Beneath the Wraps

             I remember taking down the tree on New Year’s Day each year.   It became tradition I would suppose for many families.   And gosh, darn, I will definitely miss the lights and decorations that had popped up in so many yards even before Thanksgiving.   The Myrtle Creek – Tri City area is always so dark.   It is nice to have the Christmas lights to remove some of the darkness.           On New Year’s Day this year I read a couple of thoughts which helped ease the pain of this tradition that I have come to hate.   David Butler has a facebook page in which he shares uplifting thoughts.   On New Year’s Day he compared taking down the tree to the first Christmas – perhaps a week after the fact – when Joseph and Mary had to leave the manger and move on.   They could not stay where they were nor could they take the manger with them.   And why would they want to? ...

             I vaguely remember having a “Christmas Pickles” on our tree.   At least I think I do. I don’t even know where it came from or why it was there.   We obviously didn’t know its tradition as it was never hidden.   Tradition says the pickle is “hidden” to bring good luck to the finder.   We never hid the pickle.             I don’t remember hiding any ornaments intentionally.   Many times the fuller trees seemed to swallow up ornaments that had been pushed into the tree which is why I prefer Charlie Brown trees.   Every ornament can be seen on a Charlie Brown tree and none get lost.            There is speculation about the Christmas pickle – or legends. Lost truths.   Invented stories perhaps.   It’s kind of a fun idea.   A little bizarre.   I mean a pickle? Not an item I have associated with Christmas.  ...

Although many remain the same, I think I provided more detail with some of my 2020 answers.   Though I am grateful for the camera (#2) this year I put air conditioners and electric fans which I am grateful for when I’m hot. Of course my favorite memory, story and song change on a weekly basis.   One memory I shared this year was about my niece which is the last story I shared in this post in 2012.    This is what I had posted to facebook this year: What is your favorite memory? I have so many great memories. I recently thought about this one as I had come across the word “amphitheatre” and was reminded of a time I had gone with my family to see a Desert Star performance at a Murray amphitheatre and my niece Candace (who I think may have been four or five at the time) had dressed up like people did in days of yore. Candace’s favorite video at that time was “Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” – anyway, during the performance there was a snag on “Forever...