There is something about Christmas lights that has always gotten to me. My Italian aunts had the completely gaudy lights with the bubbles and tons of tinsel on the tree. I was always facinated by the gaudy, beautiful colors and the cold tree smell.
But I never knew how all those decorations got onto the tree. Being brought up Jewish, I never took part in the tree trimming - in fact when I was invited to one - I chickened out because I thought it had something to do with cutting the tree to the shape it was in - that classic pine shape (why didn't I know that the trees GREW like this?) So it was a mystery to me until I married an Italian Catholic who never thought of not having a tree and taught me all the tricks of tree trimming.
He also taught me about stockings - filled with candy. We've had to change that custom as I try not to eat sweets ad nauseum. I love the colored baubles and little ornaments, all purple and silvery.Note the mini dog ornament - that all that we have on this little tree this year.
Merry start of holiday season from Miss Em and Mr. Tee - who have kissed and made up.
17 comments:
Oh goodness, it all looks so beautiful!!
One of my favorite Christmas activities is to lay under the tree, looking up, with my glasses off. My vision's pretty bad and that's the one time I appreciate it - the lights are so soft and glowy.
Love the lights!
Ah, a warm glow-Merry Holiday Season to you too!
Aww, bubble lights and tinsel. I miss tinsel, can't have it on the trees with the kitties around. And tinsel when I was a kid was real, not this shiny coated stuff that around now...hope it was aluminum and not lead though. My tree this year consists of a pine wreath with a rosemary bush (trimmed like a pine tree, teehee) in the middle. Fragrant and even twinkly and maybe it will live when I plant it after Christmas even!
awww.. and you gotta love Italian aunts... I miss mine!
Happy Holidays from the little Jewish girl who grew up across the street from her three best little girl-friends: one Baptist, one Catholic and one Prespyterian, all of whom had trees up to the ceilings of their living rooms with hundreds of lights and gifts galore underneath on the fake snow.
Oh did I learn envy! I also LOVED going to their houses to see the loot they got. The Baptist and I to this day still exchange gifts mine to her in Christmas paper, her's to me in Chanukah paper and we have a ball doing it too.
We'll spend Christmas with DH's family (lapsed Irish/German Catholics) with tree and decorations and big dinner in MN and maybe even real snow!!!
Happy Chanukah, Mim! ;-)
My grandmother had bubble lights - they were fascinating and pretty- I have two night lights for Christmas that are bubble lights. I'm so glad Miss Em and Mister Tee have made up! I could barely sleep last night! Thank you so much for joining in the Christmas in Bloggyland adventure! (My word verification is coplate. hmmmm where's the u? I had ocult earlier today are we supposed to be reading something into these?)
Lovely photos! I'm right there with you - love the colorful, bright lights - the kitschier the better!
Merry Christmas and a fabulous 2009!
(In from the Christmas in Bloggyland Tour, BTW...)
:^) Anna
I´m glad you made up. :)
And I envy you for the Christmas tree.
One day soon I might drag the little bonsai Totara over to the outdoor table and wind some tinsel on it; if that has not exhausted and overheated me, I'll take a photo.
On the subject of word verifications, this current lot are so much like real words that someone should make a pretend dictionary for them. e.g this one, potormet.
hurrah for kissing and making up. Your tree is lovely. I shant have any decorations this year so I will all the more enjoy the displays in blogland. thank you.
Merry Christmas to both of you. This year Hanukkah is on the same day, or so I've heard.
hi mim
i just wanted to thank you again for telling me about the creative everyday 2009 challenge.
i blogged about you and it today. :)
http://pugnotes.blogspot.com/2008/12/creative-everyday-challenge-2009.html
have a great evening!
:) melissa
mim, even in my sad funk, these lights raised my spirit! your house must glow...
:)
Wow this looks very colorful!
Love it.
I can´t seem to take a good picture of my tree...... It is either too much flash or too dark!
Love these colored lights!
Beautiful pictures Mim! I can smell the tree :)
Do you also light a menorah?
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