The "A Few Of My Favorite Holiday Things" Story

It was an ordinary day.  I have just survived my seventy-second Christmas and have been blessed with family and friends who have come to visit over the holidays.  As usual, my wife has decorated the house and made it look festive for all the guests.  As for me, well I have enjoyed once again all the decorations and tasty treats that she has created.  My story today will give you a chance to see some of my favorite items that we use or have around our home during the holiday season.  Hope you will find a few that you too think are amazing and interesting as I do.  So, here goes …..   It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - click on photos to enlarge them.

My wife loves to bake and the cookies she makes at Christmas are delicious.  I love her chocolate chip, snicker doodles,  pumpkin with caramel icing, …. well I love all of them.  And, when she begins the kitchen counter is filled with ingredients as well as mixing bowls and utensils until she is finished.  

This really neat Christmas tree is made from aqua limpet shells with a tiny starfish on top.  We found it a few years ago while wandering through a few small stores in Cape May, New Jersey.

I know the holiday season is upon us when I see this small lamp shade on the tiny light we have had on our kitchen table for 20 years.  Every season or holiday a new shade appears to usher in the time of year. 

We only added one new ornament to our tree this year.  Placed it on the tree in memory of Chad Peters who was one of our youngest friends and died this year of stomach cancer.  His dad and I coached baseball together for years and we won many league and tournament championships because of Chad's baseball prowess.  Chad was a champ in everything he did and is still missed by all who knew and loved him.  He is my inspiration as I begin my journey through my cancer treatments!  A true hero to many a well as myself!!

Another reminder of a great person is this sock that hangs on our jelly cupboard.  My mother, Dorothea, made and gave this to Carol and me in 1993.  

My wife has a collection of deer which are displayed every Christmas season on our coffee table in the living room.  This is my favorite deer from her collection.

Carol's best friend, Margaret, is a talented artist who has given the two of us many pieces of artwork, either in greeting cards or as small pieces of art such as these figurines made of dough.

Our dining room table is decked out in red and green and features my favorite tree made from twine and seashells.  Carol decorates the tree each Christmas with small lights that are battery powered.

This is a 1994 needlepoint that Carol and our daughter Brynn made together.  Always fills a spot on the wall during the holidays.

These are Clementines that Carol has dipped in liquid chocolate and covered with coconut and pecans.  Just delicious.

A yearly favorite ornament that we purchased in St. Thomas a few years ago and features a hand-painted boat with oars.

Another very fragile ornament which is beautifully hand-painted and comes from the Bahamas.

Our travel friend Just Sue made this needlepoint pillow for us for Christmas  two years ago.  It gets quite a few comments and has found a place in our family room during the Christmas season. 

This beautiful Christmas statue, cast in papier-mache using an old candy mold, was made by Kelly Gallagher who is the wife of one of my teaching friends who was the co-advisor of the high school yearbook with me for over 30 years.  She also makes jewelry and I have purchased a few pieces of her jewelry for Carol for Christmas in the past.

This old tea kettle has once again come to life after being painted by an unknown artist.  We made this purchase years ago in Chesapeake City, Maryland.

This old guy is actually a bird house which we had purchased for my mother for a gift and reclaimed when she died a few years ago.  It was purchased at a craft show in Lancaster, PA.  Fits in perfect with Christmas decorations since it resembles Santa, at least to Carol and me.

This waist-high piece of driftwood was also purchased in Chesapeake City.  Perfect for the season, but this is one item we display year round.  

But, perhaps the best of the favorite holiday things would have to be this little tree which my daughter Brynn made for my wife for Christmas about 40 years ago.  As a young child, Brynn and I made this tree in our basement on Janet Ave. She pounded nails into the wood around the edges and strung green yarn around the nails.  Added a ribbon bow and decorated the tree with small paste-ons.  She added her name on the rear and proudly wrapped it for her mother who has displayed it every year since it was made.