After a festive Thanksgiving with brother Craig and his wife Karen, we are ready for the preparation activities for Christmas. On Friday, instead of shopping at the Black Friday sales, we ate some of the leftovers ,froze the rest and worked on the Christmas tree and the Manger scene. John hung the small multicolored lights around the four sides of the sunporch to outline the ceiling. Each ornament was unwrapped, examined for damage then a hook was attatched for the tree. I bought a new spruce that had shorter needles made from a rubbery material to help the hooks stay on the branches. The four foot tree had to be placed on a small table so I could reach the top branches.
Memory after memory was hung from the limbs. The glass green pickle with a red hat, the jeweled butterfly, a gift from John for our first Christmas and the clay greenery holder that Ruth made in kindergarten for a gift, all found a place on the tree.
The mantle with the figures that Aunt Joy painted and fired as a wedding gift were checked for damage the placed on on the fireplace mantle. This year, an eclectic mix of trees and animals were arranged to show many critters parading to see the baby Jesus. The number of animals reflect our outdoor display of two girl dolls feeding the lit deer with large ears of Indian corn. A bird feeder with two red cardinals that twinkle with a red glow graced the feeding tray. Three artificial trees form a backdrop for the outdoor scene. Each tree has garland and strings of beads to catch and reflect the lights.
When I was a child, This when Dad opened the mysterious opening in the hallway ceiling and wrestled the the large cardboard box down the ladder that contained the limbs for the aluminum tree. The limbs were packed in rows from the longest to the short toppers. Both Dad and Mom would place the pole and stand in the front picture window. Starting at the top each limb was inserted into the main stem with a hook end to keep it in place. Mom had a large number of silver and blue ornaments that she used to decorate the tree. Dad would check the large flood light with a rotating wheel of four colored panels. When turned on the panels of red, blue, yellow and green lit up the tree reflecting on the metal. No other lights could be used because the metal may cause a spark.
We were the only family to have such a modern tree. I suspect that my Grandpa Cliff had the tree at the family electric shop and couldn’t sell it. It became a part of our families Christmas decor.
A small manger was set on a side table with miniature figures. Brother Mike made the wooden building to hold the Holy Family. Next to the manger a white church that originally had a small light to highlight the stained glass church windows. The church had a music box that played , “O Come All Ye Faithful.”. I would to wind the church to hear the carol and sing along.
Dad attached an aluminum strip of lights to outline the front doorway. The large window was outlined with multi colored lights. The blue spruce and the front electrical light in the yard was outlined with lights.
A wreath on the door completed the decorating. Later, when the evergreen shrubs grew, they were festooned with multicolored lights as well.
With memories put aside, I will compose the Christmas letter to include in each Christmas card. The letter will include news from the past year with hopes for the new year. Keep that Holiday Spirit alive.
***. Poem
Bells
Bells, bells bells, can you hear the bells?
In the morn, they call to worship.
A fire bell rings at noon.
The tinkling of the wind chimes plays a wind tune.
Bells, bells bells, can you hear the bells?
The ringing of the school bell even on a break.
The back up warning on a car.
Without hearing them, we can not go far. Bells, bells, bells, listen for the bells. backup warning from a car.
Carolaspot@aol.com
copyright 12-1-25
traveling up and down the blind highway 