Delays ~ Christmas Memories

The holiday decorating has not even been happening around here as it should, and for two reasons - 1. How I am feeling and 2. The room repairs / renovations.

I have not felt up to doing any holiday shopping, nor even shopping for baking and cooking supplies for the Christmas Day meal.  I have nothing ready.  Nothing.   Also, the handy-man we hired has been a no-show the last few days, due to his car breaking down.  Just lovely.  

By the way, in the meantime, I have put about 5 sticky notes up on the walls for places that need "fixed" and have paint issues.  Splatters, scratches, you name it.

I have not been ill like this for a long long time and it stinks.  It's like the virus that keeps on giving and refuses to go away.  Once I have a good day, the next day something new arrives.  One day it was congested ears.  The next a dry cough with chest pressure.  The next itchy/watery eyes.  The exhaustion comes and goes as it pleases.

The Goldenrod Tea helps a lot with drying up and relieving congestion.  I started adding fresh ginger too, and have now broke out my homemade oregano oil (learned this from my Dad when I had a sinus infection).  I have Four Thieves vinegar as well, and making sure I get enough good vitamins and probiotics, not to mention liquids.  On a good note, it all does seem to be a bit better vs. worse.

Christmas gifts I made in the past  . . .

One year of gifting - jelly, granola, homemade/handmade handmade goodies (in recycled clementine crates).

Some years they got homemade goodies like the unusual and very delicious sorghum candy.  Some years it was homemade vanilla with purchased bottles and hand created and printed labels.

I do miss the art of creating and gifting.  The year I made those boxes of goodies (photo above), I asked my good friend if they liked theirs.  I'm talking a long, long time friend from high school.  She replied, "well there really wasn't anything in there for my husband."  She really said that.  I never made a gift for them again after that.

 In the midst of recovering from this recent bug, I have watched way too many Christmas movies.  It got me thinking about my favorite memories of the holiday.  Childhood memories.  Christmas is my favorite holiday of the year.  It always has been.

As a kid my parents would always buy a fresh cut tree, in a lot that was by a closed, seasonal ice cream stand in town.  We'd bring it home, and put it outside until a said date.

Dad built the raised box with tree holder attached, and we'd bring it in and fill it with sugar water (if I am remember correctly, ha ha).  

(photo from google - they still sell this stuff!!)

We'd wrap the tree with those larger Christmas bulb light strings (I still love those the best), put the ornaments up, and Mom insisted we drape those thin long pieces of tinsel on the tree.

By the way, when we took the tree down, we were required to take the tinsel (icicles) off one piece at a time, and put it back in the box for the next year (not kidding about that either).

The best memory, is taking coloring books and crayons, and laying under the tree (with lights on), and coloring in a Christmas themed coloring book.  The smell of a fresh tree was the best!!

Although that is a good memory, I do not plan on making it a tradition here ha ha ha!  The icicles anyway.  However, as my side of the family doesn't get together for the Christmas holiday anymore, it's time to start creating new traditions for just us.  I think it will be fun too.  

We already have two ideas.  

It's a strange weather day here for mid-December.  Rain and a high of 58°F.  Crazy.

Delays ~ Christmas Memories © December 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart