I am taking a trip back through time to remember Christmases past by highlighting the various holiday goodies my family has enjoyed over the years.
As children, my brother and I always got excited when it was time to put up the Christmas tree and decorate for the holidays. It meant that it was time for that special holiday feeling and also that Santa would soon come. Mom & Dad always played Christmas albums on the record player, one of which was Johnny Mathis, and to this day, his voice reminds me of Christmas.
Dad would go up into the attic and hand box after box of Christmas decorations down to my mom. The boxes were always cold and smelled like the attic. I can still remember that smell. Once back downstairs, Dad would always admonish us not to rifle through the boxes. I don’t know that there was ever a time that we had actually “rifled through” the boxes, but he made sure to reiterate that each year. It’s probably something he did as a child.
Since it was an all day affair, and because Mom & Dad were always in an extra good mood, sometimes we’d get McDonald’s for dinner. We didn’t have lots of money in those days, so McDonald’s was an extra special treat. No Happy Meals for this kid; I always got a Big Mac with a fry and Coke. I would savor my meal down to the very last ice cube in my wax-coated cup. I miss those happy, simpler times.
These days, Christmas Tree Day has become a holiday, itself, in our home. It’s always the first Saturday of November. We used to do it the weekend after Thanksgiving, but over the years, we started doing it earlier & earlier. Sure we’re taking down Halloween decorations the day before, which is a little weird, but since decorating for the season is so much work, I want to enjoy it for as long as possible.
Besides, Sam and I are both Christmas fanatics. We would decorate every room in the house if we had the means to store all of the additional accoutrements. On the other hand, my youngest daughter, Bree, really dislikes this time a year. It’s a good thing that Sam lives with me and Bree now has her own place! I can’t help it though because it gives me so many warm fuzzies when I think of Christmases past, and it just gets me excited to know another holiday season is upon us.
Since Christmas Tree Day is a special day for us, I figure treats are in order. It took a while to get this particular tradition down, however. It started out sporadic, and I’d make good old fashioned chocolate chip cookies when I’d remember to. I didn’t always remember though.
In 2020, I decided that Christmas Tree Day would henceforth and forevermore include a homemade treat. That year I made vanilla and chocolate Candy Cane Kiss Cookies from Sally’s Baking Addiction. They tasted okay, but they spread out quite a bit, unlike the ones pictured on Sally’s blog.
In 2021, I wanted to try something different and remembered how much Sam loves monster cookies, so I decided to make those. Although the recipe refers to them as “giant” because of their size, I cut the size in half, using a 1/8 cup (two tablespoons) measuring cup to measure the dough out. They were the perfect size for us and made around 50 cookies. Also, if you’re using a 5-quart stand mixer, yes, all of the ingredients will fit into your bowl…just barely.
In 2022, I made the vanilla Candy Cane Kiss Cookies again, and once again I wasn’t happy with them; they just spread too much despite following the directions to a T. It’s too bad because I love the Candy Cane Kisses and like an excuse to buy them. So, this year I decided to make monster cookies again and will probably continue to make them in upcoming years. They are just so good, and they make Sam really happy!
As for decorating, we have always had an artificial tree. I grew up with artificial trees. In fact, I used my parents’ old tree for several years before I bought a new one in 2020. My family got 30+ Christmases out of that tree! Also, I have no problem with what other people prefer, but for me, personally, I don’t like the idea of killing a tree for a few weeks of enjoyment.
I set the tree up, and Sam strings the lights…because I get too anxious, frustrated, and sweary, of course. She does a strand of clear lights on the inside of the tree and a strand of colored lights on the outside of the tree. It’s extra beautiful like that. I then string my beloved vintage candy garland that used to belong to my parents. Once the garland is hung, we both decorate the tree with ornaments. Each of our ornaments has a history and a story, and I enjoy reminiscing each time we take one out of the box.
Reminiscent of my childhood, we always get takeout for dinner. If I have anything to say about it, we get pizza from Jet’s. No matter where we get our dinner, we come home and watch a Christmas movie while eating, usually Home Alone or Christmas Vacation. Later on in the evening, we’ll get into my homemade treats, while enjoying the cozy, warm glow of all the Christmas lights strung throughout the living & dining rooms.
While these traditions are simple, they mean a lot to me. As with Christmas in general, it is a day for me to reflect on all of those happy “Christmas Tree Days” throughout my life. It’s often a bittersweet day remembering those who are no longer here to help trim the tree, but our warm, happy memories are their legacy. My heart swells with love as I remember the wonderful moments we shared during their time on Earth, and I am filled with thankfulness for them. And while things have changed so much over my lifetime, and people have come and gone, the way I feel at Christmastime has not changed at all.
