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Because I love Christmas
Origins of Santa Claus
Frugal Articles
Recycle Those Old Christmas Decorations
Articles published elsewhere
Funky, Free and Frugal Christmas Decorations
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Christmas NostalgiaRemember other Christmas seasonsby Pat Veretto It's easy to become nostalgic around Christmas time. Almost everyone has fond memories of Christmas past which seem unreachable in the present. Trees smelled better and it always snowed on Christmas Eve. Kids practiced for their part in the Christmas play and teachers played the piano for them. Those of "other faiths" were respected, but expected to take part in Christmas programs, unless their parents said they couldn't. Some didn't, and were either pitied or respected, but they were still friends and after Christmas was over, no one remembered anyway. City sponsored nativity scenes weren't objects of intolerance, they were just part of Christmas, whether you "believed" or not. When the weather was frosty and the nights were clear and starry, you'd look for "the" star and know it was out there somewhere - whether you "believed" or not. You were never surprised by the taste of a candy cane because it came only in peppermint, the way candy canes are supposed to. Turkeys and hams were delicious and special because you didn't eat them unless it was a holiday. Christmas ornaments were either hand made or delicate glass balls. Fanciful glass ornaments were treasured and handled only by the adults. Trees were really trees instead of plastic replicas. When they were fake, they were decidedly fake - no pretending to be real when they weren't. Gifts were piled under the tree or hidden away in a closet to be brought by Santa Claus, who could be in the parade and in the department store at the same time. Christmas lights were fewer then, but they were bigger. They didn't twinkle, dance or sing, but they shone forth a certain Christmas spirit into the night. Popcorn balls were handmade and never came wrapped in cellophane. Neither did cookies or fudge or fruitcake. Fruitcake used to be moist and rich and brought forth from the back shelf of the pantry. What kind of fruitcake came wrapped in plastic, anyway? Was it always like this? I may be nostalgic and this no doubt sounds unreal to some of you, but yes. It really was like this. I know; I was there. Back to Christmas! |
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