Decorating for Christmas never has been a concern of mine. I worked so many Christmas Days and Nights when I was a nurse that decorating became drudgery instead of fun. Taciturn usually pulled newborn nursery call at Christmas so he never decorated, either. For a long time the extent of our decorating was was to plug in a miniature ceramic tree his step sister gave us. In the past few years we bought a Nativity scene and started putting it up on the first Sunday in Advent, not part of my childhood tradition but definitely part of his. So the Nativity scene is fun, but outside of what I've mentioned, there is nothing to see at our house.Two years ago I took a photo of the lonely little tree for my grandchildren. Then two year old GS #2 said, "That's sure a little tree!" Only Son's bride each year decorates a lovely, floor to ceiling tree. If I had a child around here, maybe I would too.
This year, though, I received a new decoration. This stocking was crafted for me when I was a newborn--actually started before I was born--by my grandmother Campbelle, my maternal grandmother. She created one of these for each of her grandchildren. This tradition lasted through all thirteen grandchildren; mine probably was the sixth or seventh she made. Along with the stockings sewn for my brothers,this was found in a sealed box when we cleaned out the basement storeroom immediately after Dad's death.
Granddaughter oohed and awed when she saw it. Someday it will be hers.
Taciturn apparently has something similar given to him as a child. This year we think we will put both of the stockings up on our mantle as a way to recall our past family traditions.
