Strings

This is part of AndreaClaire's Christmas Memory Challenge series.

One of my favourite Christmas memories is of helping my dad hang the outside lights and string the tree.

Well, not really hang them, since by then we were banished to another part of the yard so that we didn't distract Dad, knock the ladder over, step on or get tangled in the lights. And the same thing happened when it came time to string the tree.

But I had the ever important job (which sometimes I had to share). So important. Screw the bulbs into the string and find the ones that were burnt out. Oh, and alternate the bulbs, but not in a pattern. Because we had six colours - red, yellow, orange, green, blue and purple - and I'm sure they came in a package of six, one of each colour. So no patterns. And no doubles. And because I'd always end with a handful of orange ones, then I had to go back along the ones that were already screwed in and switch them up.

I loved my important job and I'm kind of sad that the new super-efficient LED lights don't need the same preparation.

Green Tissue

This is part of AndreaClaire's Christmas Memory Challenge series.

There were always so many things that we looked forward to every December. One of the big ones? Mandarin oranges.

I loved the crinkly green tissue paper, the easy to peel skin, the sweet, juicy segments, and the special mandarin orange smell. When my mom brought that first orange box home from the grocery store, it always felt like Christmas really was on its way.

Mandarins were expensive. We got one, maybe two a day. On Christmas morning there was always an orange in the toe of our stockings* and oranges in the fruit salad. On Christmas day, I probably managed to get myself three or maybe four of the coveted fruit.

I was torn between excited and disappointed when, in my early 20s, I moved to Vancouver on my own and discovered bulk mandarins available at the fruit and vegetable stores almost year round and that the boxes arrived at the grocery store sometime in November, maybe even October. I think the first two years I lived here I ate my weight in mandarins and I'm amazed my skin didn't take on an orange hue.

*I looked for the papers for those naked oranges in the garbage can for years, but apparently the oranges in Santa's bag are paperless.

Knit one purl two

This is part of AndreaClaire's Christmas Memory Challenge series.

Alex and I did the bulk of our Christmas shopping today (I know the challenge is about everything but gifts...but...well...) A few years ago for Christmas, I made stockings for my parents. I also made scarves and mitts and toques for what felt like half the world. Today I picked up some yarn to make a gift for one of our relatives. The year I made the stockings? I was up until 2 am trying to finish all of the gifts. I didn't make it. A couple of people got hanks of yarn and a picture instead. And I couldn't even hold my knitting needles...Christmas presents were in production until, oh, March that year.


Tonight the click, click, click of needles took me straight back to that Christmas. My hands will thank me though...I am only making ONE gift this year.

Let It Snow

This is part of AndreaClaire's Christmas Memory Challenge series.

As the credits for some syndicated North American "chick show" rolled past, everyone sighed. The guys (my uncle and my seven year old cousin) were thrilled the "chick show" was over; the girls (my aunt, my twelve year old cousin and me) had rested long enough after a meal of meat fondue to bundle up and go out for an after dinner walk.

It had been my strangest Christmas yet. It was only the second one I had spend away from my immediate family, and, different as it was, I think it was as close to spending Christmas at home as I would ever get without spending Christmas at home. We had Christmas dinner a day early. Santa had totally different traditions. It took us five hours to open a small pile of gifts - that part was lovely. Because I was in Switzerland and had to lug everything home to London, my gifts were small. There were more gifts than usual under my aunt and uncle's tree...I brought gifts and I received gifts. We spent a leisurely Christmas morning and afternoon opening gifts and savouring them. There was no turkey to cook. There were no guests coming to visit. There was no rush. We got to try everything, read a chapter of a new book, listen to a new CD before moving on to the next gift.

After our dinner of fondue and our post-dinner laze in front of a random (and probably not very good) North American TV show, we decided to go for that walk. Christmas day had been sunny and clear. Geneva had been a bit chilly, but nothing unbearable and it had been a green Christmas. We bundled up and wandered through the neighbourhood. My aunt and uncle lived in a neighbourhood made up of mostly apartments and many people had their lights blazing and curtains open. We had a great time making up stories about the various Christmas parties we saw.

I was happy with my second Christmas away...although I missed the snow, it was a lovely day.

And, just as we approached the front door, the snow started falling. A white Christmas after all...

A Grown-up's Christmas in Wales

This is part of AndreaClaire's Christmas Memory Challenge series.

When I was 22, I spent my first Christmas away from home. I was scared and excited and sad. Christmas has always been a special time for me - it was about family and tradition and when I was 22, I was living in London and I was far away from my family and pretty much every tradition we had.

When I left home in the summer, I wasn't sure what my plans were for Christmas, but just a few weeks after arriving, I received a letter from my pen pal, inviting me to Christmas on her family's farm. Now, my pen pal, Julia, wasn't quite what most people expected from a pen pal. She wasn't 22. She was even 21 or 20 or 23 or 24. She was older than my parents. And she technically wasn't *MY* pen pal. When I was going to university, my Sparks wrote letters and sent crafts to her Rainbows. When she heard I was coming to London, she was thrilled she might have a chance to meet me. And spending Christmas with her wasn't as strange as it sounds - she has five kids and they are close in age to me.

Anyway, I loved Wales. It was cold and grey and windy and full of sheep, but it was so beautiful. We went to midnight mass in a cathedral that was colder inside than it was outside. Every room in Julia's house had its own kerosene heater. Her home was two converted barns joined by an addition that housed the bathroom and entrance way and maybe pantry and I'm not convinced it was insulated. I'm positive it wasn't heated. And it was cold. I didn't take a shower for the three days I was there because the thought of taking my clothes off and getting wet made me shiver uncontrollably.

I had a lovely time - Christmas was unlike any Christmas I'd ever experienced, but it was fun. I had a great time with Julia and her family and I felt so welcome...

And I just got a letter (and Christmas card) from Julia today and they just installed central heating! What a Christmas gift!

Santa Claus Parade

Last year we went to the Santa Claus Parade for the first time. We had a great time, so we decided to make it part of our annual traditions. We invited some friends and walked across the bridge into downtown. We aimed for the last block as we did last year, but the parade had a new route this year and the last block was further north and still very much in downtown than it was last year. We ended up finding a good spot at the end of the route and much to the girls' delight, right by "Santa Claus."

J and I actually ended up on Global News (on Mike McCardell's segment) because of Santa. This gentleman was super good natured and well aware that his appearance caused a bit of a stir this time of year. He told me left his chair at home because he didn't dare sit down at the parade with all those kids around. J was thrilled to be sitting close to him and she and her little buddy fought over who got to sit closest to Santa!

Miss I and Miss J look pretty innocent, right? HA! It's all an act...

J got a hug from this tree. She was so excited! I thought I got a picture of it, but apparently, all I took a picture of was the ground and some feet.

J loved this airplane...it reminded her of the airplane at the Giants games. The handlers could make the balloon do some amazing things!

Once this "special bus" came along, J probably would have been content to go home. She got to sit next to Santa and the "special bus came back!" She loved it last year too....she really wants to go for a ride on this bus, but told me it's just for grown ups....

J checking out the gingermanbread. Yes, you read that right. At our house we make gingermanbreads, not gingerbread men.

The parade guest of honour.

After the parade we went for an early dinner with Miss I and her family. The girls were happy to sit for this picture together. Miss I and her family are moving to Alberta in a few weeks and the girls are going to miss each other. There were tears last night at bedtime because J was sad her friend is leaving.

Goodbye Miss I. We'll miss you.

And with the parade over and done with, our house is officially in full Christmas mode...

Goodnight

This is part of AndreaClaire's Christmas Memory Challenge series.

I had no idea what I was going to write about today, but it came to me when I was putting J to bed and she asked for Christmas songs and then asked me to sing my favourite.

One of my favourite parts of December was that bedtime songs changed. Christmas carols were appropriate substitutes for the month leading up to Christmas. For some reason I associate Away in a Manger with my dad and Silent Night with my mom, although I have memories of both of them singing both. When J asked me to sing my favourite, I sang Silent Night. I had already sung Away in a Manger when she asked for "the baby Jesus song" and I think that Silent Night might be my favourite.

It is such a beautiful carol and I loved the book Johann's Gift to Christmas. I think the most beautiful rendition of Silent Night was one that I heard somewhere (quite possibly Pax Lodge) and everyone sang it in their own language...

But back to the bedtime songs...my room was at the front of the house and we had a flat roof, which meant the lights hung in a straight line above the windows. There was a small gap in my blind and I remember pulling the blind away from the window to look at the lights while my mom or dad sang to me and then I watched those lights until I fell asleep.

And on that note...goodnight!

Sealing and Stamping Envelopes

This is part of the Christmas Memory Challenge series, the brainchild of one Ms. AndreaClaire.

When I grew up, getting mail was an exciting event. I was a kid long before the internet took hold. Heck, I was technically an adult before the internet took hold of our lives. I even had pen pals.

I loved Christmas card writing. My mom would sit at the dining room table and sometimes, when I was quite young, I'd get to sign the names. She would write a note on the blank side of the card and for a few special friends she'd include an actual letter. Pictures were inserted into some of the cards. And starting the first week of December, colourful envelopes outnumbered other mail in our mail box.

There was a race to get the mail first and we were usually allowed to open some of the cards.

Now, even with the internet to make the job less tedious and less time consuming, I still look forward to Christmas card writing. We have a list six miles long - living at Pax Lodge will do that to you...I have friends who live just a few blocks away with whom I still exchange MAILED cards.

When I was at Pax Lodge in 2001, we had a card writing party in my room one night. Now, when I sit down to write my cards, the first ones I write are usually to those ladies (and now their families!)

Writing cards makes me happy. I love dropping the colourful, stamped envelopes in the mailbox...the internet is great, but there is something special about real, paper Christmas cards!

PS Canada Post has a great campaign this year - "Ever displayed an e-card on your mantle?"

Opening the mailbox

This is part of the Christmas Memory Challenge series, the brainchild of one Ms. AndreaClaire.

One of my favourite parts of this month is opening the mailbox and finding a stack of white and red envelopes in it. I love checking out the special Christmas stamps. I love the anticipation of opening each envelope and pulling out a special card with a handwritten note inside. Maybe a letter or a photo will float out. I lived overseas for a number of years and I met many wonderful people. Life is busy. I don't have time to keep up with everyone, but once a year my mailbox fills with greetings and updates and stories from around the world. And it's pretty special. We got our first card yesterday, all the way from New Zealand.

The Advent Calendar

AndreaClaire is doing a Christmas Memory Challenge over on her blog. The challenge is to post 25 memories that have nothing to do with gifts. And, because I have nothing better to do decided not to do a picture advent this December, I'm going to join her challenge. You can too. Let her know.

My first story is about our advent calendar.

When I was a kid we had a chocolate advent calendar once. ONE TIME. The entire time I was a kid. Our neighbours had five kids and both mom and dad came home with five advent calendars. So they kindly brought three over to our house and two to the neighbours on the other side and we got to have chocolate advent calendars. Once.

I'm actually not bitter...that was a pretty special year and we got to have our usual advent calendars too. Mine was a manger scene and every day behind the door was a short bible verse telling the Christmas story. I loved it. My sisters each had calendars with sparkles, and I admit, I was a bit jealous of the sparkles. I think my advent calendar is still in one of my parents' Christmas boxes. I remember we all got new ones one year (the paper doors start to wear out after a while) and yes, mine had sparkles, but I still preferred my manger scene.

Two years ago when we went to England just before Christmas, my lovely, elderly, British cousins gave me some money to buy something special for J. I wanted to get her something lasting, something that wouldn't wear out, that I could tell her a story about. We looked and looked and finally I decided that I would get her an advent calendar from Harrods. It's red velvet and it has little pockets for each day and a fruit cake marker to move along the days.

I made little notes to go inside each pocket and every day J gets to do something special that is (mostly) related to Christmas. This morning she opened a special craft to do with her babysitter tonight. On the weekend her little paper will announce that we're going to the Santa Claus Parade. It was lots of fun to put together and I hope it will be a nice tradition for our family.

And those elderly cousins of mine? Well, I am so glad that I thought to get something for J that would last. Both George and Persis died earlier this year and the advent calendar will give me the perfect opportunity to tell J about them, this year and for years to come.