I’ve had ornaments from when my daughter was born on the tree but, when my Mom moved in, she brought all the ornaments she collected for each child & grandchild’s first Christmas, a string of garland from her & my Dad’s first Christmas, some from her parents’ tree and some my Dad made/painted. It’s been my lifelong commitment to get an ornament from every vacation. So, yes, ours is always the best tree ever, but it’s getting heavy! Here’s an old favorite Christmas song: https://youtu.be/PzZv3_0ceqs?si=hY0DN7zZKe3RnFOr
Thank you for an entertaining year. I look forward to Friday for many things, this newsletter being one. Growing up, we had that same Sears tree with the color-coded branches. Denise and I still do an artificial tree, but I do love a real one. When we’re on vacation instead of buying things we’re never going to use, we buy an ornament for the tree. We have some of my old ones, some of hers, some we purchased (especially from Hot Glass Alley in Atando Ave) and all of the places we’ve vacationed.
Merry Christmas Tommy and Alix! Here’s to a great 2024.
We had the same color coded branch artificial tree growing up. I remember at the end of the branch there were three small branches that we always had to "fluff" so the tree would appear more lifelike. It didn't really work but we pretended it did anyway. By the time I was a teenager, the color coding had worn off and it was more of a measuring and sorting operation. The "fluffing" strategy had become more of a salvage job, a delicate balance between fluffing and not shredding the threadbare branches. The tree was still beautiful though, it just required a bit more tinsel to fill in the gaps in its later years. But doesn't everything? Merry Christmas!
I wonder how maIny of your readers know Mel Torme wrote the Christmas song. I am Jewish so I don't celebrate Christmas, but I do have to favorite Christmas songs. One is Father Christmas by the Kinks. Ray Davies is such a great song writer. It is funny but also relevant when it comes to people who don't hve much. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPPCPqDINEk My other favorite is Darlene Love Christmas Baby Please Come Back Home. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsU08y9peZg The song first came out in 1963. She sang it on Letterman in 1986 and every year there after until Letteman's show ended in 2015. She missed one year because of the writers strike. She has continuted the tradition by performing on the View A few days ago Letteman and his band leade had a reunion with her. After their chat she sang the song. She is 82 years old and can still sing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Shr8aESYZcY
Color-coded branches... boy does that bring back memories! I find it more rare that these little nuggets from our past spark a memory. Thank you for that reminder. My mom always held Christmas as a special time. With the passing of my grandfather on Christmas eve many years ago, we lost that special innocence. Now with a brother who also passed a couple of years ago, I struggle to watch my mom try her best to make Christmas something it once was. I always helped her put that tree together with those color codes. I hated it at the time but kind of long for those days again.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and Alix,T. Please keep writing - you bring depth and clarity, not to mention love and affection, to a world sorely lacking in those things.
Ryan McGee, the SouthBound guest so nice you named him twice.
Yikes! Not that he’s not worth it …
I’ve had ornaments from when my daughter was born on the tree but, when my Mom moved in, she brought all the ornaments she collected for each child & grandchild’s first Christmas, a string of garland from her & my Dad’s first Christmas, some from her parents’ tree and some my Dad made/painted. It’s been my lifelong commitment to get an ornament from every vacation. So, yes, ours is always the best tree ever, but it’s getting heavy! Here’s an old favorite Christmas song: https://youtu.be/PzZv3_0ceqs?si=hY0DN7zZKe3RnFOr
Enjoy and Merry Christmas!
What a great ornament story! And wow, that Dave Matthews song is something ... I'd never heard it before. Really powerful.
Lovely Christmas post, Tommy. Thank you. Quiet, sparkly Christmas wishes to you and yours. Jacqui
I’ve watched and loved everything Nicola Walker has done and feel River is the best.
What the UMC has done is disgraceful and so sad for those still in the clutches of organized religion.
Thank you for an entertaining year. I look forward to Friday for many things, this newsletter being one. Growing up, we had that same Sears tree with the color-coded branches. Denise and I still do an artificial tree, but I do love a real one. When we’re on vacation instead of buying things we’re never going to use, we buy an ornament for the tree. We have some of my old ones, some of hers, some we purchased (especially from Hot Glass Alley in Atando Ave) and all of the places we’ve vacationed.
Merry Christmas Tommy and Alix! Here’s to a great 2024.
Merry Christmas to you and Denise! I think we have a couple of things from Hot Glass Alley, too.
We had the same color coded branch artificial tree growing up. I remember at the end of the branch there were three small branches that we always had to "fluff" so the tree would appear more lifelike. It didn't really work but we pretended it did anyway. By the time I was a teenager, the color coding had worn off and it was more of a measuring and sorting operation. The "fluffing" strategy had become more of a salvage job, a delicate balance between fluffing and not shredding the threadbare branches. The tree was still beautiful though, it just required a bit more tinsel to fill in the gaps in its later years. But doesn't everything? Merry Christmas!
We had to go heavy on the tinsel those last years ourselves. Thanks for this beautiful image...
Merry Christmas Tommy and all y’all Shedheads.
I wonder how maIny of your readers know Mel Torme wrote the Christmas song. I am Jewish so I don't celebrate Christmas, but I do have to favorite Christmas songs. One is Father Christmas by the Kinks. Ray Davies is such a great song writer. It is funny but also relevant when it comes to people who don't hve much. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPPCPqDINEk My other favorite is Darlene Love Christmas Baby Please Come Back Home. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsU08y9peZg The song first came out in 1963. She sang it on Letterman in 1986 and every year there after until Letteman's show ended in 2015. She missed one year because of the writers strike. She has continuted the tradition by performing on the View A few days ago Letteman and his band leade had a reunion with her. After their chat she sang the song. She is 82 years old and can still sing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Shr8aESYZcY
Darlene Love on Letterman was one of my favorite Christmas traditions...
I sent Tommy my favorite personal Christmas tree story to the email address. Good for any year.
It's amazing! Thanks so much for sending it.
Color-coded branches... boy does that bring back memories! I find it more rare that these little nuggets from our past spark a memory. Thank you for that reminder. My mom always held Christmas as a special time. With the passing of my grandfather on Christmas eve many years ago, we lost that special innocence. Now with a brother who also passed a couple of years ago, I struggle to watch my mom try her best to make Christmas something it once was. I always helped her put that tree together with those color codes. I hated it at the time but kind of long for those days again.
I hear you, Jason. I kind of miss that old tree, too. Sorry for your losses.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and Alix,T. Please keep writing - you bring depth and clarity, not to mention love and affection, to a world sorely lacking in those things.
Thank you, my brother. Merry Christmas to you and yours as well...