Santa Clause is coming to town!!

"I stopped believing in Santa Clause when I was nine. Mother took me to see him in a department store, and he asked for my autograph.." Shirley Temple

I came across this quote this morning, and had to laugh out loud. Me and Tracy were talking about Santa Clause yesterday and how all kids are scared of him at the mall. Wyatt screams! I get it! He usually is some creepy old man who smells like Old Spice and stale cigerettes.

I don't remember believing in Santa Clause all that much. My sisters were 9 and 11 years older than me, so they were pretty much over it by the time I came along. I just always thought of it as a funnny game that my mom played with us. I mean I knew that my mom was way too classy to be kissing on some fat old man in a silly red suit!

I had my mini break down for the holidays last night, and hopefully got it out of my system. I don't think that a Christmas will ever come and go without a moment of nostalgia when I miss my parents. We had so many really great christmases, and for that I am grateful! Speaking of Santa Clause, my step dad was really goofy and dramatic. I remember one time when me and Jay were little, we thought it would be fun to leave cookies and carrots and milk for him. Obviously, we knew it was for Gary and Mama, but for whatever reason we did. Ants came in through the fire place and were on the cookies. It was dark, and Gary just grabbed a cookie to take a bite so it would look like Santa Clause did. Ants bit him on him mouth. He was deathly allergic and his whole face swole up. He was screaming and carrying on which woke us up. Christmas was on a Sunday that year, and we went to church with him swollen up looking like Mama had gone after him with a frying pan. After that, we put the Santa Clause game to rest!

My mom always made Christmas a magic time, but made sure to keep it in check. One year, when her and Gary were first married and had no money, we did not have enought ornaments for our tree. We went out in the yard and picked up pine cones, dipped them in white paint and glitter, tied a red ribbon on them, and hung them on the tree with dental floss. It was beautiful, and such a great memory! She always gave everybody calendars, and we all joked as if we didn't know what was in the thin rectangular package! We got socks and underwear in our stockings. We always got a new pair of sweats or pajamas. And, we always got one frivilous gift. I never felt like christmas was no good. I never thought that I got shorted. We made homeade cookies, and spiced tea. Me and Gary watched "Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Clause" and "It's a Wonderful Life" every year. We usually watched "A Christmas Story" as a family. We had a small traditions, but it was comfortable and cozy!

I am starting my own traditions with my small non traditional family. This year in our stocking, I asked Roger to get an ornament that reminds him of something fun we did this year. We will start to build our personal tree! Last year, we ate fried duck with biscuits and apple butter for Christmas brunch, and we plan to do it again this year!

Merry Christmas everybody! Love on your families!