Well here we are again, it’s that Ho, ho, ho time!!
Let’s talk about CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS.
I’d like to share some of my favorite past TRADITIONS
but I’d also LOVE to hear about some of yours.
SEARS & ROEBUCK
As a young person, Christmas was all about presents. We didn’t have the commercials and advertising we have now, your Christmas list was basically limited to the items in the local store windows. But one of the big TRADITIONS then was the Sears and Roebuck catalog. We would spend hours with that book. We had a little bit of TV, but certainly not like today, so the catalog was the bomb! Then your wish list was sent directly to SANTA in the North Pole.
I think I’m seriously date stamping myself. ☹ So let’s move along.
THE LAY AWAY PLAN
During my young motherhood years, it was all about my children. Both my son and my daughter were born just before Christmas and that brought a new level of excitement. I LOVED believing in Santa Claus, and as a matter of fact I still do. One TRADITION back then was about using the “lay away plan” $5.00 down and $5.00 a week! You had to make sure your children got the most popular seasonal item. Knowing you had secured that particular toy or collectible was such a thrill. Life was rich then.
MAIZIE YEARS
After I had my children, Christmas really got ramped up. My mother-in-law Maizie, was so into Christmas, she LOVED every aspect of it and it was infectious. Decorating the tree, shopping, shopping, shopping, wrapping, wrapping and wrapping. Cooking, cooking, cooking, and baking, baking and baking! She was always all in. She was so into TRADITIONS she literally taught me her secrets for making great eggnog and fruit cake. She LOVED it all, and she got me hooked, although I stopped making fruit cake years ago.
1ST NIGHT
Later on, another favorite TRADITION during my Nes years, was New Year’s Eve, attending First Night celebrations. The concept of First Night had just begun. A group of us, maybe 3 or 4 couples would get together and make reservations at the Marriott Waterfront Hotel to celebrate the New Year. We would go to dinner at a restaurant at the Prudential Center near Copley Plaza, then walk the entire city down to the Waterfront. If you had bought a First Night ticket, it entitled you to visit all the shows, museums, bars, and other venues free, and along the way were beautiful ice sculptures.
Once we arrived at the hotel, only the registered guests were allowed in to watch the fireworks from the viewing balcony overlooking the Harbor. Took my breathe away. I remember one particular year when a friend of ours said,
“Thank you for inviting us to spend New Year’s
with a quarter of a million people!”
What a spectacular event. High on the list of my favorites.
NEW JERSEY PARTY TIME
Then I moved to New Jersey. WOW that brought a whole new set of TRADITIONS. Working for AT&T there were all kinds of Christmas parties, and more Corporate parties. That was a good time, a really good time. My job had parties, my friends had parties, Nes and I had parties, then we would drive back to Mass and party some more. OMG, it was Great. Not sure how we did it, but we were full of energy back then.
ROCKEFELLER CENTER
A few years later I began my New York TRADITIONS. Every year, we would get a room at the Times Square Marriott and make the rounds around NYC. Times Square was always in Christmas overload. First, we would visit The Tree and the Ice Skaters at Rockefeller Center. Then we would make the rounds to all the big stores like Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Lord and Taylor, Sak’s Firth Ave, and Tiffany’s to check out their Christmas windows. And of course, we always visited St Patrick’s Cathedral. Then off to a Christmas dinner at a favorite restaurant like the Rainbow Room or Tavern on the Green. I will never ever forget those spectacular years.
102 SOUTH LIGHTS
Once my Dad passed away, I spent more time back home in Plymouth with my mother and the rest of the family and we started a NEW TRADITION that has lasted for years. Lights at 102 South Street. And I do mean lights. We had so many lights, I was convinced my father could see them from Heaven. Not just lights, some years we had as many as 6 trees and 15 wreaths. Lights were EVERYWHERE! Lots and lots of work, and I literally had to hire help. But it was so much fun and my mother LOVES it.
MY SPIRITUAL TRADITION
But after all of the above TRADITIONS I’ve ALWAYS had one constant solid ONE. Making sure to take the time to celebrate the TRUE meaning of the day, The birth of Christ. Making sure to find time to be quiet and praise the Lord. Understanding the meaning of the Joy and Happiness the day truly brings. It’s amazing how much deeper the faith gets the older you get.
Maybe that’s the point, see how long it takes for any of us to truly “GET IT”
But no preaching here, everyone has their own path and I wish everyone a relatively clear one.
PASS THE BATON
Now it’s time to pass the Baton. I still have plenty of old TRADITIONS that I practice for myself, but for the family, the young ones are taking over. And that’s how it should be.
I’ve shared with you some of my favorite TRADITIONS, now I’d LOVE to hear from you and some of your favorite ones. Share some good ones with us, maybe it’ll inspire others to start new TRADITIONS!
But whatever they are, here’s hoping you have a truly blessed,
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Brings back alot of nice memories, thanks Nes
Just sounds like a lot of partying