CHRISTMAS

CHRISTMAS HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE BIGGEST HOLIDAY FOR MY FAMILY.
TWO WEEKS BEFORE CHRISTMAS WE PUT UP THE DECORATIONS. OUTSIDE WE PU
COLORED LIGHTS ON THE EVERGREENS. WE PUT PLASTIC TRIMMINGS ON THE
DOORPOSTS. A CHRISTMAS WREATH GOES ON THE FRONT DOOR. INSIDE WE
HANG OUR STOCKINGS ON THE STAIRWAY AND DECORATE THE HANDRAILS WITH
MORE PLASTIC EVERGREEN TRIMMINGS. WE REPLACE THE PICTURE IN THE
FRONT HALLWAY WITH A HANGING SANTA CLAUS, WHEN YOU PULL HIS STRING
THE MUSIC BOX CONTAINED WITHIN PLAYS SILENT NIGHT. I CAN'T RESIST
PULLING THE STRING AT LEAST TWICE A DAY. ABOVE THE FIREPLACE WE
PLACE THREE DOLLS OF ENGLISH MEN SINGING CAROLS AND COLLECTING
DONATIONS, THESE ARE FALLING APART NOW THOUGH. ALSO AROUND THE
FIREPLACE WE HANG LIGHTS WITH PICTURES ENCASING THEM DEPICTING MANGE
SCENES. IN THE LIVING ROOM WE PLACE OUR MODEL OF THE MANGER WITH
LITTLE STATUES OF JESUS IN CRIB, MARY, JOSEPH, THE THREE KINGS
BEARING GIFTS, A SHEPERD BOY, HIS FLOCK OF SHEEP(ABOUT HALF WITH LEG
BROKEN), A COW, A DONKEY, A CAMEL, AND AN ANGEL WITH TRUMPET HANGING
FROM THE TOP OF THE MANGER,(HIS WINGS ARE BROKEN THOUGH). IN THE
LIVING ROOM WE ALSO PUT A SANTA CLAUS DOLL SITTING IN A WICKER SLEIG
FILLED WITH PLASTIC FRUIT.
WE PUT THE CHRISTMAS TREE IN THE FAMILY ROOM. AFTER BRINGING THE
CHRISTMAS TREE HOME YOU HAVE TO WAIT A FEW DAYS FOR IT TO SPREAD OUT
BEFORE DECORATING IT. WHEN DECORATING THE TREE THE FIRST THING WE
PUT ON ARE THE THREE STRINGS OF COLORED LIGHTS. WE CONNECT ONE
BLINKER TO ONE STRING OF LIGHTS AND A SECOND BLINKER TO THE OTHER TW
STRINGS OF LIGHTS SO THE LIGHTS ALTERNATELY BLINK ON AND OFF. NEXT
WE HANG THE MANY BEAUTIFUL BULBS, CAREFUL NOT TO LET THEM FALL.
THEN WE HANG SILVER TINSEL AND CANDY CANES AND THE WHOLE TREE IS
TOPPED OFF BY A STAR. PRESENTS ARE PLACED UNDER THE TREE.
OUR FAMILY IS SPREAD ACROSS THE UNITED STATES BUT ANYONE WHO CAN
COMES HOME FOR CHRISTMAS. ON CHRISTMAS EVE WE HAVE A FIRE IN THE
FIREPLACE AND SOME OF US VISIT RELATIVES AND DELIVER PRESENTS WHILE
OTHERS STAY HOME AND RECEIVE VISITS. AT MIDNIGHT ALL THE ADULTS GO
TO MIDNIGHT MASS, EVEN THOUGH FOR SOME OF MY BROTHERS THIS IS THE
ONLY TIME THEY GO TO MASS ALL YEAR. EVERYONE GETS UP EARLY IN THE
MORNING TO OPEN PRESENTS. THE DAY IS SPENT WATCHING CHRISTMAS MOVIE
AND FOOTBALL GAMES ON TV, RECEIVING TELEPHONE CALLS FROM OUT-OF-STAT
RELATIVES AND FAMILY THAT COULD NOT COME HOME, AND WAITING FOR
DINNER.
FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER WE HAVE A BIG TURKEY. WE ALSO HAVE A WHOLE
BUNCH OF STUFFING, MASHED POTATOES, CRANBERRY SAUCE, GRAVY, GREEN
BEANS OR PEAS, AND OCCASIONALLY A HAM TOO IF THE TURKEY IS NOT BIG
ENOUGH. FOR DESSERT THERE IS PLUM PUDDING WITH HARD SAUCE, FRUIT
CAKE, AND ICE CREAM. THIS IS THE ONLY TIME ALL YEAR THAT WE HAVE
PLUM PUDDING EVEN THOUGH IT IS MY FAVORITE DESSERT.
WE KEEP THE CHRISTMAS TREE UP UNTIL IT GETS TOO DRY AND BECOMES A
FIRE HAZARD, BUT THE OTHER DECORATIONS AREN'T PUT AWAY TILL ALMOST
FEBRUARY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; BLOOMFIELD HILLS

Date learned: 11-23-1979