In 2001 we celebrated the first holiday season with a grandchild. Suddenly the whole world seem to be a bit brighter. The meaning of sharing and giving had a new added dimension. What fun it was searching for those things that you wanted to give because the love in your heart had received a new heartbeat. The Christmas card design added the first grandchild as an addition to the holiday.
Here is the 2001 card as it appeared. Besides Santa there was a border design. The toys in the drawing were toys that were to be a part of that grandchild's play. I believe that play is a child's work and to encourage that is an important responsibility of parents, grandparents, and others who enter a child's life.
The first Grandchild
This carol is a song I often sang as elementary child along with a
school mate at holiday events in the community. It has been a favorite
for years.
We are waiting for a good snow to come in off the lake. The temperature is to drop to 17 degrees tonight so it will be a chilly evening. I played my role as St. Nick by filling all the feeders and checking to see that the fish pond aerator is running. The fish looked fine in the pond. They were hanging out by the aerator. Hoping you had a wonderful day and will enjoy the Wikipedia and YouTube clips.
Oh, I got some Spekulatius
and a Berliner
Thanks St Nicholas, Aldi's and Harding's
As my wife tells me- "any excuse for a sweet" I think she knows my weakness.
Here's a bit about the day, the man, and the fun.
Saint Nicholas Day, also called the Feast of Saint Nicholas,
observed on 5 December or on 6 December in Western Christian countries,
and on 19 December in Eastern Christian countries using the old church
Calendar, is the feast day of Saint Nicholas of Myra; it falls within the season of Advent.[3] It is celebrated as a Christian festival with particular regard to Saint Nicholas' reputation as a bringer of gifts, as well as through the attendance of church services.[4][5][6]
In the European countries of Germany and Poland, boys have traditionally dressed as bishops and begged alms for the poor.[7] In Poland,
children wait for St. Nicholas to come and to put a present under their
pillows provided that the children were good during the year. Children
who behaved badly may expect to find a twig or a piece of coal under
their pillows. In the Netherlands,
Dutch children put out a shoe filled with hay and a carrot for Saint
Nicholas' horse. On Saint Nicholas Day, gifts are tagged with personal
humorous rhymes written by the sender.[8] In the United States, one custom associated with Saint Nicholas Day is children leaving their shoes in the foyer on Saint Nicholas Eve in hope that Saint Nicholas will place some coins on the soles.[6]
The American Santa Claus, as well as the British Father Christmas, derive from Saint Nicholas. "Santa Claus" is itself derived in part from the Dutch Sinterklaas, the saint's name in that language. However, the gift giving associated with these descendant figures is associated with Christmas Day rather than Saint Nicholas Day itself.[ Wikipedia
Christmas card from 1998
Doris Gay and others flashback to being a kid again.
Well, it's December 5, St.Nicholas Eve. Traditionally as the children were growing up we celebrated placing their shoes by the door. If they had been good children throughout the year they could expect treats and maybe a small surprise in their shoes. Always St. Nicholas cookies (Spekulatius - spice cookies). If, however, you had not been on your best behavior in the past year you might find coal, nails, or worse in your shoes. Generally my children were on their best behavior most of the year. BUT, occasionally one of them may have been a bit naughty so the day was a warning. I always used this as a day to let themknow that they better be good for goodness sake.
With no shoes to fill here tonight I bought some spiced cookies for after dinner snack.
Today's revisited card shows Santa
telling tales of the good and naughty children about whom he has
received behavior reports. Some good, some bad, but as always there will
be a small gift for nearly everyone.
We used to use this coming week to
look for small gifts to donate
to local charities. Adopting a family or children to purchase Christmas
wishes. I would organize a drive at school and shop to fill the needs of
some children that might otherwise not have a great holiday. It made me
feel like Santa as we shopped sales for winter clothing and toys. Today
we donate to the local Rescue Mission. Remembering that not everyone is
as blessed as we are is good for the inner spirit. Being grateful for
we have is also a great way to know what we need to do to help others.
Happy St Nicholas Eve to you.
Tree decorating for us has changed over time. When we were first married we enjoyed decorating it together very relaxed and slowly. When the kids came along it became an event for the holidays.
We would trek through the tree farms searching for the perfect tree. After hours, or so it seemed, we would finally agree and then down it came. For years this took place at Krause's Tree Farm and then we moved on to Western's. The move took place because of our the specific desired tree. (This was the change from spruce to Fraser, or balsam fir) As I had students who worked at these particular tree farms it was an enjoyable event to see them at work. We enjoyed rides through the trees, goodies in the warming shed and wishing the best of holidays to them.
Soon the adult children moved on to college and we cut and decorated with whoever was home. Trying to do this on Thanksgiving weekend added a new tradition to tree decorating.
Then they as adults got their work positions, their spouses, and then we got grandchildren. This added a new dimension to the tree traditions. Sometimes we had them at our home to help or we would join them at theirs.
When we visited our son in Germany we bought our first artificial tree. We could have a tree at home and not worry about watering and pine needles while we visited Berlin.
Then we moved to our new home with the high ceiling and now the real tree of extreme height came into play. As our grand daughter insisted we needed "A BIG TREE", it was done.
During last year and this year the pandemic has us desiring the warmth of those missed traditions. We have clung to as many parts of the tree decorating rituals as possible. So this year, one real tree, one artificial indoor tree, and one artificial outdoor tree.
decorating the tree - 1991
Here are our indoor trees. We have them both in our sight as we read and knit in the evening.
Getting close to the finishing of this year's card. Hope to have it completed very soon.
I am including this flash back card. We were preparing to move from one house to another so things were a bit hectic. The boxes were packed and we were preparing to have the big move. We however did take time to stand under the mistletoe and we still do today. Whether it's hanging or not.
Under the Mistletoe 1987
I would hand color these one at a time before sending them out. Today I do one large 18x20 in color and then take a photo for the printer. A bit less time consuming and this allows me time to write a short message in each card.
When going through my email today this new Christmas video and song from Elton John and Ed Sheeran showed up with the mistletoe line so I am sharing it here. Enjoy!
Spent the best part of this day putting up the holiday lights. Living in the woods means that the best view of these lights is just a glimpse as the cars zoom past. There is something about the lights at this time of year that reminds you of the joy the season brings.
A bit of a grumble and a slight, forgive me, curse or two they are all up and aglow. It seems to get a bit more difficult each year to complete this task. I generally would do the whole outside light thing the day after Thanksgiving. However, I find it takes me a bit longer to organize, arrange, check the lights, and get them up each year.. Setting the timers is the most difficult thing for me. With no real sense of time and the difficulty of checking clocks for the correct time it always takes me a bit longer.
My wife has reminded me that I need to change the clock in my car ( as if it really saves us time) due to daylight savings. It seems there is still only 24 hours in a day.
As you can see has grown taller here. The cats were our two cats at the time Dunes and Neason.
.
Thanks to Coldplay for a song to complete my decorating.
Well it is the first of December and the Winter Holiday Season has begun. I am posting a drawing of one of my earliest cards from 1982, Santa has changed over the years as have my card designs. I am going to try to present you with a wintertime memory or a flashback to my earlier cards until I have completed the 2021 card.
1982 Card - black and white
This card shows a Santa that is a bit more plump and dwarfish than later cards. It does contain the star which seems to be an ongoing symbol in my card designs.
