Favorite Christmas Memories

I have a lot of happy childhood Christmas memories, and for that, I am grateful to my parents and grandparents for their efforts to make it that way.

Though it rarely snows on or even near Christmas (a weatherman once said we only ever have a 17% chance of that happening here in Ohio), I remember always wishing for snow. Thanks to the media I suppose we’re all conditioned to want that. Once you get your first taste of sled riding and making angels in the snow, not to mention SNOW DAYS, who wouldn’t want to wake up to that?

I can tell you who – my grandma. It’s not that she didn’t like snow I guess, but she never enjoyed wintery drives over to our house when it was our turn to have Christmas. Once she and my grandpa arrived she always had a stern look on her face and couldn’t wait to tell us all about the treacherous time they just had (btw, they only lived about an hour away, so it certainly could have been worse). I am grateful that they were always able to make the journey.

One year we were at their house (1981?) and the snow must have been coming down pretty hard because I remember having to stay overnight on Christmas day, which apparently wasn’t the plan, but worked out okay for all of us kids since we got pajamas as a gift anyway (something I definitely miss from my childhood).

I would be lying if I said we weren’t just a little spoiled when it came to the amount of Christmas presents we received because of having three sets of grandparents. However, they apparently worked out a system so that we weren’t just getting piles of toys from each one. My dad’s father and step-mom always bought us practical gifts like bedding, silverware, a lamp, and proof sets (coins). Those are the few things I remember, and of those, the only one I still have in my possession is the proof set. My dad’s mom and step-dad lived out of state, so I’m pretty sure we just got cash from them every year.

My mom’s parents were the absolute best as they always got us the perfect toys, like as if they had a personal line to Santa. Because there were three of us to buy for, sometimes the gifts were purchased in triplicate with only minor differences because of the sexes (like the wool hats we got one year). Often my sister and I received similar presents, but that certainly prevented fights unless we wanted to swap, which I don’t recall happening too often.

another year, another sweater....

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my uncle and his deep pockets. He’s still very generous often ordering us items off of our Amazon Wish List in addition to a check. I am grateful that he still flies across the country to visit us every Christmas. He either always has pretty good luck with his journey, or certainly never complains (but then he’s a seasoned traveler, so I’m sure he’s used to dealing with the ups and downs of travel).

Besides presents, food was definitely part of the Christmas celebration. My grandma, with her German heritage, made sure to bring us a pecan-covered kuchen (cake) every year which we had for breakfast, sometimes with donuts, or sometimes with bacon and eggs. I remember one year when the men (my dad and uncle) were put in charge of making breakfast. I’m pretty sure my uncle did most of the work, or at least gave all the orders since my dad rarely prepared any meals while I was growing up. Dinner was usually pasta shells stuffed with spinach and ground beef, a tradition which my sister still carries on to this day. Thanks sis! (and she always makes a pan without spinach for those who don’t care for the green stuff : ) 

Of course there were always Christmas cookies which we all helped to make using a midcentury cookie gun gizmo where you filled it with dough, selected one of the many disks with a Christmas shape in the middle which you placed on the end, and then squeezed the trigger to create a cookie in the shape of whatever you selected. I’m sure we also used cookie cutters, but the gun was so much faster and easier than rolling out dough over and over. Sometimes my mom and/or grandma made kolachkis and other various kinds of Christmas cookies. That’s certainly another thing I miss from my childhood.

In addition to the frenzy of unwrapping presents and stuffing ourselves with sugar and carbs, we also enjoyed watching those classic Rankin Bass Christmas specials – our favorite being “The Year Without a Santa Claus.” We loved the Meiser brothers: Heat Meiser (‘Hot Head’ to his brother) and Snow Meiser (Snowy to his friends).

Their mother was Mother Nature. How funny is that? Mrs. Claus and some of her elves apparently had to visit the trio to ask a favor, which, of course, didn’t go down well with the bickering brothers, much to our amusement. I saw a pair of the dolls (the kind that make noise when you push a button) in a grocery store recently and almost wish I had bought them had they not been so expensive ($20@).

We also enjoyed playing games at Christmas – sometimes the games we had just received as a present, or maybe another one from the shelf in our basement. I remember one year being invited to a party (NY’s eve I guess) at my grandma’s friend’s house and receiving prizes (stationery as I recall) for winning various games. That’s still one of my happiest memories. We also played a game where everyone has to bring an inexpensive gift that is passed left or right as a story is read out. I think most everyone ended up with at least one present, best as I recall. I remember playing this game during one of my first few Christmases after I got married. My sister-in-law in particular really enjoyed playing it, so I was happy to pass along a favorite family tradition.

Well, these are just a few of the fond memories I have of some of my childhood Christmases. I hope you all enjoyed reading them, and perhaps it made you nostalgic for your own Christmases of the past.

I hope you make more happy memories this year. God Bless and Happy Holidays everyone!

Two Feel-Good Movie Reviews

“A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”

Like many of you, I took some time off of shopping on Black Friday and went to the cinema to check out the new Mister Rogers movie. Perhaps some of you saw the trailer like I did, but I was still clueless about the whole premise of the movie figuring perhaps it would be like another biography (the one on PBS last year was excellent, by the way), but it’s definitely not about Mister Rogers. If anything, it’s more of a glimpse into the life of the Esquire journalist who was assigned to write a short piece about Rogers for their hero edition, and the effect our beloved childhood celebrity had on him and his family.

Without giving too much away, I would like to warn viewers (like I wish someone had given me a heads up) that it’s definitely a tear-jerker and a 3-hanky movie, so come prepared! If you can watch it without welling up at least once, then you’re either a guy (though I imagine there may have been a few in the audience who were moved by the film) or someone with a much stronger emotional threshold than me.

In spite of emotions running high, there are a few moments where I felt myself smiling and maybe even chuckling a little bit, like when Andrea (the journalist’s wife) answers the phone late one night (guess who was calling? : ) and says, “Mr. Rogers knows my name!”

I can definitely recommend this movie, and it certainly makes an excellent accompaniment to the biography special (which may be available on dvd now).

Link to Esquire article: https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a27134/can-you-say-hero-esq1198/

 “Last Christmas”

If you’re a fan of all things British, Christmas, or George Michael, then you won’t be disappointed as this film is a generous mix of all three, with an unexpected twist thrown in. You can hardly ask for more in a film. Plus, it stars Emilia Clarke (of “Game of Thrones” fame) and Henry Golding (of “Crazy Rich Asians” fame). In addition, the film was partly written and produced by Emma Thompson, who also plays the mother of Catarina (Emilia Clarke).

In a nutshell, Catarina is a 20-something slag (a bit of British slang that could be used to describe Catarina’s promiscuity) and aspiring singer working at a Christmas themed-shop in Covent Garden (hence, the elf costume she wears throughout the film). Her family is what one might call dysfunctional, which partly explains Catarina’s rebellious behavior. Without giving too much away, I can tell you the film has a happy ending, so you’ll feel good when you leave the cinema.

My husband and I saw an interview with Emilia Clarke where she told the interviewer that they filmed all the night scenes in the wee hours of the morning when the streets of London would be the quietest (though they still had to deal with a few drunken revelers apparently). If she looks like she’s cold in many of the scenes, that’s not acting, that’s reality as it can get pretty cold in Britain (even if they were filming in the summer). I bet she’s glad a fur coat was part of her wardrobe.

I can definitely recommend this movie as well for all the reasons I listed above. If nothing else, it will definitely get you in the Christmas spirit.

What movie to see next? Hopefully “Frozen 2.” Stay tuned…..

What I am Grateful for this Year

(in no particular order)

1)   My nieces and nephews for joining us at Put-in-Bay this summer. Yeah, I know you’re all teenagers and still somewhat under control of your parents, but we appreciated your presence and the fact that you all seemed to enjoy yourselves, which made us happy as well. By us, I especially mean your grandparents whose idea the mini vacation (to celebrate their 50^th wedding anniversary) was in the first place. I hope you all look back on the holiday fondly.

2)   Our gardener, Lolly for the very professional job she did whipping our garden into shape this summer and helping me with the leaf raking chore this autumn. My mom said our garden never looked better, and I was especially in awe of the way Lolly shaved our bushes giving them shape – a bit like those topiaries you see at the Deaf School Gardens in Columbus, or the ones in Disney Land/World. I told her that and she just blushed saying, “I wouldn’t go that far.”

3)   My friend Lisa for providing a sympathetic ear after Sunday mass recently. She literally sat down on the pew after mass and let me pour out my soul to her while she listened quietly with compassion. Though this wasn’t one of those cry-your-eyes out poor me pity-parties, it was nice to just talk. Also, back in the summer, Lisa was kind enough to share one of her very early childhood memories of the Apollo Moon Landing (which was published in my blog back in July).

 

4)    My sister, Karen and her very kind gesture when she recently brought Andrew and me a small pan of lasagna she had made. She knows I am solely in charge of all meals (and pretty much everything else) right now while Andrew convalesces, and certainly welcome anything that only needs reheating. It was delicious and the bread with the lovely butter on the side was also much appreciated. I am also lucky enough to have her so close by as we live less than 5 miles apart. I know my parents certainly appreciate that when they come down to visit. She’s also my drinking buddy whether it’s a cup of coffee and some conversation, or a glass of wine (and maybe a little whining sometimes).

5)    Our neighbor on Ridgewood, Amy, for loaning us a wheelchair for my in-laws visit last month. I know this doesn’t seem like a big favor, and it wasn’t at first since it was only meant to be an occasional aid, but when my mother-in-law broke her ankle, it quickly became a necessity for her mobility. As the situation was stressful enough, this was one less detail we needed to take care of, and for that, we are all eternally grateful to you for this kind gesture.

6)    My best friend, Leslie for always being there for me for the past 45 years or so that we’ve been friends. Leslie has just hit the half century mark that is looming for me next spring. We’ve been friends since about kindergarten – I guess? We’re both getting old, so it’s hard to remember back that far, but we have class photos that prove we were occasionally in the same class. We’ve had the occasional disagreement, and don't always see eye to eye on everything, but each respect our differences and remain friends to this day.

sorry Joe, it's the only photo I have (but look how young you are!)

7)   Our neighbor Joe for being the best neighbor we could ask for over the past 14 years. It’s the end of an era as our neighbor to the right of us has just moved out of the neighborhood. Joe was the best kind of neighbor to have – always quiet, took pride in his yard, always happy to have a brief, but friendly chat while out sweeping the driveway or some other chore, and never minded looking in on our cat or collecting our mail while we were away for the weekend. Joe, you will definitely be missed, but on to greener pastures!

8)  Our house – especially the den and guest bathroom. Yes, this might seem an odd thing to be grateful for, but if Marie Kondo can greet a house, I can certainly thank my house for its service. The den (aka our guest room) is definitely the most under-utilized room of our house as its only purpose is to serve as a guest room when we have guests, which is rare, except for when we host my parents and uncle over Christmas. This year the den, which has an adjacent full bath, has had more activity this autumn than it’s seen in the 14 years we’ve lived in our house. My in-laws were guests for 10 days back in October (and spent 75% of their time down there following my mother-in-law’s accident). Now my husband is convalescing there following surgery on his ankle. Though I still find the room a bit dark, as it’s now late autumn, it’s starting to feel a little cozy on these dark evenings.

9)   “Gilmore Girls” for bringing me 7 seasons and 2 of the best years of TV viewing. Though I had heard of “Gilmore Girls” back in 2000 when it premiered, it wasn’t that big in the UK where I was living at the time, so I never tuned in. Flash forward 5+ years to when we moved into our house on Wenwood and happened to be chatting to our neighbor, Dick over the back fence and had asked why their dog was called Rory since, in my mind (being a Dr. Who fan), that was a boy’s name. Dick, the father of 3 girls, told me they all enjoyed watching “Gilmore Girls” and found it strangely soothing, so they named their dog, Rory, after one of the main characters. Although I found the story touching, I still didn’t tune in until after I quit my long-time job back in 2017. Remembering what Dick had said about it being soothing and all that, I definitely needed as much comfort and sympathy while I went through that job transition. Turns out Dick and his girls were right. It definitely is soothing, quirky, and really enjoyable. Though I’m not necessarily a fan of small-town life, I would chuck it all in a second if I could live in Stars Hollow (and work in one of the two bookstores there). I finally finished watching the entire 7 seasons (and already read Lauren Graham’s book reminiscing about it), and look forward to viewing “A Year in the Life” next year.

10) Being able to work at home. Though it can be a little lonely, I am especially grateful now that we’ve had our first overnight snowfall and the street looked a little treacherous that morning. My coworkers were rejoicing about being able to work at home on days like that as well. It’s also been convenient for taking care of Andrew while he recovers as I was able to bring him all his meals and the occasional cup of tea and biscuit when on break (but he's back to working at his company office now).

Sunday Outing at OSU

My husband and I had another Sunday outing making that three Sundays in a row we’ve had plans (which is a rare thing for us indeed!). The first event that was penciled in was The Ohio State Marching Band Hometown Concert, which was scheduled for mid-afternoon.

The Wexner Center

Since that left the whole morning free, and we still hadn’t been to the Wexner Center to see the Ann Hamilton, Jenny Holzer and Maya Lin exhibit, we went there first. It’s difficult to know what to say about the exhibit. It’s colorful (Inflammatory Essays);

it’s thought-provoking (Truisms),

and it’s very detailed (Folding the Chesapeake).

The “details” can’t really be appreciated unless you see them in person. Picture like a million glass marbles or beads spread across the floor crawling up to the ceiling. My artist friend, Amy, is one of the installers who helped glue them all down, and for that, I give her a huge amount of credit. If someone had shown me the schematic, handed me a bottle of glue and told me I had like two weeks or so to make the space look like the drawing, I would have told them they were crazy, or I probably would have gone crazy.

I think being an art installer is very much an underappreciated and underpaid job. When you see exhibits like Maya Lin’s you have to think the installers deserve to be paid more than they do for the care they take in handling the art (which Amy said is definitely one of the perks since the general public certainly can’t touch priceless works), and then the attention they pay to detail when it comes to reconstructing the puzzle.

Of the three installations, my favorite was Jenny Holzer’s Truisms.  According to the exhibit description, “…Holzer produced Truisms: concise one-liners written anonymously and designed to condense difficult and contentious concepts into seemingly straightforward statements of fact.

Originally written in BIC pen on lined paper, Truisms existed as Holzer’s personal distillations of large philosophical ideas. Later, however, she printed them on rectangular white broad-sheets and posted them around New York City, pasting them up in telephone booths, in subway stations, and on walls and buildings, often working in the early morning hours to remain anonymous.

By the late 1970s and early 1980s, the nearly 300 maxims that make up Truisms began to appear not just on posters, but also on T-shirts, stickers, condoms, benches, LED tickers, and various other language-based media.”

I’m not sure if all 300 were there in this exhibit as the list repeats, but I read as many as I could and hopefully I can find the complete list somewhere (I love lists, and I love rules to live by). 

https://www.cs.utexas.edu/~field/holzer/truisms.txt

The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum

Since most of the Wexner exhibit is just a repeat of lots of text, it didn’t take even close to two hours to see the entire installation. We browsed the bookstore for a little while, but then to fill the remaining time until the concert started, we wandered over to the Billy Ireland Cartoon Museum (next door to the Wexner Center). The current exhibit is: Ladies First: A Century of Women's Innovations in Comics and Cartoon Art November 2, 2019 - May 3, 2020.

Though I’m not really into politics and quite a lot of the exhibit (at least in one room) is a pretty comprehensive display of political cartoons (from about the last 50 years or so), I very much enjoyed looking around. There were quite a few I had never seen (like all the ones from MAD magazine), and most were worthy of a laugh or two – even those mocking the presidents I liked (Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, etc.). Ladies First main exhibit.

I read somewhere that Nixon’s face was a cartoonist’s dream come true because so little distortion needed to be done. I ended up spending so long looking at all the political art that I had to quickly skim the Ladies First main exhibit.

The Ohio State Marching Band Hometown Concert

We eventually made our way over to the Mershon Auditorium (where we have previously seen famous alumnus like comedian, Richard Lewis, photographer, Annie Leibovitz, and filmmaker, Richard Linklater). This time we were there to see the OSU marching band perform a varied program of movie musicals, pop music, and even cartoon classics (if you can call “Sponge Bob Square Pants” a classic).

Since this is a concert and half the fun of seeing the band perform is to watch them create the various formations on the field, those were shown on a screen during the performances. Probably my favorite of those was the rocket formations honoring the anniversary of the moon landing earlier this summer.

I especially enjoyed the impressive demonstrations by OSU’s two drum majors, Konner Barr and little old 5’2” Morgan Davis (proof that you don’t have to be tall to be a drum major).

Nary a baton was dropped and there were some pretty awesome gymnastics performed to catch it at times.

Memories of my sister and I pretending with our own batons floated through my head as I watched the pair up on stage. I was also fondly remembering a friend (who was only a few inches taller than me) who himself was a drum major when we were in high school.

As these are student performers, they’re not above a few unscripted antics – like the repeated chorus from “Hey Jude” at least a couple times between songs, which at one point, the announcer had to do his best and try to introduce the next song over that. At least everyone seemed to have a good sense of humor.

If you’ve never been lucky enough to attend a game or a skull session, or even see the band march through the annual state fair every summer, this is certainly the next best thing (and way more affordable $$ than attending a game $$$). TBDBITL!