Like most families, our December is filled with all the Christmas dinners, celebrations and birthdays for the month and Ma and I decorated our fingers to the bone getting ready for all of it! Monday we had what I refer to as "The Sister's Christmas." Every year for as long as I can remember my grandmother, "Mammy" and all of her sisters would get together with their mom (Mamaw) before Christmas and celebrate the holidays. A special day just for them. It all began with Mamaw, Mammy, Aunt Cova, Aunt Nova, Aunt Carolyn and Aunt Bonnie. As families should, they shared a love that is unshakable and unbreakable. "The sisters" were and are such wonderful role models for the younger generation in our family. We look up to these women and I'm sure I speak for many of my cousins and when I say that I can only hope one day to be like them. When Mamaw was living, they would all get together at Christmas and exchange simple but small gifts because it was never about the gifts anyway, it was about being thankful for what they had and being with the family they cherished so much. As the years went on, they lost precious loved ones in their circle of love. Yet the circle remains unbroken as they continue to gather at Christmas~time to carry on the tradition and honor the ones who aren't with us any longer. Through the years, we've lost Mamaw, Aunt Bonnie and Mammy. But I know they're with us and smiling on this special day. Members of the younger generations have slowly melded into the circle. Daughters and adult granddaughters, like myself, occasionally join in and now enjoy the tradition as well. Ma invited "the sisters" to her house this year. They've been coming the last few years to see all of her decorations anyway so Ma decided to "host" it this year. Jobs, school and distance and a TINY house prevents Ma from being able to invite ALL the family though. It bothers her that her house is so small and can't accommodate a lot of people at once. But the day was a wonderful one and one that I'll always remember. Here are a few pics of that special day.... Let's EAT!! I'm hungry just looking at it all again! It was delish! This old cabinet used to be Mamaw's and now Ma puts her Christmas village in it every year. The 2nd pic was taken after we added the "garland" Ma and I made out copies of old vintage Christmas cards. Here is a pic that I "borrowed" from my sister~in~law, Laurie...(thanks Laurie!) From left to right sitting are my great~aunts, Aunt Cova, Aunt Carolyn and Aunt Nova. Ma is in the green standing and Brenda is a close family friend. I searched and searched for a photo I have of all 5 of the sisters when they were younger, taken at Christmas, I'm guessing around 20 years ago, but I couldn't find it. The highlight of the day, for me, was when we all gathered in Ma's TINY living room and we listened as some read aloud from the Christmas cards they received from each other. I thought it was beautiful and it brought tears and smiles to all of us. Ma started writing in a journal after being inspired by Aunt Nova, who apparently has always kept a journal (what I'd give to read it!!). So, Ma read entries from her journal of the trips they had all taken throughout the year. It was hilarious listening to their stories and all the fun they had on their trips together. It ALMOST made me wish I had went with them! And let me tell ya, sitting there in that living room with them will certainly be a memory I'll cherish forever. The closeness this family has is sometimes unbelievable and I'm so thankful for the family I have. My agoraphobia has kept me away from a lot of family get~togethers and I can't even stress enough that I'm just SO glad I went. I love my family and I'm so very proud to be a part of them (even though I know they probably shake their heads in despair at ME though..lolol). Later that night, Ma and my Aunt Penny began on the NEXT tradition in the family...all the candy and cookie making we do for the holidays. These were made while I was taking a nap, trying to recuperate from the day. These Macaroons look DELISH and I don't even like coconut!! Thanks for stopping by and remember, cherish the ones you love, we're only here for a little while!
Be good and be pretty and as always.... ✻ღϠ₡ღ✻ God Bless ✻ღϠ₡ღ✻ |
HI! My name is Lori and I am a self~ proclaimed agoraphobic and rarely leave my home. My blog is a place for me to come and embrace my Edith Bunker tendencies and to share a few of the things I love. Stories, recipes and crafts, all with a little humor thrown in along the way! ღღ
Archives
June 2023
Categories |