Well it is that time of year again.  Everywhere you look there are coloured lights twinkling and decorations up for Christmas. There are new wreaths up on the hydro poles in town with nice new rainbow lights in them. The huge tree that seems to touch the sky at the center of our small town now has Christmas lights on it all the way to the top and when they turn it on at night it is a sight to behold. 

Stores are full of new displays and there are signs everywhere to advertise this and that and you apparently you cannot live without these things and your children "must" have this toy or that outfit. 

Sometimes I have to wonder what Christmas means to other folks. I myself believe we need to put "Christ" back in Christmas and back off of the greed that seems to be building in today's world.  I think we need to focus more on family togetherness instead of how much this or that costs and if our kids should have something that  they really do not need and that we will find in a closet or under the bed in a few short weeks.

Everywhere you go you see advertisements for this fancy toy or that absolutely wonderful handy dandy gadget. Prices are astronomical and little kiddies do without things they truly need because parents are too busy trying to buy the things they want but that they really do not need or because parents just cannot afford them. 

Tell me - whatever happened to homemade gifts? Things like blankets and quilts and Gramma's knit socks and scarves and mittens and sweaters and home baked goodies from the oven? What happened to hand embroidered pillow cases and tablecloths? 

Homemade fudge done up in a pretty box with a ribbon on it was such a wonderful  treat. Taking a plate of homemade cookies to the old gent that lived down the street was so fulfilling because his smile lit up like a Christmas tree when you handed the plate to him.

Where did the old fashioned gifts disappear to? Now it is expensive toys and perfumes and robes from the store. Everything has to have a designer label or it is not worth wearing. I do not know about you but to me a homemade gift from the heart is still a huge treasure. Knowing that someone spent hours crocheting a blanket or sewing a dress or doing a beautiful needlepoint picture makes the gift even more special to my heart.

Some people are so busy trying to keep up with the present buying and not trying to teach their children the real values of Christmas. Whatever happened to teaching our children old fashioned traditions? Things like stringing popcorn or cranberries for the tree? Things like going caroling and making someone happy at a senior's home? Things like just getting together with friends or family over hot chocolate and music and memories? *sigh* 

Folks are so busy planning  to go to this party or that party and they leave their kids with a baby-sitter instead of spending quality time teaching them about a good old fashioned family Christmas. While the parents are out having a ball somewhere the children sit home with the television baby-sitting them and a movie popped into the VCR.

Sometimes I wish we could turn back the clock and have an old fashioned Christmas. Times when family would move heaven and earth to be together. The world has become such a busy place with everyone rushing here and there and having time restraints. 

There is nothing like a home cooked Christmas dinner and the smells in the house of wonderful things in the oven. There is nothing like wonderful homemade stuffing and homemade cranberries and the brown skin on the turkey. The laughter and delight of little children as they rip the pretty wrappings from pressies and squeal in delight at what they find inside is music to the soul of this Grandmother.

There is nothing that can compare to my grandchildrens laughter and their hugs and kisses as they stand by the stove helping me to finish up making dinner. Last year Justine wrapped her arms around me and told me that the best Christmas pressie of all was being able to be with me. That was the best Christmas present I could have received for sure.

When I was a youngster I can remember what I got for Christmas. I got one of my Dad's socks with an orange and an apple, a candy cane maybe and some nuts and Christmas candy. There might or might not be one thing wrapped in pretty paper from my parents. Maybe a new Nancy Drew mystery or one year a slide projector that you put a wheel of piccies in and then shone them on a wall. But there were never the piles of gifts that children of today get. There were other gifts sometimes from an aunt or uncle but if you did get something from them it was always serviceable like a pair of socks or pj's. Yet back then I was ever so grateful. 

Now if you give a child a pair of socks or something else that is homemade they look at you like you are the tightest grinch in Grinchville, because it does not have a high class label on it. 

Well enough of my babble for today. Maybe I will go and close my eyes and try to bring back a Christmas memory that will warm my heart like a cup of hot chocky with marshmallows does.

until next time

hugs Misker