Friday, December 31, 2010
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Advent Calendar - Christmas and Deceased Relatives
I'm so thankful for the really long run we had without losing any of our close family. However, since 1994 our number has declined. First, it was my Dad, Earl Robert Stewart, who died in September of 1994. We only had a few months to adjust before our Christmas Eve party. Dad's job was always to read the Christmas story from the gospel of Luke while everyone sat quietly - a rather difficult task for the little ones who awaited their presents. Even though his job was taken over by my son-in-law, I still miss Dad's beautiful voice on that special evening. He is remembered on Christmas Eve with his famous baked beans.
Then, just before Christmas (Dec. 20) of 2001, we unexpectedly lost my brother-in-law, Warren Parrent. Warren was always so much fun, especially when our girls were small. Warren seemed to have as much fun playing with their new toys as the girls did. He would be on the floor investigating the workings and "helping" the girls figure everything out. He was a great guy and we miss him. He is remembered each Christmas Eve with a bowl full of cashews - one of his favorites.
In September 2002, my mother, Gladys Miller Stewart, died. She had literally "made" our Christmases for so many years, the thought of celebrating without her was devastating to me. I learned everything I know about hostessing a party from my mother. She had a wonderful way of making everyone feel warm and welcome. There really isn't any part of our party that doesn't remind me of her. Our special reminder of Mom, though, is fudge.
Finally, this will be our third Christmas without my mother-in-law, Alice Davey Higgins. Oh, how she loved it when the family got together. For several years before her death, she was unable to get out to our party; so we would bring an abbreviated party to her and my father-in-law. A couple of hours before the party at our house, everyone gathered at the retirement home for a pre-party - complete with food and gifts, song and jokes. Alice seemed to really appreciate the effort and we got to have double the fun! She didn't have a favorite party food, but we remember her just the same.
We miss them all but, as we celebrate, the memory of their lives are special gifts to us.
Then, just before Christmas (Dec. 20) of 2001, we unexpectedly lost my brother-in-law, Warren Parrent. Warren was always so much fun, especially when our girls were small. Warren seemed to have as much fun playing with their new toys as the girls did. He would be on the floor investigating the workings and "helping" the girls figure everything out. He was a great guy and we miss him. He is remembered each Christmas Eve with a bowl full of cashews - one of his favorites.
In September 2002, my mother, Gladys Miller Stewart, died. She had literally "made" our Christmases for so many years, the thought of celebrating without her was devastating to me. I learned everything I know about hostessing a party from my mother. She had a wonderful way of making everyone feel warm and welcome. There really isn't any part of our party that doesn't remind me of her. Our special reminder of Mom, though, is fudge.
Finally, this will be our third Christmas without my mother-in-law, Alice Davey Higgins. Oh, how she loved it when the family got together. For several years before her death, she was unable to get out to our party; so we would bring an abbreviated party to her and my father-in-law. A couple of hours before the party at our house, everyone gathered at the retirement home for a pre-party - complete with food and gifts, song and jokes. Alice seemed to really appreciate the effort and we got to have double the fun! She didn't have a favorite party food, but we remember her just the same.
We miss them all but, as we celebrate, the memory of their lives are special gifts to us.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Advent Calendar - Christmas Music
I'm one of those people who love Christmas music and I always have. I can't wait until Thanksgiving when our local radio station 93.9 changes their venue to all Christmas music all the time!
When I was younger, I loved to sing it. I was in the choir at school and church and was a soloist. The church music was so majestic it would simply take my breath away. It was as wonderful to prepare for the the concerts as it was to perform them.
In later years, my personal music stayed mostly within the family. On Christmas Eve, it was my job to sing my very favorite Christmas song of all: Sweet Little Jesus Boy by Robert MacGimsey. I can't hear it even today without tearing up. Here's a picture of me on Christmas Eve 1983 (that was one of my thin years:)
Several bouts of bronchitis have made me a listener, not a singer, but I continue to adore this season's music.
When I was younger, I loved to sing it. I was in the choir at school and church and was a soloist. The church music was so majestic it would simply take my breath away. It was as wonderful to prepare for the the concerts as it was to perform them.
In later years, my personal music stayed mostly within the family. On Christmas Eve, it was my job to sing my very favorite Christmas song of all: Sweet Little Jesus Boy by Robert MacGimsey. I can't hear it even today without tearing up. Here's a picture of me on Christmas Eve 1983 (that was one of my thin years:)
Several bouts of bronchitis have made me a listener, not a singer, but I continue to adore this season's music.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Advent Calendar - Christmas Shopping
I remember it as if it were yesterday! That was the year I did all the Christmas shopping in one day and the year I truly stumped my present peepers.
I was working at our local bank at the time and my boss and I decided to spend an evening at Woodfield Mall to try to make a dent in our shopping lists. I must have had a good idea as to what I wanted to buy because by the end of the evening I was loaded down with packages and my credit card was almost too hot to hold. In fact, it had been used so often that night that at one store they had the clerk hand me the phone to verify it was really me making all those purchases!
How on earth was I to go home with all those gifts and still keep them a surprise from my preteen daughters; especially Sam who made it an annual challenge to seek out the presents before Christmas? There was no way I could walk into the house with them and keeping them in the truck would only stall the issue. My boss came to the rescue, as she was often wont to do. She offered to keep all of it at her house as long as I needed. Hah! Sam couldn't find them there and she didn't.
The gifts remained out of the house until Christmas Eve and I was able to sneak them in without being seen. That was probably the only year the girls never had a clue what they were getting until Christmas Day. I really enjoyed that year, too.
I was working at our local bank at the time and my boss and I decided to spend an evening at Woodfield Mall to try to make a dent in our shopping lists. I must have had a good idea as to what I wanted to buy because by the end of the evening I was loaded down with packages and my credit card was almost too hot to hold. In fact, it had been used so often that night that at one store they had the clerk hand me the phone to verify it was really me making all those purchases!
How on earth was I to go home with all those gifts and still keep them a surprise from my preteen daughters; especially Sam who made it an annual challenge to seek out the presents before Christmas? There was no way I could walk into the house with them and keeping them in the truck would only stall the issue. My boss came to the rescue, as she was often wont to do. She offered to keep all of it at her house as long as I needed. Hah! Sam couldn't find them there and she didn't.
The gifts remained out of the house until Christmas Eve and I was able to sneak them in without being seen. That was probably the only year the girls never had a clue what they were getting until Christmas Day. I really enjoyed that year, too.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Advent Calendar - Christmas Stockings
From the first year we held the Christmas Eve celebration at our house until the present, my husband and I filled stockings for each of our grandchildren. The stockings were hung along the staircase leading to our living room. The children's stockings hung along side mine and my husband's ("Mom" and "Dad") and, for the past two years, our dog, Bessie's.
As the children grew older, we began wrestling with the dilemma of when one stopped the tradition. We finally decided that when a grandchild reached - or would reach prior to the next Christmas - the age of 21, they would be deemed an adult and no longer receive a stocking. Last year, our oldest grandson, Stewart got his last filled stocking and was given the stocking that had been used since his infancy.
This year would be Derek's turn, except this year the party moves to another house. Oh my!! Now what to do. I guess all good things must eventually come to an end so this will be the last year for this. Santa will drop three stockings at our house which we will deliver to the new location. Derek, Kristin, and Randi will get to keep their stockings and Kristin and Randi will find a little something extra inside just to make up for the few years they'll be missing.
Even as they got older, the grandkids still seemed to enjoy looking for the treasures in those stockings.
As the children grew older, we began wrestling with the dilemma of when one stopped the tradition. We finally decided that when a grandchild reached - or would reach prior to the next Christmas - the age of 21, they would be deemed an adult and no longer receive a stocking. Last year, our oldest grandson, Stewart got his last filled stocking and was given the stocking that had been used since his infancy.
This year would be Derek's turn, except this year the party moves to another house. Oh my!! Now what to do. I guess all good things must eventually come to an end so this will be the last year for this. Santa will drop three stockings at our house which we will deliver to the new location. Derek, Kristin, and Randi will get to keep their stockings and Kristin and Randi will find a little something extra inside just to make up for the few years they'll be missing.
Even as they got older, the grandkids still seemed to enjoy looking for the treasures in those stockings.
 |
| Randi, Kristin, Kim (Derek's girlfried; he had to work), and Stewart Dec 2009 |
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Advent Calendar - Day 16
I know today is suppose to be about what went on at school during the Christmas season but I don't have many school memories. Oh, there was the annual choir concert in which I participated but other than that - nothing.
However, my life (as a child and teenager) centered around our church and my friends there. Our BYF (Baptist Youth Fellowship) always worked very hard on presenting the best Christmas pageant we possibly could. For a few years our group was very sparse on female members so I usually got the part of Mary. One particular year when I was about twelve, I recall, I was Mary and my future husband, about 14, was Joseph. At the time, I really didn't want much to do with him but now it is a sweet recollection.
Somewhere, in my mother's papers there is a picture of that pageant, but right now I don't have time to go digging:(
However, my life (as a child and teenager) centered around our church and my friends there. Our BYF (Baptist Youth Fellowship) always worked very hard on presenting the best Christmas pageant we possibly could. For a few years our group was very sparse on female members so I usually got the part of Mary. One particular year when I was about twelve, I recall, I was Mary and my future husband, about 14, was Joseph. At the time, I really didn't want much to do with him but now it is a sweet recollection.
Somewhere, in my mother's papers there is a picture of that pageant, but right now I don't have time to go digging:(
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Advent Calendar - Other Traditions
The more I think about it the more I realize that our family's concentration during the holidays has been Christmas Eve. Even my memories of Indiana center on the party at Grandma's house; I barely recall Christmas Day at all.
One of the traditions my Grandma started was giving out chocolate-covered cherries. She gave the candy to all the men only. Over the years that really began to aggravate my mother. Once we moved to Chicago and Mom made her own party - which in later years included our spouses, my husband's parents, and his sister and husband - the candy was giving to all the adults, male or female! Later, it was my turn to hold the gathering and I kept the tradition going.
The tradition I started - though it lasted only a few years - was for Christmas Day. The girls and I were usually on our own that day because my husband had to work. (He always made sure he had Christmas Eve off.) So we girls often went to my mother's house to hang out and eat leftovers. I started bringing a birthday cake and we would sing Happy Birthday to Jesus. It was a fun way to remember the reason we had the holiday.
Then, we would get bored and either went bowling or to a movie.
One of the traditions my Grandma started was giving out chocolate-covered cherries. She gave the candy to all the men only. Over the years that really began to aggravate my mother. Once we moved to Chicago and Mom made her own party - which in later years included our spouses, my husband's parents, and his sister and husband - the candy was giving to all the adults, male or female! Later, it was my turn to hold the gathering and I kept the tradition going.
The tradition I started - though it lasted only a few years - was for Christmas Day. The girls and I were usually on our own that day because my husband had to work. (He always made sure he had Christmas Eve off.) So we girls often went to my mother's house to hang out and eat leftovers. I started bringing a birthday cake and we would sing Happy Birthday to Jesus. It was a fun way to remember the reason we had the holiday.
Then, we would get bored and either went bowling or to a movie.
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