December4th
Hubba Bubba and I both come from families where Christmas is a BIG DEAL, filled with family, feasting, and unchanging traditions. His family celebrates with the Italian Feast of the Seven Fishes, or La Vigilia. In my family it wouldn’t be Christmas without my Mama’s signature Stockings Extraordinaire and Christmas morning sausage casserole (more on that later).
December3rd
When I was growing up in the 80s, my mom occasionally came up with an almost-like-Martha-Stewart idea for a little homespun Christmas flare.
For example, one year, instead of buying Christmas wrapping paper, she bought an endless roll of white paper and a mega pack of Crayolas and set my sister and me to work. We were thrilled that we got to decorate all the wrapping paper… until we spent an entire week after school detailing reindeer, snowmen, and tiny holly berries and only covered about two gifts’ worth of paper. When Sister and I realized how much work was involved, we abandoned ship and returned to our regularly scheduled after-school Brady Bunch viewing.
November29th
Every family has Christmas memories — some we love, some we don’t love, and many that make us laugh. The funny thing is… we don’t all remember everything the same way. The other day I was telling Hubba Bubba how, at Christmastime in the 80s, my mama kept our George Winston “December” cassette tape playing nonstop. “She was obsessed with it,” I said.
A couple of days later I was talking to my mom about Christmas songs. “Ugh,” she laughed. “You always made me play George Winston.”
Touche.
So on the Third Day of Christmas, in honor of George Winston — whoever’s favorite he is…
THE “CAROL OF THE BELLS” PLAYLIST
November27th
I don’t get it when parents are disappointed if their child cries in Santa’s lap. Don’t get me wrong; I was thrilled last year when Eleanora sat happily for several snapshots with Mr. Claus. But to me, there is just no better – or more classic – Christmas photo than a child wailing in terror in the lap of the Jolly Old Elf.
Before you think I sound like a big meanie, check out this photo from several years ago of my sweet nieces, Fiona (screaming) and Emily (smiling). It is my favorite Christmas photo of all time.
