Since we have just two more days before Christmas, I thought I would post an entry that Alfred suggested. I am guessing that by this time, most of you have everything pretty much organized for Christmas. You have prepared your surroundings the way you want them, you have your menu planned, and you know which functions and/or services you will be attending to celebrate Christmas. What better time to ask Alfred’s question:
Danna, was wondering about asking readers if they have any particular ornaments or decorations that just have to go out to make the Christmas Holiday special for them. I have four items that we put out – will tell you about them later but thought this might be a good column idea.
As I mentioned in my earlier entry, the holiday season for us just wouldn’t be the same without my son’s and daughter’s hand-made ornaments and my daughter’s hand-made Nativity. Sure, I have blown-glass ornaments, a china Nativity, and store-bought pine cone baskets and trees out in the garage, but we have found that we simply don’t miss them.
Over the years I have been slowly cutting back on what we bring in from the garage. I have added more “Extra Christmas” descriptions to our bins out there. They are the bins that I just don’t feel we need to bother with, which makes my husband pretty happy since he won’t have help me bring them in or take them back out after the holidays.
Those are my “have to go out” items, Alfred. How about the rest of you? Do you have an item or two which you think turn your Christmas house into your Christmas home?
Alfred says
Danna the four things that I put out that don’t mean much but belonged to my grandparents who are no longer with us are The Plastic reindeer with the gold bells around the necks they are made in Hong Kong. Also we have a plastic Santa Sled with reindeer in the box that go on our window sill. It is from the Irwin company and when my Grandparents bought it, it says $.75 on the box so you can tell how old it is.
Also we have two lady figurines that hold plastic poinsettia flowers in their bonnet that were probably cheap when bought but like to put them out and finally when the first 6 grandkids were born my grandmother made each kid a Santa Pillow. It was a full Santa on the front with Merry Christmas on the back. I am turning 51 Tuesday so that can tell you how long I have had this pillow.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Alfred, I bet you really enjoy getting those four items out each year just before Christmas. It’s fun to go back and remember what made them so cherished. How neat that you still have your Christmas pillow that your grandmother made for you.
(I’m not sure, but it seems like you can’t even buy a candy bar for 75 cents anymore!)
Suzi says
I buy fresh wreaths for the front and side doors–usually a heart shaped one for the front. I get the shoe tree out of the attic and the money tree, plug them both in and then put up the chalkboard Santa with “___ days until Christmas”. After I find the chalk, the countdown starts.
The shoe tree is a vintage red tree from Goodwill with newer shoe ornaments and lights. The money tree has origami $ bills and was a library silent auction fundraiser. I bought it for my husband because he wanted his own checking account and the tree included that and the ornaments.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Suzi, I would love to put fresh wreaths on our doors, but it’s always so humid and warm around here that they would no doubt die quickly.
Your shoe tree and money tree sound like great family Christmas traditions.
PlumGaga says
My nutcrackers, and the almost constant smell of cookies baking.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
PlumGaga, one of my friends has a nutcracker collection, too. I remember the year we went shopping looking for a nutcracker with a medical theme. We weren’t able to find one…
Marianne says
I change my quilts on the sofa and easy chair to Christmas ones (which I leave up long after Christmas because they are cozy). I also have a plastic Santa from the 1950’s that used to light up, but the light has long been lost. He looms over our china Christmas village. It’s kitchy but ours!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Marianne, some of the best Christmas “must-have-outs” are kitchy! Now that our children are both grown, I’m really sorry we didn’t start a Christmas village collection. I think it would have been something they would have looked forward to seeing every year.
I have a Christmas throw that I actually leave out all year. Unless you really look at it, you can’t tell it’s a reindeer, and it is softer than soft, which is why I leave it out.
reginav says
Danna, Christmas would not be Christmas without a Christmas creche. For years I had a complete Hummel Christmas Creche. My sister bought in 1950. It cost her $75.00 which was her Christmas Club check that year. When I married, she gave it to me as I had children and she did not. Three years ago I gave it to my daughter in CO for her children. I missed it very much. Last year i bought a Baleek creche. it is not as elaborate as the Hummel one but more in line with our lifestyle.I also have a dilapitated ornament. It once looked like a snowball when It was hung on my parents’ tree for my brother’s first Christmas in 1926. No wonder it looks as it does. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Regina, that was absolutely nice to the nth degree that you gave your daughter your Hummel Christmas Creche. I’m sure your generosity is truly appreciated by your daughter.
Jackie J. Griffey says
What a timely topic for us to share. We’re at a point where we have earmarked some things that have to be replaced, some not till next year which will cut down on the NEW YEAR ‘packing things back up’ including a miniature village and some of my grown daughter’s music boxes. Sales, here we come~ LOL.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Jackie, I am doing the exact opposite of what you are doing. I am trying to downsize our belongings, and have warned my husband that I don’t want to donate things to Goodwill, just to have us replenish with new things.
daniele says
Our wedding anniversary is December 16 so every year we purchase an ornament to commemorate the occasion. No matter what tree we drag out, we need those ornaments and kitche ones from our childhood.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
How neat is that, Daniele? My husband and I have never celebrated our wedding anniversary with gifts, or even cards. Romantic, aren’t we?
ginger g. says
When we put the Christmas tree up, we always put on it a big purple ornament that one of the students gave me when she was in the first grade and now she has graduated. Yesterday, when mom was putting the tree up, the Cowboys were on tv and as soon as mom put the cowboy ornament on the tree, the Cowboys scored and won the game.
Dad came home on Wed. and his arm is going down more each day. Home health is coming to help out. Thanks to the cozy mystery readers and Danna for prayers. They are working. Merry Christmas and Happy Reading.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Ginger, I am so happy to see that your dad is at home. It must be making your holidays very special – now that he is showing so much improvement.
(That is really weird about the Cowboys scoring right as your mom was put the cowboy ornament on the tree!)
MJ says
When I was a teenager my mother and I made some xmas ornaments. They’re just two satin balls with clothes items made from felt, sequins for eyes, mouth, etc., and some glitter. I’ve got two angels, two santas, two elves, two drummer boys, two clowns, and two choir boys. They are a must on my Christmas tree! There are a few other ornaments with special memories on the tree, too. This year I only put on half of the ornaments I have for the tree (and, it’s still filled!) and lot less décor around the house. We’ve had such rainy, gloomy weather here that it’s been difficult to get in the mood.
In the past three years, I’ve several friends who said they liked fruitcake, but couldn’t find any good ones (they don’t like the ‘store’ versions). So I started making fruitcakes in the small loaf pan size and give one/two to those who like it. I was surprised at how many ‘fruitcake haters’, like my version (dark, with molasses and a lot of spices like cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, mace, etc.) I wrap it with cheesecloth soaked in rum or brandy (changed weekly for three weeks). In fact I just opened one I had in the refrigerator for the past ten months. It still was very good. Gave some slices to others to taste, to prove it lasts a long time!!
For many, many years, I’ve made fudge. It’s an old recipe I got from my mom, which she got from a school friend. I’ve never seen a recipe with the same ingredients. At holiday time, I give some fudge to family, friends, coworkers, etc. I won’t give out the recipe because then it wouldn’t be a ‘special gift’ from me. When my kids were in school I would give my fudge to their teachers. In fact, a principal once told me that teachers actually asked to have my kids in their class so they could get some of my fudge at Christmas!!!
I found a different fudge recipe that has been interesting to experiment with. The original comes from Taste of Home, but it’s sort of average (not nearly as good as mine). However, I’ve made variations that are really, really good – lots of positive compliments from many friends/relatives. I still make my own fudge at xmas time, but this has been fun to try during the year. During the summer, I found some lemon meringue marshmallows at Walmart – and I thought, that’s interesting! So that’s when the experiments began……………….
This fudge is VERY easy to make and it’s why I wanted to share with everyone. At the end of the recipe are a pumpkin and a peppermint variation. Try it – you won’t be disappointed!
Lemon Marshmallow Fudge
2-2/3 cup lemon chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk (low fat or regular)
1 tsp. lemon extract
2-2/3 cup lemon meringue marshmallows (cut-up to miniature size)
2 whole graham crackers, broken into small pieces
1 cup of coconut
Line an 9 to 10 -in. square pan with foil and coat with cooking spray; set aside. In a heavy saucepan (4 qt.) over low heat, melt chips with sweetened condensed milk; stir until smooth. Add marshmallows, stir until melted.
Remove from the heat; cool for 2 minutes. Stir in flavoring, graham crackers, and coconut.
Pour into prepared pan. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm.
If using foil, lift fudge out of pan. Discard foil.
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THEN in the fall I found pumpkin marshmallows. Wow! I used them instead of the lemon marshmallows and I substituted 1-1/3 cup cinnamon chips and 1-1/3 cup butterscotch chips for the lemon chips. I didn’t use any flavoring. I used cinnamon graham crackers instead of the regular honey graham crackers.
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THEN AGAIN, after Thanksgiving I found peppermint miniature marshmallows (Kraft) and at Walmart (again) I found Andres peppermint chips (NOT crushed candies, but chips like chocolate/vanilla chips). Of course, I thought that would make an interesting combination. Since I planned to make 2 batches, I used
1 cup of the Andres peppermint chips, 1 cup of peppermint chocolate bark (the kind with chocolate on the bottom and white/red peppermint candy on the top – like Dove), chopped.
I also found some Wilton candy melts (candy cane version) that I used for the final 2/3 cup. I substituted the thin Nabisco chocolate wafer cookies (broken into small pieces) instead of the graham crackers. One could also use oreos, but remove the filling. I didn’t put any coconut in the peppermint fudge. I forgot to add the peppermint flavoring, however it’s still very good. I’ll remember it for the next batch.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
MJ, you are so lucky to have those ornaments. My mom wasn’t into crafting, but the things I remember making when I was young were tossed during our many moves in the Air Force.
Your fruitcake sounds like one that I would really enjoy. I remember years ago, my mother made fruitcake for her friends. I agree with your friends about store-bought fruitcakes. They seem really hard, and so full of candied cherries that you can’t taste anything else.
The Home and Family Show (on the Hallmark channel) uses Taste of Home recipes all of the time. I should really take a look at that magazine/recipe book. I can’t get over you being able to find pumpkin, lemon, even peppermint marshamallows, let alone lemon chips! Now that we have Diabetes in our home, I don’t make sweet things, but I sure enjoyed reading your recipe >>> and imagining how good that fudge is! YUMMMMM….
Dottie says
I have three items that must go out at Christmas because they mean so much to me. One is a Mr and Mrs. Santa that my Mother made me about 30 years ago. Another is a beautiful old-fashioned doll dressed for Christmas that she made just about that long ago. And finally, just a couple of years before my daughter was killed by a drunk driver 12 years ago, she crocheted me a beautiful Christmas afghan. It brings tears to my eyes just writing about it. Anyhow, hope you all have a beautiful Christmas making happy memories. God Bless…..
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Dottie, I don’t have the words to express my sympathy for you and your family. I am so truly sorry for your loss.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Dottie, your Mr. and Mrs. Santa, the old-fashioned Christmas doll, and your beautiful Christmas afghan make your Christmas house a home.
reginav says
MJ, My mother started making fruit cakes in 1956.She obtained the recipe from my landlady who got it from her aunt who cooked for the Rockerfellers(SP). My mother would bake 15 cakes in one day, 3 batches of 5 each. She would bake them in old fashioned jello molds and in the bottom of the mold, she would put a red and green cherry then a pecan. My sister and I would give them as presents. Everyone loved them. After my mother died, my sister and I continued making them. Finally after 50 years of making fruit cakes, we passed the tradition on to my daughter in CO along with the cake pans and bowls that we used. One of the reasons I think these cakes tasted so good was that we ground the fruit in an old fashioned grinder and soaked it overnite in brandy. WHEEE
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Regina, between you and MJ, you’re making me wish I had a fruitcake in the house! The way you two describe them make them sound delicious!
Nancy says
Wondering if anyone else buys “ambush” gifts? After Christmas I shop the sales for gifts to have next year for those moments when a neighbor, friend, co-worker, etc., surprises you with an unexpected gift.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Nancy, I do most of my gift-shopping online but my sister hits the stores for after Christmas sales on gift-type items. I believe she has a stockpile of already-wrapped gifts that she is able to give people at the schools she social works in. I usually know exactly who I am gifting, but I do have some very nice ornaments wrapped and ready for giving to friends who unexpectedly have gifted me.
Billie says
I have several have to ornaments, but depending on who decorates the tree is whether they get up there or not. This year the grandchildren did the tree and so most of the ornaments were those they made in school or ones bought for them. Now, I do have a couple of multicolored shiny paper ornaments that were on the tree when my husband proposed that I put on this year’s tree. I’ve put them on every year that we have been married (over 30 years) and no, they are not valuable in price. Back in the 90’s, I ran across some village plaster houses that you paint yourself and every year we painted more of them and put them out. My village is a have to Christmas decoration. They are not big houses, nor expensive, but done with love.
Billie says
P.S. I neglected to mention that 3 generations have painted these houses, stores, churches etc that make up the Village.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Billie, your grandchildren’s ornaments and the paper ornaments from your proposal are exactly the type of ornaments I am putting on our tree these days. And, oh my golly, I found some Easter plaster houses years ago that I painted. This year when I went through our Easter bins, I got rid of a lot of the things we had accumulated. The Easter village didn’t go to Goodwill, since it is a favorite of both of my (adult) children.
Linda says
I know this is sooo late but hopefully still fun to share! My husband and I bought our first house in 2001 and we found a series of international Santa Clauses. They are supposed to be Santas specific to different countries dressed in different costumes, and they come with tags describing Christmas traditions there. They came from Sears, of all places! I doubt they are authentic but to this day my husband and I look for them to add to our collection once in a while. Every year after Thanksgiving I put them on the mantle in a row, and they’ve been featured in a Christmas card with my older daughter when she was 1 1/2 years old. She is almost seven now.
Another Christmas treasure I have is this glass ornament of an owl with a green hat. I almost never pay full price for seasonal items, but I had to have it when I saw it, because its impish side-way look is so much like my second daughter! She is four and still does that. I know these things are not very old but they sure spell out a cozy Christmas for us.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Linda, your international Santa Clauses and the little glass owl ornament are exactly the types of decorations that we fill our house with. Christmas items that hold such sentimental memories – of times we found them together, or things that show our children’s growth throughout the years. Truly Christmas treasures!