Before the memories, once again, Ashled decorated the porch for Christams. The interesting thing I noticed while driving up street. There are a few more porches with lights and decorations. The following pictures will give you an idea of the porch.
This one shows the partly decorated tree through the window. Only 100 more ornaments to find a space for.
My parents alwasy waited until Christmas Eve to put up the Christmas tree after we were in bed. Then came the year I was old enough to help. Actually, I helped because this was the one Christmas when my father a steelworker wasn't on strike. Just as it began to be dark, my friend and I took his wagon to the VFW who sold trees. To get there, we could go one of two ways. The one was to cross a busy street and down the hill through a tunnel. The other was to cross the railroad tracks and take the less steep street down. Of course we crossed the railroad tracks since no trains were due. I had a dollar to buy a tree. This was 75 years ago, a dollar bought a lot. After buying one of the few trees left, we loaded it on the wagon. The tree hung over front, back and sides. But we managed to get the tree home without losing too many needles. With the help of a neighbor we set the tree on the table . The ceilings in the row house were twelve feet high and the tree nearly touched the ceiling. The table was necessary since my brother was two years old and a busy child. Mother and I started to trim the tree. The lights went on easily and so did the ornaments until I slipped on the ladder and managed to cut a swath of ornaments. Interesting only two broke. I still have one of the glass ornaments on my present tree. That was my best memory of Christmas, knowing I was no longer a child but grownup at the age of ten.
This year my granddaughter and I bought a new artificial tree. I've used one since the year I had both knees replaced and knew I couldn't get down to water the tree. This one is marvelous with both white and colored lights and it changes color constantly. The decorations are quite different. The pictures that follow are of my dragon ornaments.
Below are the standing dragons/
Here are the ones that must be hung.
As you can see, there are many. I think there are fifteen. This year I bought four, Three silver and one dark red guarding a gem.
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Great memories, Janet. We never had a tree when I was a child, but we had a nativity scene that my mother made with boxes and rock paper. It was very elaborate, though, with clay animals and cotton balls for snow, and all the "santons" traditional French figurines of baby Jesus, sheep herders, angels, and other characters. At first, the wisemen were far away, then each day we placed them closer to the scene. We kept it until January 6, the epiphany, when the wisemen finally arrived at the manger. I haven't thought of this for a long time. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHeart-warming memories, Janet! I grew up with an artificial tree in the living room, and after we got married, hubby and I shopped for an artificial one. We still have it, and it still looks great almost forty years later. It was way less trouble than a real tree, but "one" year my father brought a real tree to put in the basement. I don't recall which ornaments we hung from it (BTW I love your dragon ornaments), but I remember breathing in the sweet scent of the freshly cut Christmas tree every time I went down the stairs. Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteWow Janet! I love your 'growing-up' descriptions and how your decorating evolved 😊🎄
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