you need to do! We're talking about the future of Christmas here. =)
Mindy

Maureen@IslandRoar said... [Reply to comment]

We always go those lifesavor books too; we thought they were so awesome.
I'm sure no matter what you give them, your grandkids think you rock!

Heather said... [Reply to comment]

Joshua...It would be so much easier on the wallet!

Sister...You left out the Lifesavers!

Suzicate...Thanks and a ho-ho merry to you to.

Menopausal...The old ways, seem to have made stronger memories. Ask me about a Christmas 20 yrs ago and I get nothing from my brain.
OHHH, the grinch's and their lights! I beginning to believe there are a whole network of grinches.

Tinkerschnitzel...I didn't know anyone else did that! That is cool!

Mindy...LOL! I am NOT going to do the poop! LOL
I think he has become the grinch, because his wallet has been empty for weeks! Poor hubby!

kathryn said... [Reply to comment]

I love hearing about your holiday traditions! And I'd forgotten about the Lifesavers books...I'd loved receiving those.

I think everyone eventually has to scale back...shaky economy, or not. It's simply too many ppl to buy for. It takes all the fun out of Christmas!

Heather said... [Reply to comment]

Maureen...Those books of Lifesavers were the best part of our stockings!

Kathryn...I'm going to have to see if they still sell those books, after all this talk about them, I'm getting a craving.

Angelia said... [Reply to comment]

I love how she would slide the stockings under the bed at night. And your future tradition? I can see you shining from here. I know the stress will be less and maybe hubby will grow a heart. :-)
Sweet, sweet memories. I loved them!

cheatymoon said... [Reply to comment]

We always got the Lifesavers books. I miss them!!
Love this post.