Advent Calendar of of Christmas Tree

Hansens circa 1958

The Christmas Tree!  O Tannenbaum! 

 Growing up in the mid-west in the 1950's we had a live tree.  Dad always put the lights and ornaments on , after carefully checking each bulb.  In those days if one bulb went out, the whole string went out.  We, the kids, got to put on the tinsel.  It was the individual strands of tinsel that were to be hung separately.  I will admit that throwing the tinsel by the handful was much quicker.  Yes, we had a star on top of the tree!

re-posted from Dec 1, 2010

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories - December 20 Christmas Parties Curing Laryngitis

Holiday parties, a neighborhood open house, buffets – all these take place in abundance during Christmastime. Do you throw a party each year or did your family throw parties around Christmas? Any special theme like Ugly Christmas Sweater or perhaps a gift wrapping or cookie decorating party?

The year we got married, Dave and I hosted an open house in our tiny apartment.  We lived on the second floor of an old farmhouse in a fairly rural area.  We invited everyone we knew.  Rather than an open bar, we elected to serve punch and hors d'oeuvres.  

After consulting his Mr Boston book, Dave selected a recipe to use and went off to the liquor store for the ingredients. These included red wine, brandy, rum, and champagne.  Oranges and lemon juice added some extra flavor along with simple syrup and soda water.  The punch made 42 servings.

 We combined all the ingredients in a punch bowl and added an ice ring to chill the punch.  The kitchen table (the only table we had) held the punch bowl along with the hors d'oeuvres.  In those years the hors d'oeuvres consisted of little square slices of rye bread called party rye with liver sausage of smoked sausage on top, cheese logs and crackers, chips and dips, and possibly mini-meatballs in cocktail sauce.

Dave's mother had a history of getting laryngitis every winter and it lasted for months.  She was one of the guests at the party and enjoyed the punch along with the rest of us.  

As the day grew longer, we realized that Wanda's voice was getting stronger,  Slowly but surely her laryngitis was leaving!  By the end of the evening the laryngitis had totally disappeared.  In following years when the laryngitis threatened, we would suggest recreating the punch.  The threat alone did the job of curing the laryngitis.

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories - December 9 Crafts for Christmas

9 December – Christmas Crafts

There’s a movement towards making items for Christmas gifts or even for Christmas decorating. Have you ever made something by hand related to Christmas? What was the item, how was it made and what did you do with the finished product? What about other family members – was or is there anyone who excels at hand-crafted items and giving them as gifts during Christmas?

I think we have always had some kind of craft involved in our Christmases.  Two of the earliest ones I remember were made by two of my aunts.  Aunt Paul made a taper candle into a tree by layering a series of stars in graduated sizes on the candle.  The stars were made by using a pinking shears (creates a zig-zag edge) on a very stiff gauze type of material.  The tips of the stars were then decorated with various colored foil stars.  It was lovingly packed away every year and happily re-assembled the following year.

image kreationspecialties.com

Aunt Ruth's treasured craft barely survived the season.  It was a wreath made of wrapped candies attached to a wire wreath form made from a hanger.  At the top of the wreath was a bow which also held a scissors suspended on a ribbon.  Friends were invited to use the scissors to detach a piece of candy.

Over the years several of our Christmas grab-bags have included the requirement that it be a handcrafted gift.  Some of the gifts over the years have included a standing fish wine bottle holder, etched beer steins with the family monogram,

 a fish shaped clock, (living in Florida there were several fisherman) a Seminole pattern quilted pillow in red and white( to match the recipient's decor) There was also a wire tree shape with wooden leaves to be labeled with family names and attached to the tree.

Sometimes the gift wrap itself could hold crafty treasures.  We still have the crocheted bells my mother-in-law used to wrap packages over 40 years ago.  There were also various hand crafted ornaments attached to packages.

Table decor could be crafty as there could be sleigh nut cups made from egg cartons with pipe cleaner runners or felt mittens with names written in glitter.  Some of the centerpieces over the years have included gum drop trees and gingerbread houses.  One year I made a tree by slicing spearment leaves vertically and attaching them to a styrofoam cone with toothpicks.  The base was a one and one half styrofoam disk covered with peppermint stick candies.  The tree also had ornaments made from gumdrops.  Actually I made two of them and gave one to a neighbor with a five year old.  My grands started making gingerbread houses about ten years ago in Germany.  The very first ones used graham crackers anchored to a one pound butter box with frosting.  Eventually they advanced to the full size Wilton kits and have now downsized to the cottages.  One year my father-in-law made individual star candles for everyone with their names on them as dinner place-cards.  Those were treasured for years.

google images

google images

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories - December 8 Christmas Shopping

Today’s blog prompt is:Christmas Shopping: For many of us, the focus of the Christmas season isn’t on “things” but on family and friends. Still, we like to give presents – large and small – to those we love. Do you shop during Christmastime or do you shop much earlier in the year to get it out of the way? Have you seen a change in your shopping habits as you’ve gotten older? Do you shop online? Do you participate in Black Friday or Cyber Monday activities? What was Christmas shopping like for your family and ancestors? Tell us about how you do Christmas shopping and your memories of Christmases past.

google images

I tend to concentrate my shopping between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  When I was younger, the stores were only open until 9pm on Monday and Thursday evenings and rarely, if ever, open on Sunday.  Shopping was usually done on a Saturday or right after work.

My shopping habits have changed over time.  My husband and I used to take the kids to the mall and out for lunch on the day after Thanksgiving. (Before Black Friday!)  The mall we went to had a special place for children to shop independently.  We would get almost all of out shopping done on that day.  My family drew names for Christmas so that somewhat limited the number of gifts to buy.

Several years ago my daughter and I did brave the cold and the crowds to do the midnight  Black Friday sales.  We only did it once!  In addition to encouraging over-spending, it just didn't seem worth the effort.  Now I tend to try to avoid shopping on weekends and shop during the week.  Each year I seem to do more shopping on the internet as it saves time and travel costs.  I especially like the free shipping.

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Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories - Day 6 Saint Nicholas

Today is the Feast of Saint Nicholas and the origin of Santa Claus. What are your memories of Santa Claus and waiting for him to come at Christmas? What does Santa mean to you today and how do you pass along that meaning to family and to others?

photo credit: stnicholascenter.org

St Nicholas Day was a very big deal when I was growing up.  It was also my brother's birthday.  Since we were of German heritage, we followed the custom of putting our shoes by the front door on the evening of December 5 in the hope that they would be filled the next morning.  As I remember it, if we (children) remembered to put the shoes by the door, they were filled in the morning.  The shoes had some nuts, an orange or tangerine and some hard candies.  This provided an exciting prelude to the big event of Christmas which was still to come.  

In the weeks between St Nicholas Day and Christmas we were encouraged to have good behavior.  Mom and Dad would spy Santa's elves peeking in a window or from behind a door.  This definitely encouraged good behavior since no one wanted the lump of coal representing bad behavior!  I've lately wondered if this was the foreshadowing of the "Elf on the Shelf" tradition. 

Paddy O'Cinnamon
image courtesy of the website 

 There was also the tradition of listening to the "Adventures of Paddy O'Cinnamon"  aka the Cinnamon Bear at 5:30 weekday evenings on the kitchen radio.  I think we each had our own visual of Jimmy, Judy, and Paddy.  It is still available on mp3s.

On Christmas Eve we were allowed to open one gift befor going to bed,  This was usually new pajamas from our Aunt Pauline and Uncle Bill.  Since there were always wee ones around Christmas Morning came very early in the day.  When we came downstairs the living room was a feast for the eyes with gifts spread out all around the room.  Santa left each child's gifts in a separate spot.  With nine children in the house you can imagine what the living room looked like. There were always dolls and cars, trains, or blocks.

As my children were growing up, we also celebrated St Nicholas Day although my kids thought snowmobile boots were a suitable substitute for their shoes!

I used to save the toys from cereal boxes to add to the "Loot".  Some times there were some gold foil wrapped coins too!

My daughter and her husband added wrapped Santa presents to the other traditions.  They began celebrating St Nicholas Day with their kids when they lived in Germany although it is a different celebration there.  In Germany, St Nicholas Day is when the gifts are given and Christmas is a day reserved as a celebration of the birth of Christ.

Currently the day is still a celebration of the birth of Christ and the gifts are opened after attending Mass.  

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories - Holiday Happenings

Often times December to mid-January birthdays and anniversaries get over shadowed by the Christmas/Hanukkah/New Year holidays. So we’re going to shine a spotlight on those family members and ancestors this time around. Select one or more December to mid-January birthdays and/or anniversaries on your family tree. Write a short tribute to or memory of those birthday guys and gals and write a toast to the anniversary couples.

In my family there are lots of celebrations in December and January and we have always made a real effort to make sure that Christmas and New Years celebrations did not overshadow the other events.  

For starters we have birthdays of two sisters, Peg on Dec 16 and Alice on Jan 1, in addition to the Dec 6 birthday of brother Tom.  Moving to the next generation we celebrate the birthdays of Nieces and nephews Leslie, Nicole, Holly and Nicholas. (Do you see a Christmas theme here?)

There was also the family of my dad's only sister Dorothy.  Dorothy's birthday was Dec 26 and two of her daughters were also born on Dec 26.  Dorothy's husband Robert (Bob) Murray was born on Dec 16.

Overshadowing all of the celebrations was the death of my dad on Dec 28.  He was only 49 and had never been sick.

Dad was extremely proud of his family of nine children and loved to walk us down the main street of town on the way to church on Sunday.  We would fill an entire pew at Mass and then some of us would walk to the bakery after church to get bismarks and the Sunday paper.

I was 17 when dad died, so I can't evaluate him on an adult level, but I don't ever remember seeing him angry.  He worked hard and played hard.  He loved sports of all kinds and wrote poems about events in our lives, births, illnesses, successes etc. 

I often think of him beaming as he looks down on how each of his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren have developed.  He would be VERY proud of each and every one! 

Fruitcake - Friend or Foe? Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories

I have always liked fruitcake.  Well maybe not always, if I am honest I would have to admit that the candied fruit took some time getting used to, but when touted as a grown-up acquired taste I was eager to like it!  Besides as an afternoon treat served with cream cheese and a cup of hot tea I really did enjoy it.

After I was married and had my own household, I actually made fruitcake as gifts for several years until I realized that others didn't share my enthusiasm.  It was even worse with my kids.  For about ten years they had a fruitcake that they shared by re-gifting it every year.  One year it was left on the floor too long and the ants got it.  End of fruitcake.

Last year my daughter surprised me with a very good fruitcake that she had ordered.  It is wonderful but I could only eat about one fourth of it.  They truly do last forever.  I am enjoying a slice as I write this!

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories - Christmas Cookies

When I was growing up as the oldest of nine children, I don't remember mom doing a lot of Christmas cookie baking.  There were the occasional batches of oatmeal, chocolate chip, brownies and so on through out the year but I don't remember a concerted effort of Christmas baking.  What I do remember is Maurice Lenell Cookies.  Usually a two pound tin of them.  The tins featured a different Currier and Ives type of Christmas scene each year and were always saved!

When I married, my husband worked for the telephone company and the Telephone Pioneers sold the cookies every year as a fund raiser.  We bought them every year and saved the tins.  I used the tins for the cookies I made with my children.  In my house we made rum balls, spritz cookies, and sugar cookies to supplement the cookies which arrived from Ohio every Christmas.  My husbands Hungarian made wonderful cookies filled with apricot, prune, nutmeats,and poppy seed.  I have tried to replicate her cookies to no avail.    I recently came across what I believe is almost exactly her recipe thanks to Lisa of the Smallest Leaf blog and I am anxious to try them.

The first time we went to visit our grandchildren in Germany we began building gingerbread houses with them.  The first ones used a rectangular butter box as a base and instead of gingerbread we used graham crackers.  It didn't matter there was a lot of candy to decorate with!  This year the girls will build five gingerbread cottages.

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories - Santa Claus

Our family always believed in Santa Claus!  Around Thanksgiving as the days grew shorter, we began watching the frosty windows to see if we could catch the elves peaking in.  Before Santa Clause came, there were other special days to celebrate and add to the mystery and suspense of the season.

December 6 is the feast of St Nicholas and the day to put your shoe on the doorstep for an early surprise.  There were usually a few nuts, an orange and maybe a small toy.  My kids sometimes got something that resembled a prize from a cereal.

December 6 has always had another special meaning for our family - it is my brother's birthday.
Happy Birthday Tom!

santa photo credit harleysvillagebooks.com

Advent Calendar of Christman Memories - Outside Decorations

In the 1950s it was not common for individual homes to have outside decorations where I grew up.  Most families tried to put the lit and decorated tree in front of a window so it could be seen by those passing by on the street. There were however wreaths on front doors everywhere.  Wreaths were usually green with red ribbons on them.  Sometimes they had holly berries and pine cones on them.  Occasionally you could see a white wreath or a green one with flocking or fake snow on it.

Our wreaths were very unusual since they were made of candy.  Really!  Aunt Ruth made them for us and we loved them.  They looked like this. Note the scissors attached for easy removal of goodies.  Our front door was very popular with the kids in the neighborhood.


photo credit skiptomylou.org

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories - Christmas Cards

Growing up, Christmas cards were a very important part of the holidays.  At the time our mail was delivered twice a day and close to Christmas that included Sundays!  If the card was addressed to Mr and Mrs and Family one of us kids got to open the card.  After the card was opened and passed around to be admired, it was added to the burgundy tray on an end table.  The tray was similar to the one above but also had gold fruit on the edge.  As the number of cards increased they were placed between the books in the living room bookcase with the fronts facing out.  I know Mom sent out cards every year to all of their friends and family.

When I had my own home, I followed the same tradition, even keeping a list of who we received cards from every year so I wouldn't forget someone.  In several of our homes we had louvered doors in a dining room or hall.  Our cards were slid into the louvers for display.  Other times we taped a ribbon to the top of a door and stapled the cards to the ribbon.

Now that we use social media, I send out fewer cards but there are still some long time friends that I send a card.  Some years I have done a newsletter and some years not.


photo credit victoriasatticca via google images,

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories - Day 1 Der Tannenbaum

O Tannenbaum is how the song begins.  While we think it means O Christmas Tree it actually means O Fir Tree!  Because of my German heritage, I have long been aware of the German custom of Christmas trees and using candles to light the tree.

Over the years we have had various types of trees.  Usually our trees were about 6 to 7 feet tall.  They have been real, artificial, long needle, short needle, purchased from a tree lot and self cut.  My husband and I as well as out kids grew up in the Chicago area so getting the tree always involved boots, gloves or mittens, and usually hot chocolate afterwards.

Growing up we always had real trees but when my children were little and wanted the tree up from early December onward, we switched to artificial trees for safety reasons.  Much later after we moved to Florida, we actually drove to Georgia to go tree hunting with Dave's sister and her family.  It was still snowy and the area was a forest of trees.  We made our selections and had help tying the trees to the tops of the cars.    It worked pretty well going back to town but driving down I-75 back to Florida beat up our tree pretty well.  After that it was back to the artificial trees since there was no hope of keeping a real tree alive for a couple of weeks in south Florida.

Decorating the tree was done in parts.  Dad did the lights and usually the ornaments and the kids got to add the tinsel.  Dad was a perfectionist about the tinsel and wanted each strand individually placed.  As kids we were much more interested in throwing handfuls at the tree to get finished faster.  With the artificial trees the tinsel was replaced by silver and gold garlands.  Dave always adjusted them to his vision.


photo from World Map Switzerland Valais Mund

panoramio.com   via google images

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories - December 24 Christmas Eve

December 24 – Christmas Eve
How did you, your family or your ancestors spend Christmas Eve?

As a child Christmas Eve was spent quietly with perhaps a visit from an aunt and uncle. We were always at home and usually admonished to go to bed early so "Santa can come".

After I married, Christmas Eve was at my in-laws. There was always a ham dinner and presents were opened. Later we would all go to Midnight Mass and return to the in-laws for ham sandwiches and more holiday fun before heading home. When the children came, we skipped Midnight Mass and went home so we could have Christmas Morning at home. Christmas Eve dinner at my in-laws was always special with wine, candles and everything. One year my father-in-law was doing candle making as a hobby and on the table that Christmas Eve there was a star shaped candle at each place with each person's name on the candle. Those candles were brought out every Christmas for many years to mark the holiday.

I think that was also the year he gave each of his 3 "girls" a candle he made in an apothacary jar. When we took the lid off the jar we each got a birthstone and pearl ring! Since Dave's birthstone was the pearl, the ring has always held a special significance for me.

Even after Dave's parents and my mother both moved to Florida, trips for the holidays still meant Christmas Eve with the in-laws and Christmas afternoon with my family. That left Christmas morning at our house with the kids! It seemed the best of all possible worlds to us!

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories - December 22 - Christmas and Deceased Relatives

Christmas and Deceased Relatives

Our family didn't visit the cemetery during the holidays. In fact the only times I personally remember going to the cemetery was when there was actually a burial taking place. My dad died Dec 28,1959. I definitely remember being there then! Because of the date of his death, he is always remembered during the holidays.

My husband, Dave, died Oct 24, 2005. It wasn't during the holidays and he is buried at Arlington National Cemetery so we don't visit his grave during the holidays either. Dave loved Christmas and loved nutcrackers, wooden soldiers, and toy trains for Christmas. Today he is remembered in both my children's homes by the nutcrackers scattered about and the winter paintings by Hargrove that they display.

About 1995, when we were living in Florida, Dave built some life-size toy soldiers to guard our house during the holidays. They were on display when grandson Aidan, then 1 yr old, came to visit. When Aidan returned to Florida in March of that year, of course they had been put away, his first words when leaving the car were "where's the guys?'

The "guys" have traveled with me from Florida, to Kentucky, and now to Texas. They proudly display their Chicago heritage by flying Bear flags.

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories - December 20 Christmas Music

My association with Christmas music began very early. It began with the seasonal music I heard in church and progressed as parts of the pageants/shows I was involved with in school. Mother also had a recording on Fred Waring and His Pennsylvanians singing the Nutcracker Suite. I think this made perhaps the strongest impression on me. Although it is not currently played, in fact I don't think I've heard it in about 60 years, I still remember some of the words. For instance some of the words to "The Waltz of the Flowers" were "Come to the garden wall, come to the waltz of the flowers. Lilies lilting, Dahlias dancing, and Forget-me-nots remembering." I used to play the record and dance to incessantly. I recent did a google search for the music for my granddaughter be cause parts of the Nutcracker Suite were part of her Christmas band program. I finally found the lyrics and downloaded a mp3 recording. Here is the link for anyone who would like to here it
http://www.myspace.com/556985011/music/songs/nutcracker-suite-pt-1-51460929

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories - December 18 - Christmas Stockings

Christmas Stockings

Did you have one? Where did you hang it? What did you get in it?

As a child we always had stockings. I don't remember where we hung them except for the year dad bought a fake cardboard fireplace. Mostly I remember that we would put them in a chair or a bpart of the couch that was our designated present area. No gifts under the tree in our house! With 9 kids it would never fit. In our stockings we generally got a tangerine, some nuts in shells, holiday hard candies, and a candy cane. There may have been small gifts, but I don't remember them.

Later my children had stockings filled in much the same way but with the addition of small gifts. As they got bigger the stockings got bigger and so did the gifts. One year, a friend gave me a pattern for a stocking with a small pocket on one side and a "patched on" toe and heel. I made one for both my kids, my husband, and myself. They remained our stockings until my daughter got married and had a family. It was time for new stockings! This time the original pattern was embellished by adding a name to each stocking. The gifts change as the kids get older, but the fruit, nuts, and candy canes remain the same. They hang by a real fireplace today.

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories - December 17 Grab Bag A Tradition Begins

Grab Bag

Author’s choice. Please post from a topic that helps you remember Christmases past!

Re posted from December 2010



I didn't post a blog about Christmas gifts because, although it was a very special Christmas gift, it also began a tradition in our family.

My husband and I were expecting our first child in April. That year Aunt Kathy gave us a Christening gown for Christmas. It was a 4 piece set of embroidered white nylon consisting of a matching coat, dress, and bonnet with a plain slip. In our family infants are usually baptized within the first month of birth. Both of my children were baptized in that outfit. And a tradition was begun.

As time passed, each of my 17 nieces and nephews were baptized in the dress. As each child wore the dress, their name and date were embroidered on the slip. Pink for girls and blue for boys of course. When the next generation began the colors were changed to apricot/peach and mint green. My grandchildren didn't wear the dress since they had a dress made from their grandmother's and mother's wedding dresses. They did wear the slip so their names and dates have been added. I'm not sure which of my nieces or nephews has the dress right now but I'll send them a copy of this and see where it turns up.

UPDATE: The Christening Gown is in residence at my niece Holly's house and has been worn by her sons Liam, Declan, and Ian!

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories - December 16 - Christmas at School

December 16 - Christmas at School

Since we attended Catholic Schools, you would be correct in assuming that the story of Christ's birth played an important roll in Christmas celebrations. Christmas carols were sung in both English and Latin with German reserved for O Tannenbaum!

Mom had a wonderful carved wood button box. It had the domed lid of a true treasure chest. One year it was painted gold and multi-colored "gems" were glued to so it could serve as that held to gold offered to the baby Jesus by the three kings. Later it returned to being a button box but it stayed gold.

When I was in high school, the Christmas plays revolved around the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary. One memorable year I was chosen to portray the Angel Gabriel and announce to Mary the news of her pregnancy. O7r high school choir always sang the "Hallelujah Chorus". It remains one of my favorite pieces of Christmas Music to this day.

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories - Dec 15, 2011 Holiday Happenings

The Holiday Happenings

Often times December to mid-January birthdays and anniversaries get over shadowed by the Christmas/Hanukkah/New Year holidays. So we’re going to shine a spotlight on those family members and ancestors this time around. Select one or more December to mid-January birthdays and/or anniversaries on your family tree. Write a short tribute to or memory of those birthday guys and gals and write a toast to the anniversary couples.

In my family, the month of December is absolutely littered with birthdays! There is my brother Tom on Dec 6, my sister Peggy on Dec 16, and my sister Alice on Jan 1. My Grandmother Alice was also born on Jan 1. My in-laws anniversary is Dec 2 and Dave and I had our marriage blessed in the Catholic Church on Dec 23.

Nieces and nephew Leslie, Nichole, Nicholas, Annie, Samantha, and Holly, share December birthdays as do great niece and nephews Grace, Josiah, Austin, and Benjamin. Perhaps the most unique celebration is the Dec 26 birthday of my Aunt Dorothy who shares her celebration with at least 2 if not 3 of her 5 daughters.

On a more somber note is the remembrance of my dad who died on Dec 28.

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories - Dec14, 2011 Fruitcake Friend or Foe?

Fruit Cake – Friend or Foe?

Did you like fruitcake? Did your family receive fruitcakes? Have you ever re-gifted fruitcake? Have you ever devised creative uses for fruitcake?

I have always enjoyed Fruitcake, probably because it was always served with cream cheese and a cup of hot tea by my Irish relatives. It only appears during the holidays and in my house anyway was considered a treat. One year my brother-in-law was employed by the Rainbow Baking Co. in Colorado, so my mother ordered about 8 fruitcakes for gifting family members.

When I was newly married and not working, I made gifts for family. A few times I made fruitcake for family members. We always liked it but you had to start in about October. Later I switched to Cinnamon Swirl Raisin bread.


My children were not fans of fruitcake and had one fruitcake that they sent back and forth for about 10 years. It finally died in Floridawhen it was left on the floor. It seems that at least the ants like fruitcake.

Originally posted Dec 2010