From the Editor — November/December 2019

With winter and the holidays now creeping up, I would like to share with you some of my favorite holiday memories.

Christmas has always been a special time for my family and me. The holiday season officially began the first Saturday in December. My dad, mom, sister, brother, and I would travel to our favorite tree farm and tromp through what, some years, was feet of snow, to find that perfect tree. After much deliberation, we finally would decide which tree was coming to spend Christmas with us.

Once we got the beauty home, I remember it wasn’t always the happiest of times for my parents — from cutting the bottom off at the right length so it would fit in the house, to getting it to stand straight in the tree stand, then putting the lights on (hopefully they all worked!). It all broadened my vocabulary but of course I couldn’t say any of those new words as a kid!

After the lights were on, the fun began. With Christmas music playing, we enjoyed opening all the boxes of decorations while my mom would tell the story of which ornament was passed down from whom (her mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, etc.). There were several that us kids made at school and a few that had been store-bought. All of those ornaments are still with us today and I enjoy seeing them each year on my parents’ tree.

One thing that is strangely only brought out at Christmastime is a little red velvet box that is always kept with the ornaments. Inside that little box is written, “Ann’s first haircut, 5/6/75” and sure enough, there is a lock of my blonde hair from way back then! In 1971, my dad bought my mom a new dress as a Christmas gift. Every Christmas since then, she wears this same dress. It’s a bit out of date of course, but it’s one of the many traditions that has been carried on through the years.

These are just a few special memories that I wanted to share to get you in the holiday spirit. In this issue, I have included several winter-related articles as well as some fun holiday projects you can tackle in your spare time, if you are lucky enough to find some. I hope you enjoy this issue and I wish you all a very safe, healthy, and happy holiday season!