CHRISTMAS IN OUR COUNTRY HOME

FIRST TIME IN 47 YEARS THAT WE HAVE AN ARTIFICIAL TREE. I`M NOT SURE I LIKE THIS OR NOT. NO ONE HAS SEEN IT YET SO I AM ANXIOUS TO SEE THEIR REACTION. I `M SURE ONE OF MY DAUGHTERS WILL SAY "MOM"! WHY? BELIEVE ME NEXT YEAR IT WILL BE A BEAUTIFUL SPRUCE CHRISTMAS TREE AGAIN. CHRISTMAS IS A TIME FOR ME TO REFLECT ON HOW BLESSED MY HUSBAND AND I ARE TO HAVE THIS WONDERFUL FAMILY THE LORD HAS GIVEN US! 4 DAUGHTER, 4 SON-IN-LAWS, 1 SON AND DAUGHTER-IN-LAW , 14 GRANDKIDS , A NEW GREAT GRANDSON AND MEGAN( MARRIED TO OUR OLDEST GRANDSON). WE DON`T ALL GET TOGETHER VERY OFTEN BECAUSE OF DISTANCE BUT WE STILL HAVE A LARGE FAMILY AROUND US AND GETTING TOGETHER MAKES MY DAY! I LOVE FAMILY GATHERINGS AND I GUESS I GET IT FROM MY MOTHER. SHE HAD CHRISTMAS DINNER AT THEIR HOME EVERY CHRISTMAS FOR ALL HER MARRIED LIFE, OVER 50 YEARS! SHE COOKED IT ALL FOR MANY YEARS.FOR MANY YEARS ALL WE DID AS HER CHILDREN IS BRING THE PIES AND PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE BUT IN LATER YEARS AS THE FAMILIES GREW(UP TO 45 PEOPLE) WE DID START HELPING WITH THE MEAL,(WE HAD TO HAVE MORE TURKEYS!) BUT SHE NEVER ASKED. MY FATHER ALWAYS HAD TO HAVE A CHICKEN COOKING ON THE STOVE TOP ALONG WITH THE TURKEY. MY MOTHER ALWAYS CAME THROUGH FOR HIM. WOULDN`T OF HAD IT ANY OTHER WAY. AS SOME OF HER 26 GRANDKIDS GOT OLDER THEY WOULD GO TO HER HOUSE AND HELP SET UP TABLES AND DISHES THE DAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS.SHE WOULD GET OUT ALL HER CHINA DISHES. MAMMMA(AS WE CALLED HER) WOULD BORROW CHAIRS FROM THE CHURCH SHE ATTENDED ALL HER ACTIVE LIFE. WE WERE WALL TO WALL PEOPLE BUT WE ALL HAD A CHAIR TO SIT ON---ALL 35-45 FAMILY MEMBERS! WE FILLED DOWNSTAIRS AND UPSTAIRS IN THEIR OLD 18TH CENTURY COLONIAL HOME. CHILDREN WERE RUNNING UP AND DOWN STAIRS, ADULTS TALKING AND HELPING WITH GETTING THE FOOD ON THE TABLES BUT BEFORE WE HAD DINNER WE DID THE CHRISTMAS TREE. "MAMMA" BOUGHT GIFTS FOR EVERYONE THAT WAS THERE. PRESENTS SURROUNDED THE CHRISTMAS TREE. SHE WOULD START RIGHT AFTER CHRISTMAS AND BUY ALL YEAR SO SHE WOULD BE READY FOR HER DAY. WRAPPED THEM BEAUTIFULLY , TAKING PRIDE IN HER BOWS. DID THIS WORK ALL BY HERSELF. GOD HAD BLESSED HER WITH ENERGY THAT SUFFICED HER ALMOST HER 83 YEARS! THE LAST TWO OR THREE YEARS OF HER LIFE SHE HAD TO SIT ONCE IN A WHILE WHILE WORKING ON A CHURCH SUPPER. THAT WAS HARD FOR HER EVEN THOUGH SHE NEVER TALKED OR COMPLAINED ABOUT THE FACT SHE WAS SLOWING DOWN. MY MOTHER LEFT WITH ME A LEGACY THAT FAMILY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN LIFE. I WISH I HAD TOLD HER THAT BEFORE SHE PASSED AWAY SO QUICKLY. SHE MADE CHRISTMAS ALIVE WITH ITS TRUE MEANING---IT WASN`T JUST THE GIFTS, IT WAS BEING TOGETHER, BEING FAMILY! AT CHRISTMAS TIME MEMORIES OF MY MOTHER AND FATHER ARE VERY NEAR TO ME. IT WAS A SPECIAL TIME WITH THEM! HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A WARM AND WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM OUR HOUSE TO YOURS!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

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