no matter where I go--
they're in my heart . . . ."
You did make Christmas such a magical part of our growing-up years. Through the years we had a succession of trees--aluminum, artificial (including the tabletop tree that came all the way from England on the Queen Mary) and occasionally a real one.
Often our tree was decorated with ornaments that you helped Maureen, me, and Darryl make. I remember bells made from egg cartons, covered in glitter, blown egg ornaments with little windows cut to show holiday scenes, and baker's dough cookie cutter ornaments.
We made carolers and angels out of magazines and styrofoam balls and dolls out of toilet paper rolls and crepe paper. Whatever decorations were on it, the tree was always lovely; you made that happen.
Some years you strung swags from the ceiling, corner to corner, with a large fluted shiny paper ball or bell in the center. One year you decorated the farmhouse door at Farley Drive in Huntsville with little drummer boy decorations, dressed in green and red. A little German Putz glitter village was set up on one end table, a nativity on the other. You taped Christmas cards around the inside of the front door (I still do that)! The house was always lovely and festive; you made that happen.
The holiday food was delicious and always included my personal favorite, mince pies with white icing, decorated with green and red candied peel. Once or twice there was even another favorite, a pork pie. I must've been very good those years!
You made trifle (alternating layers of sponge cake soaked in sherry or brandy, fruit suspended in jello, a layer of custard, and then whipped cream), and a Christmas Cale--a rich English fruitcake covered with marzipan and white royal icing and topped with Christmas themed decorations like a sprig of holly. You stuffed stocking with silver dollars, fruit, and candy. Nothing was missed; you made that happen.
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