It's Friday - Christmas Past*

It's Friday and time again to join in with Willy Nilly Friday and Amy at Five on Friday.   All is well here at Lilly My Cat.  The Christmas holiday will soon be here and I do think that I'm ready.  Next week I hope to bake my Christmas cookies.  There's so many things I would like to share with you but it's the holiday season and I feel my post should reflect this special time of year. 

The other night I called my dear friend in Washington (state).  We were neighbors for over 20 years and we've known each other for 39 years!  I sat in the living room and turned on the Christmas tree.  No one sits in this room except when we have company or celebrate an event; like Christmas eve and Christmas day.  It was fun to reminisce about the old days when we used to bake Christmas cookies together.  The years have been good to us but I feel I'm still the same person I used to be.  It makes me sad when people forget where they came from.  I always tell me children to never forget who they are and to have compassion on others. I'm happy to be who I am...

We went to the annual Christmas tree lighting in our little community for the first time this year.  It was really a lovely evening sitting on a bench and listening to a music group sing Christmas carols.  Santa and Mrs. Claus arrived by boat and turned on the tree.  Hot chocolate and donuts were given out to all and it was such a festive evening ...

Here's my husband and I enjoying the evening.  We were with our grandchildren and my little grandson so enjoyed this special time . It reminds me of years ago when my parents used to take my children to the tree lighting.  The roles are reversed now.  It's an odd feeling really but I'm so thankful that we're here to see our grandchildren grow up...

Lilly is really liking this time of year.  She usually likes to sit under the tree.  I placed some metal bell decorations on the bottom limbs and she likes to make then sing.  This is my little tree which we bought at Home Depot for $24.99.  I don't think you can find cheaper that this now days. I remember one year we bought from the  local Boy Scouts for  under $10.00 and they DELIVERED the tree, too!  Am I showing my age? 

This is my daughter's beautiful tree.  The day we bought our trees, she got hers' home and decided that it didn't look right.  So, her dear husband loaded it again on the car and they came back with this one.  Remembering back many years ago, I recall going Christmas tree shopping with my dear dad.  We (I) found the perfect tree at a little community market and it was a $1.70!  Yup, really expensive..haha.  That would have been like 1969 to 1972.  We brought it home and Dad and I "flocked" it with white snow.  We had a special contraption that attached to my Mom's vacuum cleaner and it sprayed the white snow on the tree.  I remember it being cold since we lived in an area that had real, cold winters but it didn't bother me.   But, the tree was so pretty.  My dad was such a kind, patient man.

I love the Christmas season.  Growing up we used to go to my Uncle's home and celebrate with the whole family.  Sadly, those family members are long gone.  It's just me and my brother now and my dear brother will be joining my family this year for the holidays.  My Mom used to buy (or make) me a Christmas outfit each year along with a new pair of Christmas shoes.  Oh, how I longed to wear those new shoes but they were always put away until Christmas eve.  My Grandma would share with us all her buttery, homemade Danish cookies along with her red cabbage and Danish meatballs which we always had on Christmas Eve.  I've tried to keep these traditions for my family.    I don't have lot of Christmas memories with my Grandfather since he died tragically when I was 12 years old.  But my dear Grandmother lived to 97 years of age; and she was very active up until age 95!

Wherever you are, I wish you peace and joy at this time of year. Although there is sadness in our world, there is always hope.  I've love to hear from you if you have the time.

My best to you,

Pat

*I like the phrase "Christmas Past".  I've been reading Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol with Ebenezer Scrooge to my little grandson and it reminds me of the "ghost of Christmas past"...