After my once-a-year mushy sentimentalism, (did you read my last post?) I now feel the need to wax nostalgic and provide you with my Christmas memories. However, since I already fulfilled my sappy quota for the year, don't be afraid.
Memory 1: The fateful tree story
My family, being the Christmas zealots we are, always put the tree up the weekend after Thanksgiving, mind-you this was in an era before artificial trees took over. Normally this wasn't a problem given the fact that we traditionally trimmed a pinon pine. If you live in Southern NV you know this is really just a glorified, green tumbleweed that smells glorious and can withstand weeks, nay months, of Christmas tree abuse. Hardy, we desert people are. Anyway, one year we became brave and purchased a .....(cue music) gasp...a tree-farm-spruce-variety. The rapid decline of the tree began about December 13th, by the 17th it was shedding needles faster than a mal-nutritioned* porcupine. When the 20th rolled around we could no longer plug in the lights for fear of burning the joint to the ground. By the 23rd the tree was smoking on it's own and we feared instant and spontaneous combustion. A flashlight beamed at the tree would have reduced our home to toothpicks. When you're 10 this is a travesty. Thankfully my old man braved the tree lots in the valley and saved the day. However, on Christmas Eve you don't get the luxury of being choosy. In fact I'm pretty sure we got the tree for free because 1)it was so ugly no one would buy it and they were giving it away or 2)my dad refused to pay money for such a monstrosity of a tree.
THE TREE was promptly and properly deemed the "Charlie Brown" tree and has since gone down in Alderete family lore as our favoritest, most hideous tree ever. Maybe because it makes a great story, maybe because it was so ugly it was beautiful and unique, maybe because it was something straight out of the movies. Whatever the reason, I remember that splendid tree with the best and fondest of memoriam.
See, it's not too bad once it's decorated.
Other memories include...
1)Fighting over who got to "move the mouse" in our advent calendar.
2)Re-creating the Grinch. I, of course, being the Grinch and my little sis being Max (my reindeer complete with harness)
3)Staying awake all night and having to physically restrain my over-excited younger siblings. (I being the oldest and most responsible) blah
4)Hearing Santa and his reindeer on the roof.
5)Reading stories to my siblings, who later informed me they made fun of me for this. I don't blame them. I think even then I was a school teacher at heart and probably told them to "sit on their pockets and be good boys and girls." oh my
6)Christmas ham
7)Hanging stockings, one year from my dad's stuffed deer head.
8)Praying to Santa. oops. I thought since he saw all, that likened to Someone else.
9)My favorite present! I lay awake all night waiting for a...mood ring. That's right folks, a mood ring. See how easily kids are pleased.
10)The fateful year of the turtleneck (that's another story.)
11)Grandpa L asking "if ol' Santy Claus had come yet?" He was also part of my earliest Christmas memory, I was 3 1/2 and saw Santa run by the window shaking jingle bells, I'll never forget the amazement of seeing Santa at my house!
Thank you mom and dad for always making the Christmas season a magical, fun time. And meaningful too!
*simile provided by my blogger in crime-asheee, i laughed so hard i cried
