GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS PAST

 Every year I post the same holiday photos. Long time readers of my blog must be thoroughly sick of them.

My plausible excuse is that perhaps new readers haven't ever seen them before.

It's possible.

This year I will include commentary with the photos. I can only imagine how thrilled and excited you are.

Me with a department store Santa. According to the description written on the back, I was two years old. I looked older because I was tall. Perhaps I was near three years old. My birthday was December 13th.

That was quite a jacket. Looks like I was headed for Siberia.

My first official Christmas, one year old. Those were the classic days when trees were genuine real pine with an incredible heavenly scent - - - - and shimmering tinsel.

Nowadays kids don't know what a tree is. Their plastic/synthetic Christmas trees come in a Walmart box with a "Made in China" label.

This was our house that year. New Jersey snowfall. My father took this photo on Christmas Eve.

I have a specific memory of that house. I was learning to walk in the living room. I fell and my face hit a sharp corner of the coffee table. I had a deep cut near my left eye. To this day, I have a scar at the corner of my left eye.

Christmas at my Aunt Irene's house (my mother's eldest sister). Me with my two cousins Maryann and Dianne. They were so sweet and truly adored me. Aunt Irene and my cousins always spoiled me.

Me and Maryann at our grandmother's house. I was getting ready to pet Grandmom's cat Mittens.

Christmas morning at our house. I don't know my age. Three, perhaps? Not maybe four?  I remember those pajamas were yellow.

Well, that was a wonderful look back in time....

but what can I do to extend this (boring) post?

I was raised in California, lived there for 30 years.

I know! We'll go to Texas!

I moved there because my retired parents moved there. Regrettably. Texas isn't exactly my style.

I lived in San Angelo. Hottest place on earth. When it's 105 (Fahrenheit) on Halloween, it's time to move.

I lived in Odessa. Wild, windy, uncouth. My parents had a gorgeous house there.  When my father died, Mom sold the house...and we moved up north, in a tiny town on the high plains - - sorta near Lubbock.

Took care of Mom for four years until she passed away.

On the high plains of West Texas, winter can be cold as a penguin's kiss ( just made that up....I'm damn clever).

Photos to enthrall you

Left my hat in the yard...and this happened.

My beloved cat Kitzee and poinsettias.

My beloved Texas fireplace

Beloved Christmas cookies

I love this prayer box, from a circa 1850 church. Purchased from an auction.

The white flowers are called snow flowers....or snowdrops....I think?

Lisa, you might be right, Dahlia ' Eternal Snow'

A Christmas Eve midnight "snack" I prepared with tea and coffee. And egg nog.

That's about it for right now.

Christmas memories....

Jon  ❤️ 🌲☃️🌲

I really messed this post up. Had to edit it.