Friday, December 3, 2010

Christmas - Past and Present






Good Morning Ladies, I just could not resist linking up with both Company Girls and Mocha with Linda today.  When I read Linda's prompt it just seemed to fit right in with what I had already planned for my entry today.  So, grab a cup of your favorite beverage, sit a spell and let's visit.  

When you were growing up, when did your family put up and decorate the Christmas tree?  It seems it was only about 2 weeks before Christmas. I'm ready to get mine up a few days after Thanksgiving and always have been.  But, I am as anxious to get it down as I am to get it up. ~smile!


Our tree  this year- a slimline prelit 7 footer
Was it real or artificial? It was real about half of the time (one that we usually went to the woods and cut down) or one of the popular silver tinsel trees of the 1960's. I absolutely loved the silver tinsel
trees. They had so much "  glitz and glimmer"  and we had one of the colored lights on a dial that turned and made the tree change colors as the dial turned.  I was sure that having a tree such as that was "  the be all, do all."   ~chuckle~


Who usually decorated it? Were there special decorations? What was on the top? White lights or colored, blinking or steady? as best as I can remember decorating the tree was always a family affair and we just used whatever we had.  Mom had decorations we had made and my brother and I would string popcorn and make paper chains .  Funds were very limited, so any fancy  or matching decorations were out of the question but I always thought we had the most beautiful Christmas tree in the world.  It seems that we always had a star on top and of course, there was no such thing as mini-lights when I was a child (did I really just say that) so we had those "  jumbo mumbo"   lights and we always had the multi-colored ones and I loved those as well. I don't remember them ever blinking and hey, probably didn't have blinking lights back then. ~chuckle~


 How much did your family decorate for the holiday other than the tree (wreaths, dishes, snowglobes, miniature villages, etc.)?
Did y'all do outdoor lights? White or colored, blinking or not?

 During my childhood there was only a tree. But, there did come a time later that my Mom did do some simple decorating inside and out. 

Are there special memories associated with decorating for Christmas? I well remember getting so excited when it would be time to decorate the tree, simple as it was, it meant the world to me and I remember it being such a happy family time for us.  


My children will certainly not have these type of memories associated with decorating the tree and they have teased me for years about this.  I have always decorated our tree and it has always had some type of theme (does that surprise you?) ~giggle~ I do hope that they will not have some kind of emotional issues because of this as they grow older.~smile~ But, nonetheless, they got so excited when they knew it was the day that the tree would be decorated and I think when they were little that they really thought that little fairies came and did it.  They do have lots of Christmas memories, just not of decorating the tree.


Now, I'll share a few pictures of our decorations this year.  And, what you see is all there is.  I use to decorate from "  stem to stern"   but I stopped that about 8 -10 years ago.  Just a whole lot of work and we all know that whatever goes up, must come back down.


The kitchen island
Our stockings
 
The dining table
The Family Room - where it all happens
The manger with Baby Jesus swaddled in it sits under our tree

What a fun post and now I look forward to visiting around today. If you want more Coffee Girls or Mocha with Linda, click on the buttons at the top of this entry and enjoy yourself!  Wishing for you a non-hurried Christmas season!

Lea @ CiCis Corner
Lea @ CiCis Corner

Hi there! My name is Lea. I've been wife to the best Hubby for 44 years....Mom to a son and daughter....CiCi to 4 precious Grans....lover of family and friends....enjoy laughter and a good time....shopper....picture taking maniac....maker of delicious fudge....organizational enthusiast....memory maker....Southern Belle...and most importantly.....a Child of the King! Welcome to my little corner!

19 comments:

  1. Love all your decorations! And your memories! I am so behind on reading posts it is ridiculous...I have been meaning to catch up all week!

    Hearing you talk about decorating your tree reminded me of my growing up years. When we were young, Daddy humored us and let us help, but once we got older, he wanted "pretty" trees and they changed each year. One year he got the idea to hang his favorite treat on the tree Lindor Truffles. They looked beautiful...until the ones on the back toward the window began melting! Our house smelled deliciously like chocolate...but the ornaments had to come off the tree!

    Have a great weekend!

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  2. Yes, I don't think that blinking lights or all white lights were around when we were kids ... at least not when I was a kid (mid to late 50's).

    My grandma had one of those silver trees with the color wheel. ;-) I've never been a fan of the artificial tree ... even as a child. The color wheel, though, fascinated me.

    And thanks for the tour of your decorating. I've cut waaaaay back on my decorating ... because as you say, what goes up must come down ... and that's always a bit of a pain. I enjoy the putting up ... but dread the taking down. ;-)

    Blessings!

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  3. I was looking for a picture like you found of the aluminum tree and color wheel - my aunt and uncle had one of those.

    I can't imagine having a "themed" tree - I'm "decorative creativity challenged!"

    And I used to decorate a lot more than I do now. So much work, both putting up and taking down!

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  4. Lea, I love your decorations and your memories! I haven't decorated for Christmas yet...it's been a little crazy since our Thanksgiving house-guest had a heart attack. I do plan on linking to Mocha with Linda today. Have a wonderful day!

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  5. I love your glittery little trees on the island and in the family room! So much fun! Merry Christmas :) I like to get my tree up the day after Thanksgiving, too, but we traveled this year and it only went up yesterday. It's about time!!

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  6. Mom... I am in no way scarred, however, my tree is not themed and is just random ornaments that I have collected. I think I always wanted that type of tree and now I have one. I do think that we always had one of the most beautiful trees though! I did help deorate MANY times, Brandon, however did not. Maybe he has issues! Ha Ha!

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  7. Your house looks beautiful. I'm so sad I can't just drop by and take it all in in person!

    I am so with you -- I love to get my tree up right after Thanksgiving, but by Dec. 27th, it's gone! Ironic, since right now it's advent and after Christmas Day is the liturgical season of Christmas.

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  8. I always love reading about people's holiday traditions and decor. Everything looks lovely!

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  9. Paper chains! I had forgotten! One year I sat for hours and made miles of paper chain. We strung it all through the house!

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  10. Love your decorations! I enjoyed your flashback Christmas memories post too!! Neat idea. Wanted to say "hi"..just dropping by from Company Girls.

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  11. What fun memories. I too had forgotten about the paper chains. Always had one of those hanging somewhere. And always strung popcorn, then we would give it to the birds outside after Christmas.

    until next time... nel

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  12. How fun to have a glimpse into your Christmas past and present! I'm like you...up right after thanksgiving and then when New Year's hits, I'm done. It all needs to come down and the reorganized to start out the new year.

    I love your red and lime green theme this year and your island is to die for! My island tends to be decorated with school papers and mess. (heehee).

    Thanks for the fun holiday visit!

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  13. Lea, I remember tinsel on the tree when I was growing up. I loved reading your answers to the questions. Your home looks so warm and inviting.

    Blessings and love,
    Debbie

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  14. Oh I so enjoyed...too funny about not letting them do the tree and having a theme...I have always made myself not change where they put their decorations...so it might have one limb that is totally loaded down at eye level of that child...LOL

    Love the memories...I laughed out loud at the silver tree...I remember those...never had one!

    Your decorations look beautiful...so enjoyed the tour!!
    Have fun!!!

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  15. Lovely decorations in your home. I enjoyed reading about your Christmas memories. Where are you from in Lousisana?

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  16. Your house looks so beautiful and festive! We concentrated on the outside today and hope to work on the inside this week. I can't believe we're so close to Christmas and don't have any Christmas decorations up in the house yet. This is just not my year!! Noah and Noelle are going to be in the same boat as your kids :) Thanks for sharing these pictures!! xoxo, Kelly

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  17. Your decorations are so beautiful and festive! Wow!!. Your memories made me giggle... no minilights when you were a child. I know how it feels to say something like that and then frown in disbelief! LOL. I love how christmas decorations can transform a room, even if only for a couple of weeks.

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  18. Your home looks so cozy and inviting. The decorations are sure pretty. I, too, will not decorate "from stem to stern" because of the UN-decorating involved. Just my main level gets treated. No, it doesn't surprise me that you have a theme to your tree every year. I do, too!

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  19. PS, I remember liking the look of tinsel but HATED--ABHORRED--DESPISED and DETESTED--the way my mother made us girls hang every single strand "just so" on the branches and wouldn't let us quit till she said. Maybe I am the one with issues! Anyway, once we got a cat, and the cat nearly choked to death on tinsel, so we had to practically wrench it out of her throat. (Tinsel-ectomy?!)

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So glad you stopped by and hope you enjoyed your visit. I love your comments and read each and every one of them and I always try to reply to them. Blessings to you this day!