A Christmas Meme

I haven't done a meme in ages. This one is from Bellezza, and it's a Christmas meme. I've decided to do it because I have no Christmas spirit at all this year. The truth is I'm feeling Grinchy. I thought maybe writing about Christmas might help. (sigh)

A Christmas meme:
What is your most enduring Christmas memory?

When I was a little girl there was a large store in downtown Detroit called JL Hudsons. On the top floor they had a small shopping area "just for kids" with a small kid-sized door. Inside you could buy presents for your family with your allowance money all by yourself. "Elves" would help you decide what to buy. I think they were really maybe young women or other moms because one time I shopped there I remember the elf seemed like a woman and she was much taller than me. It was really very, very special shopping downtown when I was a little girl because we dressed up in our Sunday finest to go shopping. We always did this once a year and we would drive around to look at Christmas lights on the way home. We ate in a fancy restaurant for lunch. My daddy came with us, which was unusual since he worked all the time. One year I remember going through the little door, then an elf met me and asked how much money I had to spend. I showed her the coins in my hand. Then the elf asked who I was buying a present for. It was my grandma. She asked me what my grandma liked to do. Well-- I said my grandma liked to wash dishes. So the elf recommended a fancy kitchen sponge shaped into a Christmas wreath. My goodness! Did my grandma's eyes light up when she opened my gift with the sponge inside on Christmas! She was so excited! I explained about how I bought it at JL Hudsons all by myself with my allowance money. I think I was about five years old. We washed dishes together with that sponge on Christmas. I loved my grandma so much and I had very few Christmases with her, so this is one special memory.

Do you have a favourite piece of Christmas music? I LOVE the way the Transiberian Orchestra does Pachelbels Canon in D-- what little I hear of it. Since I used to play Pachelbel's Canon on the piano I can sort of follow it. I also remember the words to the first part of the song, "Now is Born the Divine Christ Child" We used to sing it in church when I was a little girl and I really liked that one. I have to say I love most Christmas carols, and I especially love them sung by choruses in hymn style because it reminds me of Christmas Eve Candlelight service.

I am going to add a question here that wasn't on the first meme. Do you have any unusual or special family traditions? My family does. We light Advent candles each Sunday in Advent before Sunday dinner, which used to be more fun when our children were small because they would fight about who got to light the candles and who got to put them out and then before we began eating my husband would read a Christmas poem. He STILL does this every Christmas and the kids still pretend to fight over the candles, though it's just for fun now.

What makes your mouth water at Christmas time? Pecan Pie-- and my mother-in-law's Christmas cookies-- which are the best in the whole world. I usually make a prime rib, but I don't eat meat. That's mainly for my husband because he likes a prime rib on Christmas.

How soon do you put the Christmas tree up and when do you take it down? My husband comes from a Norwegian background and also his birthday is in December, so those two combined factors mean we put it up late. We haven't put it up yet, and we never take it down before New Years Eve. We DO put up a fake tree mainly because I was traumatized by the Little Fir Tree story when I was a kid. I know, I know. . .Do what you want. I got a fake, and I burn an evergreen candle for that nice smell. We used to buy live trees years ago, and then plant them in our new yard. But they're expensive. Then we moved to the woods and I have more evergreens than I know what to do with. And yes-- it's TRUE they DO grow like weeds, and I realize people kill pumpkins every year and other plant products. Yes, yes-- I know it's JUST a plant! I have my little fake tree-- leave me alone. hahaha!

I'm really glad I did this because it made me think about lots of Christmas memories. You can do it if you want, and I'll look forward to reading your answers!