Daily Gratitude
I'm shining today because I'm grateful for:- A White Christmas! For the 30th time (I'm guessing here) I watched White Christmas. I do love this sappy movie. What's even better, we're actually going to have one this year! Yay!
- Messages of encouragement and excitement at my prospects. I had three friends call yesterday to say the agency I interviewed with last week had contacted them as reference checks. Whoohoo!
- My old car. You know, "The Kid Mobile" is pretty amazing. She just keeps moving along with no worries or hiccups. I'm so grateful for her!
Ahhh.....Christmas Memories
My mom, per her annual schedule, started Christmas preparations immediately after Thanksgiving. There were secret sewing sessions in Santa's shop. All sorts of amazing cookies and candies, once made, were whisked away in tins. Adults talked about Santa and the chimney. Nat King Cole and Dean Martin sang of holiday goodness. And, the decorations came out.
Did I ever love the ritual of decorating the tree. (I still do!) Mom brought all of the boxes and packages of decorations out from storage. They were staged in an orderly fashion. Having been told to sit still and not cause trouble, I watched as she strung the lights. I loved watching her make sure each bulb worked. When one failed to light, I would pop up with a replacement. Mom then hung the precious glass ornaments, staggering them so they were spaced just right. Finally I got to really help. My sister and I added our special ornaments in spaces left just for us. Next came placing the foil icicles evenly on the limbs, covering the entire tree. Back to the sofa for me, as the final touch was added. Carefully mom took small bunches of angel hair and covered each bulb. That did it. The glow of the white fibers over the lights turned an ordinary evergreen into a magical, marvelous Christmas icon.
Let me tell you a little bit about Angel Hair. Back in the olden days when I was a kiddo, it was a popular Christmas decoration made out of spun glass, which was essentially fiberglass. It was used for Christmas tree trimming. Mom used it not only on our tree, but around our Nativity Scene and as a foundation of sorts for other holiday decorations. It was popular because it refracted the light and made things seem to glow.
The problem with Angel Hair is that it can be very itchy if gets on the skin. It's use was pretty much abandoned because there are other possible health concerns, such as eye, nose and throat irritation. As with any fiberglass, precautionary steps are taken when it's handled.
That's exactly what mom told my sister and me. Under no uncertain terms were we to touch the Angel Hair. It would make us itch, it could even cut our skin.
My sister was a very good little girl. She did not touch the Angel Hair. I, well, I was good for as long as I could. I recall putting my hands behind my back and getting as close as possible to the pretty reindeer, the elegant red taper candles, and to baby Jesus in the manger. I looked and looked at the shiny, glowing white Angel Hair. It was so beautiful it hurt.
But, I tell you, not touching beautiful things was an extremely difficult thing for the rambunctious and inquisitive child that I was. As the big event drew near, my resolve faltered exponentially. I remember touching the Angel Hair quickly with my index finger. I poked it a little. Nothing happened. I poked it a bit more. Still, I was ok. I even took a clump of it and held it in my hand. Geez, I was still alive. Hmmm.
Christmas eve was nuts. Mom dressed sissy and me in red tights, black patten leather shoes, and the darling plaid dresses she'd sewn for the occasion. Grandparents, uncles and aunties, all came over for a nice dinner and present opening. Well into the evening mom realized I was missing from the festivities. She felt badly because earlier I had been in a bit of trouble. Before she had a chance to open her big present, I told her that she was getting a beautiful golden bathrobe from my dad. Ooops.
My Angel Hairy legs were tucked up under mom's beautiful golden bathrobe
Yet, it wasn't like me to worry too much about being in trouble. It happened a lot and I got over it quickly. Concerned, mom looked around and found me in my bedroom crying. I was pretty upset. My legs were itchy and scratchy because I had Angel Hairy legs. In frustration, probably with herself, mom took off my red tights and saw my little limbs were welted.
"What! Where you playing with the Angel Hair?"
I had grown bold with the spun glass and did more than poke it. Who knows what I did, but somehow it got all over my legs. My tights were ruined. My legs hurt. My Christmas outfit was messed up for pictures. And, mom was not happy.
I'm certain Christmas #5 was pretty much like most everyone's celebrations, with it's fair share of crazy kids and a few mishaps. One thing I do know is that Christmas #6 was celebrated without a strand of Angel Hair.
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