Friday, December 24, 2010

Merry Christmas


Just a few Christmas memories of a very young me interspersed with a little Christmas decorating. How well I remember...

Trying my best not to nod off during midnight mass!


I don’t care if I did grow up in Hawaii, Santa did not come in on a surfboard or an outrigger canoe! He flew in with a team of eight reindeer and landed on the roof. I know because I’m sure I heard them one Christmas Eve!

My mother’s one rule when decorating the Christmas tree, tinsel was not to be thrown on willy nilly, it went on one tinsel at a time!


And while we were decorating the tree, we listened to two Christmas albums, one was a children’s chorale and the other was the Jackson 5. I can still hear Michael Jackson singing I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause!

I remember making festively decorated candles with my mother and using milk cartons as the mold.


Christmas dinner was usually a repeat of Thanksgiving, lots of turkey and stuffing, yummy!


Waking up Christmas morning very early and the torment of having to wait for my parents to get up.


Sometimes my father wasn't able to join us on Christmas morning because he worked as a pilot and was either working or on call. It pretty much was like that on any holiday.


One of my favorite Christmas gifts was a life-sized stuffed dog, a poodle that had a little squeaker on the tip of its tail.

I loved watching a Christmas Carol every year. It was an old black and white, filmed in the 50’s and I shiver every time Scrooge says…are there no prisons, no workhouses? My other favorite Christmas movie is White Christmas.

I would like to wish everyone of you…


Peace,
Love,
Joy
and much, much happiness.

Merry Christmas from Bonnie Sadie and The Gato

21 comments:

  1. Merry Christmas Bonnie! Such a beautiful post!
    Thank you so much for sharing on this special eve...
    Blessings,
    Penny

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  2. Merry Christmas to you too! Nice memories...it seems the older I get...the more sentimental I get.

    Take Care,
    bunny

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  3. BONNIE!!! I WAS JUST THINKING OF YOU YESTERDAY as I was scurrying around at the market before they closed! I had to then run home to start dinner, but I WAS JUST THINKING, "I need to email Bonnie!"

    YOUR PICTURES and memories are so sweet and speak to me about a time that I know so well! Michael Jackson, CHECK! Silver tinsel hung just so, CHECK! Santa arriving on the roof in 90 degree weather in L.A., CHECK! Although when I lived in Rockport, Massachusetts, Ruben and I and the other residents of this seaside town say him arrive on a lobsta boat!!! TRUE!!!

    How are ya darlin'?

    THANK YOU FOR COMING TO VISIT ME and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

    FONDLY, Anita

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  4. Hi my dear-wishing you a very happy and festive day, a really lovely post and fabulous pictures too! xx

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  5. Merry Christmas, Bonnie! Love the pics and cheery decor. Blessings to you and yours today and everyday!

    Gina

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  6. BONNIE! Was your celebration special dearest? Sadie looks like she just wants to avoid all the hubub!!! HUGS TO YOU! Anita

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  7. Great post Bonnie! Thanks for sharing your traditions with us..... some of which are things that I have done as well.... Best wishes for happy holidays! :)

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  8. Such a sweet post Bonnie. I laughed out loud when I read the Michael Jackson reference, and memories of trying to stay awake during Midnight Mass. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas. Kat

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  9. Thanks for sharing your memories! My mother was the same about the hanging of the tinsel. Somehow she knew when we tired of the careful placement and started throwing large clumps--even when she was in another room! And the agonizing wait for our parents to get up. Sometimes they had the nerve to sleep in until 6 a.m.!

    When we lived in La Jolla, our tradition was to close all the window coverings, put a fire in the fireplace and pretend it was snowing! We even purchased a flocked tree the first Christmas!!

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  10. Hi Bonnie
    So sweet of you to come visit again... Yes, clear here also, and yes, I hear more rain on the way soon.

    Your Mother's rule about the tinsel...same as my dad's... He would spend hours on that.. Starting from the inside of the tree out.. It looked so beautiful when he was finished. I really love your photos and memories here.
    Take care and stay dry
    Blessings,
    Penny

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  11. BONNIE! Yes, our project, yet not little, is well underway and today the builders are coming back to rack the snow off the older part of the house to finish the roofing. The new structure's roofing is done, however. The inspection for the electrical and venting work takes place today and if it passes, the INSULATION GOES UP meaning DRY WALL AND THE EIGHT FOOT OPENING TO THE EXISTING DINING ROOM BEGINS! Then will we actually feel as if we are connected to this new building. We have been dreaming of this for about 10 years and it is finally here. Thank you Bonnie for coming back to Blogland; I hope your rain stops long enough for you to get outside and enjoy the AFTER CHRISTMAS SALES!!! I usually don't buy anything, but yesterday at the Mall of America, I just happened to walk into a BETSY JOHNSON shop and saw a MUST HAVE coat dress....but even the sale price was out of my league at the moment!

    Have a wonderful New Years celebration and we wish you a happy and successful 2011!!! Anita

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  12. Hi Bonnie! I loved seeing your Christmas decor and reading about your memories! I remember only too well the torment of waiting for my parents to get up! lol I hope you had a wonderful Christmas! Here, it was filled with grandchildren and our first Christmas snow! I hope all is well out there...no more rain for you! Happy week!...hugs...Debbie

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  13. Dearest Bonnie~ Happy New Year to you and yours!!! God bless you!

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  14. This blog soothes my soul.........
    thank you....
    xXx
    Reva

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  15. Bonnie! You're back!!!! Wishing you and Gato and tremendously happy Xmas. Well done on the job. xxx

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  16. Oh how wonderful - so many memories and I love the one about Christmas in Hawaii - of course he doesn't arrive on a surfboard:)!! xo

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  17. I enjoyed reading your Christmas memories. I hope you had a lovely one this year. Thank you for your comments on my blog. You always leave the best ones. Hugs. Keep it shiny!

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  18. Aw,such lovely memories!
    I find Christmas in Summer so weird!I've never really gotten into it!
    yay that you've been having a lovely time!XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

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  19. Those Christmas decorations are really cool, I love them!! Cute pics!!
    xx

    www.ohmyvogue.com

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  20. super adorable! definitely looks like u had Christmas spirit all around! gotta love this time of year!

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  21. Happy New Year Bonnie - I hope that this is a fantastic year for you .. and good luck in the new job too!

    Sal xXx

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