Seems I get a little nostalgic this time of year. I started thinkin' 'bout Christmas when I was a kid and the objects that made it special. I know your wondering what I mean by objects. Well...these objects represent a moment in time or person that represent Christmas. I'd never seen these objects other than at Christmas time and when they came out of hiding all year long, I just knew it was Christmas.
Ribbon candy....Never saw it other than the holidays, but my Grandparents had it in a candy dish on the coffee table. Piles of strips of color and swirls, I would sit on the floor and watch it as if I was waiting for it to do something. Even then I was interested in color and design. Didn't taste so good but boy, was it entertaining to me ~
Our Aluminum Christmas tree. At the time I was embarrassed of it. Everyone in the world had a "real" tree but not us...nooo, we had a tree made of Aluminum that shined and glared at us the whole holiday season. And not only did we have this tree of silver....we had a color wheel to boot.
So the tree turned blue or green or orange depending on what part of the wheel hit the tree just right. When my parents were away and left us kids alone with the poor tree, my brother and sister and I would turn off all the lights except the color wheel and pick it up, point it in our directions and perform a little song or light hearted drama....until I broke it by hitting it (accidentally) against the wall. Now...you can't find these Christmas wonders without paying an arm and a leg. Guess my parents were ahead of their time ~
Christmas Tamales. Although I've never made them per say, I've put them together numerous times. Being half Hispanic and living in Southern California traditionally you just had to make these wonderful little gems of savory goodness. I'd go to Tamale making parties. You show up with your apron, assigned to either the Masa making department or the chili making department or like me...the putting together (assembling) department. All the time gossiping, singing, drinking, dancing and laughing but most certainly having a wonderful time. And before you know it...you can smell the mouth watering little packet of heaven floating through the house.
Nuts and the Nut cracker. My Grandfather (fathers father) would sit in HIS recliner, floor lamp at his back, pipe stand on his right along side the TV guide and his bowl of nuts and the nutcracker on his left. I loved the smell of a good pipe tobacco and the image of him sitting there smoking his pipe, cracking the nuts and talking to us about the good old days when he used to own a bar in Michigan just puts a smile on my face. And just to add to this picturesque image...he had a full head of white hair, blazin' blue eyes and always wore a sweater vest ~
Christmas butter cookies in the traditional tin....need I say more?
Lincoln Logs. My Grandmother (mother's mother) had toys at her house for us grandkids just like I do for mine. Our favorite were the Lincoln Logs. We built sky scrappers with those puppies...well, it seemed like we did. We'd all be on the floor sprawled out and lounging about with the logs, adults in the kitchen talking (arguing) and we'd be in our own little world of Tarzan or Pioneer people or camping. And occacionally my Grandmother would add to her collection and never tell us until we'd open THE closet and spied the biggest haul of Lincoln Logs know to mankind. Christmas music playing in the background, Christmas tree ( a real one) sparking in the corner, tin of butter cookies calling my name on the dinning room table and the occasional whiff of a Tamale......ahhhh, Christmas ~ I'm Just Sayin'
