Christmas traditions of our family

Yule logs are a tradition for our family as well as fresh cut Christmas trees. This photo shows our Christmas tree in Wurzburg, Germany in 1954. We wanted the branches closer to the floor so we cut off about 12" at the trunk of the tree. We used this cut to make this  yule log to hold one red candle. We still have this yule log

We have displayed this same yule log for 53 years. It has lots of splits in the top of the log as it has aged.

                                                            

             Another larger yule log was designed for our big mantle in Minneapolis in 1978. We ordered a load of firewood to burn in our fireplace and when it arrived I was amazed to see those beautiful birch logs! They were much too pretty to burn in the fireplace. We drilled holes in one of the logs and made a beautiful yule log which we still have. It adorns our fireplace mantle. I usually use fir braches for greenery but this year used pine instead since it came from our yard.

Remember Pearl Harbor - Dec 7, 1941

I was 7 years old when Pearl Harbor was bombed. I remember my parents and grandparents sitting by the big radio listening and not saying a word. I can still hear the voice of Franklin Roosevelt as he told about what had happened. I really didn't understand what was going on. My mother's brother was in the Seabees and stationed in Hawaii. He spent the remainder of his military career in Pearl Harbor after that infamous day, cleaning up the "mess". Only recently he talked to me a little about his military career. I hope to get him to tell me more one day soon. He talked some about how horrible the aftermath was.

We had a big Philco radio that was about 3 or 4 feet tall, and sat on the floor. I remember trying to get behind it to see if there were people inside! It was battery operated and the batteries were huge, and very heavy. We didn't play the radio very long at the time. It was for listening to the news of the war and pretty much our only means of communication with the world outside Elba, Alabama.

On Saturday nights, neighbors would gather at someone's home and listen to the Grand Ole Opry. The children would lie down on pallets on the floor and fall asleep while adults listened to such favorites as Lew Childre, Minnie Pearl, Roy Acuff, and many others. Hank Williams was another favorite. I remember once he came to our school in the country for a concert. He was so drunk they had to help him up on the stage and he kept staggering around while trying to sing. I never wanted to see or hear him again. I was so disgusted. He died when I was a freshman in college at Troy. I remember it was a cold rainy morning when someone came to class and said he had just learned that Hank Williams had just died. Somehow I didn't feel too sorry for him! Maybe because of Hank Williams and his character, I have never been a fan of country music.

19 more days 'til Christmas

Ho, Ho, Ho! James has been practicing and is pretty good. He has to wait until after Thanksgiving to start talking about Christmas (or he would drive us crazy by Dec . 25).

James and I pooled our birthday money and bought this nice outdoor santa that my neighbor and friend Glenda Williams cut out and painted. She did a beautiful job. He looks so real standing in the front yard and at night he has a spotlight on him.

In most families, after the children are grown and gone from home, Santa is a thing of the past. But not for us. For over 50 years we have been playing Santa and he's still very much alive in our household.

Tonight I took James to Enterprise (for the 11th year) to the Rotary Club/Pilot Club Christmas party they have each year for mentally handicapped children and adults. This is his first Christmas party and tonight was no exception. He got a CD and a pair of gray lounging pants. McDonald's furnished burgers and fries and everybody got a backpack with goodies. They were entertained by some musicians and there was a sing-a-long which everybody enjoyed. We were there almost 2 hours.

So tonight was one down, and we have several more events to attend before Dec. 25th. I'll try to record them each day.

Note: We went away for a week to NC and SC during Thanksgiving holidays (Jim was feeling better) and it's hard to get back to doing things at home or to establish a regular routine again. It was a first time visit to Clemson Univ. in SC to visit a granddaughter. What a beautiful campus! Then we had lunch in Charlotte NC with 3 of my sisters who all live in NC and drove to Charlotte to have lunch with us one day at Jason's Deli near South Park. We visited other relatives in NC and SC before coming back home.

Letter to Santa -

Dear Santa...... last night Jim helped James write his annual letter to Santa. I asked James to draw me a picture of Santa and Rudolph, and he included a small tree between the two. We find these drawings all over the place during December.

Remember that James is almost 51 years old (Dec 8). See the article I wrote on Aug. 13, 2007, about "I believe in Santa, do you" and you will understand what this season means to James.

He likes to mail his letter to Santa on Saturday after Thanksgiving. It is ready to go in the mail this afternoon, address to Santa at the North Pole.

In case you are wondering what an adult mentally handicapped person wants for Christmas, here is a sample list: (dictated to his dad who typed the list) - Note: he has the same thing on his list every year!

THANKSGIVING DAY 2007

Santa at the end of Macy's Parade
(photo from the internet)
Thanksgiving Day this year was rainy, cold and windy. Our son James was up at 6 a.m. so he wouldn't miss the Macy's Parade at 9 a.m.! Of course he wanted breakfast as soon as he got up so it has made for a long day. I don't think he has ever missed watching Macy's parade. This year I watched much of it with him. I don't know any of the current singing groups or understand the music, etc. I did recognize Dolly Parton on one of the floats, singing one of her new songs. I always enjoy stories about how the school bands get to New York, their honors, etc. It was good to see the Va Tech band there this year. They had nice weather for the parade this year.



I went to my cousin's out in the country for Thanksgiving and brought back some food to Jim and James. There was so much food on the long tables in the barn; ham, turkey, pork barbecue, rice, camp stew, hash, dumplings, dressing, assorted veggies, lots of salads, and a big variety of desserts. Somebody made a hot chocolate cake/pudding in the crock pot and it was absolutely delicious. I haven't wanted anything else to eat all day!

I came home and watched TV most of the afternoon, which I almost never do. It was a nice lazy day today. I have so much to be thankful for, especially for a wonderful family. Many relatives called us today, including our sons in SC and TX.

Thanksgiving trip cancelled....

Yesterday Jim was struck with a terrible chest congestion and we had to cancel our Thanksgiving plans to drive to SC and NC for the coming week. Monday night he had a slight sore throat and by noon on Tuesday, he knew he was heading for bad chest congestion; he gets this every year or two and it always starts out the same way. Better it happened yesterday than today when we would have been on a 9-hour trip in the car.

All the goodies I had baked for baskets for 5 families (cookies, candy, cakes, etc) went to the freezer to be used later. I didn't complain since were concentrating on getting Jim well. We'll schedule a trip to visit our son in Florence, SC later before they leave for 2 weeks in London during Christmas, to visit his deceased wife's relatives. Our 3 granddaughters, ages 12, 16, and 18 will be visiting their grandmother in an assisted living home at Brighton by the Sea. I hope she will remember them after having a stroke a few years ago. They were last in England for the millineum (2000) celebration in London.

So, our son James and I will get to go to the country Thanksgiving I wrote about earlier, at my cousin's barn. I'll bring Jim a plate of food to eat later. I learned a long time ago that when "life gives you lemons, make lemonade" or as my sister Susan says, "Roll with the punches". So I'm going to celebrate Thanksgiving, but not as planned.

There are exciting things going on in Elba. There on the front page of the Elba Clipper today was my photo, receiving a check for $40,000 to be used toward the loan borrowed by the city to complete the new playground.   Someday it will be all paid for.

'Over the River and thru the woods......

I love the hustle and bustle of Thanksgiving. Whether it's people gathering at our house or trips to another's home. We leave tomorrow for Florence, SC to spend Thanksgiving Day with our son Bill and family. He said he would be cooking a turkey and for us to come and eat with them this year.


 I didn't know what to do, not having to cook Thanksgiving dinner. So I made 2 cakes, lots of cookies and candies, and other goodies. I prepared 6 Holiday Baskets to pass out to 6 families we will be visiting along the way. The baskets will be filled with jellies and preserves, pecans, persimmons, nut breads, tins of homemade cookies and candies, and something special for each family (our son, 3 sisters, Jim's mother, and Dorothy, a friend).

I received this email  today from a friend  I thought it was so fitting to share with others.  For everything give thanks!

"I grew up in the 40's/50's/60's with practical parents. A mother, God love her, who washed aluminum foil after she cooked in it, then reused it  She was the original recycle queen, before they had a name for it.

A father who was happier getting old shoes fixed than buying new ones. Their marriage was good, their dreams focused. Their best friends lived barely a wave away. I can see them now, Dad in trousers, tee shirt and a hat and Mom in a house dress, lawn mower in one hand, and dish-towel in the other. It was the time for fixing things. A curtain rod, the kitchen radio, screen door, the oven door, the hem in a dress!

Things we keep!

It was a way of life, and sometimes it made me crazy. All that re-fixing, eating, renewing, I wanted just once to be wasteful.

Waste meant affluence. Throwing things away meant you knew there'd always be more.

But then my mother died, and on that clear summer's night, in the warmth of the hospital room, I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't any more.

Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up and goes away...never to return.

So... While we have it... it's best we love it... And care for it.... And fix it when it's broken.. And heal it when it's sick.

This is true... For marriage.... And old cars.... And children with bad report cards..... 

There are many things that make life important, like people we know who are special.... And so, we keep them close!

Good friends are like stars.... You don't always see them, but you know they are always there.

Keep them close. Dogs and cats with bad hips.... And aging parents.... And grandparents.

We keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it. Some other things we keep can be a best friend that moved away or a classmate we grew up with."