My Favorite Things
The theme for this year’s RS Christmas Dinner is “My Favorite Things” and they are looking for table hostesses to provide dinnerware and centerpieces for tables. I nearly signed up, but decided to think on it awhile. What “things” do I value, and of them, what would I want to share?
I remember a time about twenty years ago when “things” were very important to me, especially at Christmas time. I gladly abandoned the sentimental ornaments treasured from childhood for the latest Christmas trend, bells on a string that caroled 12 different tunes, brass ornaments, and being on a budget a tree purchased just before the holiday so it wouldn’t drop it’s needles too soon. The day after Thanksgiving I sent 60 fancily adorned Christmas cards enclosing the just right sentiment, some even mailed abroad.
In my thirties, I acquired a tree - one decorated like the trees on display: an artificial tree, white twinkling lights and color coordinating Christmas balls of gold, teal, and burgundy with French ribbon streamers spiraling from top to bottom, and finely cut ornaments of the twelve days of Christmas. Beneath the tree were packages of holiday paper with gift ribbon, bows, and tags to match. (Would you believe I was so anal I was tempted to rewrap some gifts we received so they would match!), The first day of December, gold foil bordered cards were mailed to 30 of our closest family and friends.
Briefly at forty, I had a fascination with penguins and nearly covered the house with them year round, but better sense took hold. I became more sentimental (likely with the influence of Mom and Dad in our home and the arrival of children.) Suddenly, I needed the Wright family traditional tree: white lights, red balls tied with thin ribbon, the paper chain was replaced with strings of gold beads (and then I added Gingerbread cookies to fill the room with a homey aroma.) Holiday papers became less orchestrated and cards became letters or handmade cards sent to closer family and friends. The kids decorated the tree (though I re-arranged them from the clumps front and center to scatter around the tree). New pajamas were opened Christmas Eve, our traditional gift when we were just girls.
However, this year, off came the white lights, replaced by 700 mini-colored ones. Off came the gold beaded strings that wound round the tree. Austin, my oldest, suggested we have a tree with only lights. He is enough “teen” that he doesn’t want to see any kid’s ornaments made in school through the years. I’m still uncertain how this year’s tree will end up. I recently acquired an ornament that certainly “does not go” – a tent in orange, red, and black which I marked with a black sharpie as a commemoration of our first family campout this past July. The ginger bread has become a symbol of Mom’s love, and a rebellion nearly ensued when I threatened to forego it this year. 'Cards by Jo' wait in our guest room, patiently waiting for me to address them (Thanks Jo !!!!) It’s a hodgepodge kind of Christmas this year, probably even more than last year. I have cut back on the Santa collection while increasing the nativities we have around our home.
It doesn’t feel so important anymore what “things” I have…But I do have my favorites: I’m longing to dig out all the ornaments given to me by Sam, the crocheted ball given by Deon Woodward the year Kaylee came to live with us, and I’m hoping to add a Jim Shore ornament before the year is through. Yes, I guess I still do have my favorite things.
I remember a time about twenty years ago when “things” were very important to me, especially at Christmas time. I gladly abandoned the sentimental ornaments treasured from childhood for the latest Christmas trend, bells on a string that caroled 12 different tunes, brass ornaments, and being on a budget a tree purchased just before the holiday so it wouldn’t drop it’s needles too soon. The day after Thanksgiving I sent 60 fancily adorned Christmas cards enclosing the just right sentiment, some even mailed abroad.
In my thirties, I acquired a tree - one decorated like the trees on display: an artificial tree, white twinkling lights and color coordinating Christmas balls of gold, teal, and burgundy with French ribbon streamers spiraling from top to bottom, and finely cut ornaments of the twelve days of Christmas. Beneath the tree were packages of holiday paper with gift ribbon, bows, and tags to match. (Would you believe I was so anal I was tempted to rewrap some gifts we received so they would match!), The first day of December, gold foil bordered cards were mailed to 30 of our closest family and friends.
Briefly at forty, I had a fascination with penguins and nearly covered the house with them year round, but better sense took hold. I became more sentimental (likely with the influence of Mom and Dad in our home and the arrival of children.) Suddenly, I needed the Wright family traditional tree: white lights, red balls tied with thin ribbon, the paper chain was replaced with strings of gold beads (and then I added Gingerbread cookies to fill the room with a homey aroma.) Holiday papers became less orchestrated and cards became letters or handmade cards sent to closer family and friends. The kids decorated the tree (though I re-arranged them from the clumps front and center to scatter around the tree). New pajamas were opened Christmas Eve, our traditional gift when we were just girls.
However, this year, off came the white lights, replaced by 700 mini-colored ones. Off came the gold beaded strings that wound round the tree. Austin, my oldest, suggested we have a tree with only lights. He is enough “teen” that he doesn’t want to see any kid’s ornaments made in school through the years. I’m still uncertain how this year’s tree will end up. I recently acquired an ornament that certainly “does not go” – a tent in orange, red, and black which I marked with a black sharpie as a commemoration of our first family campout this past July. The ginger bread has become a symbol of Mom’s love, and a rebellion nearly ensued when I threatened to forego it this year. 'Cards by Jo' wait in our guest room, patiently waiting for me to address them (Thanks Jo !!!!) It’s a hodgepodge kind of Christmas this year, probably even more than last year. I have cut back on the Santa collection while increasing the nativities we have around our home.
It doesn’t feel so important anymore what “things” I have…But I do have my favorites: I’m longing to dig out all the ornaments given to me by Sam, the crocheted ball given by Deon Woodward the year Kaylee came to live with us, and I’m hoping to add a Jim Shore ornament before the year is through. Yes, I guess I still do have my favorite things.
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