Christmas Decoration Hand-Me-Downs

 

My house is decorated for Christmas (as much as it's going to be). Several of the decorations I have came to me from my Grandma Doris Menke. She's been gone 6 years now, I can't help but think of her when I hang these things.

She made some of these tree ornaments, others may have been made by other relatives or she bought them at craft fairs. The most memorable decorations she used on her tree were gold ball ornaments and a gold garland that my sister has now.

Grandma made the Christmas goose and Grandpa made the reindeer. I think Grandpa made several deer, I'm likely not the only grandkid to have one. But I'm pretty sure this goose is the only one.

Ordinary Christmas decorations to anyone else, but through these I can still smell the food my Aunts are getting ready in the kitchen. I can hear the men laughing and cussing as they sit around card tables playing pitch. I can hear my cousins (mostly boys) getting rough with each other and getting told to settle down by someone. No opening gifts until the dishes were done! The cards being passed out (with money in them) were the highlight of the day for everyone over the age of about 12. All joking with each other about how much they got (when each generation got the same amount). 

Very often, one or more of Grandma's sisters would stop by to see us all while we were there. In my very young years, we would go to Grandma's parents where many, many people were gathered in a 2 bedroom house. My memories of that are only vague.

Grandma's Snow Village - pieces to it were a great Christmas gift! I don't have any of the them, but whoever does should check on their value before getting rid of them! 

 

Those really were the good old days.

May you have a memorable Christmas!