There's
nothing sadder in this world than to awake Christmas morning and not
be a child. —Erma Bombeck
Almost before the last of the Thanksgiving turkey was served joyous greetings of "Merry Christmas" rang through the halls at Nana's house when we stopped in for a chat. How delightful to grow up in a small town, with Nana and Papa living near enough we could drop in several times a week. Those visits were specially exciting during the Holidays.
Traditionally, my grandmother started her "Christmas Cooking" the
first week in December by making candy. There was divinity and fudge,
peanut brittle
and sometimes even hard sugar drops, but I doubt if anything ever tasted
better than her delectable
hand dipped chocolates! (click 
here for
the recipe). We still make them early in December to share with family and
friends throughout
the season. Our version is somewhat simplified, with the availability of
modern products, but the finished candy tastes nearly as amazing as Nana's
did. And,
of course, these chocolates are completely quilt free since they are part
of the family tradition at Christmas!
Papa chose the "perfect" tree to cut, then arranged it in the parlor
for us to decorate on the second Saturday in December. We had our own tree at
home, of course, but the tree at their house was "special". Every ornament
had a story, every garland, a memory. They had been collecting Christmas together
for half a century! As we helped Nana decorate her tree, she told us each story
again, bringing Christmas from her youth to life in our imagination. "Christmas
meant something much different when I was a girl!" she would say. "It
was truly more blessed to give than to receive in those days."
Occasionally, thinking back on those tree trimming parties at Nana's, I recall how, we suspected Mom and Dad were in the city shopping that weekend. Nana and Papa assured us this was not the case, of course. Our thoughts were definitely not on what we would be giving, but rather on what we would receive. "How many days left 'till Christmas, Nana"?
On Christmas Eve the whole family gathered at Nana's house for an
early supper, then attended Candlelight Services at church. Home again
- everyone settled in the parlor, near the warmth of a crackling fire.
We feasted on hot cocoa and Christmas cookies while we listened to
Papa read aloud. . . 
Jesus'
birth from the Gospels
of St. Luke and St. Matthew
AND
Clemet C. Moore's famous poem -
The Night Before Christmas
Our version is a little different than
most, you will surely want to have a look!
Click on the ornaments to read each traditional story to your family.
At last, long past our normal bedtime, we hung our stockings by the fire, left a plate of cookies and a glass of milk under the tree for Santa, and toddled upstairs to bed. It was so hard to go to sleep. . . even at such a late hour. This was the most exciting night of the year. We promised we would stay awake and listen for Santa Claus. "If we hear him coming, we'll run downstairs and catch him unpacking our toys". Eventually, we closed our eyes, and drifted off to sleep, and dreams of Christmas Day.
Her preparations
for Christmas Dinner had been underway for days -- but on Christmas Morning,
Nana was in the kitchen long before daylight.
There were
cinnamon rolls (click here for the recipe) to bake for breakfast, and the
turkey had to be in the oven before the family came downstairs.
Our excited anticipation of Santa's visit woke us from our slumbers
very, very early. We climbed from Nana's big bed and tiptoed down to
the parlor. Looking
back, I realize that no matter how early we arose, the tree was ablaze with
dazzling lights, the fire in the grate glowed and sparkled and Santa Claus
had visited as we slept! To this day, the aroma of freshly baked cinnamon
rolls and strong brewed coffee transports me back to Nana's house and
Christmas morning.
Often, over the ensuing years, as a mother and now a grandmother myself-- while watching my children explore the treasures of Christmas-- Grandma's words come back to me. "It is truly more blessed to give than to receive ." And perhaps, if we keep Christmas with the Love and Joy of Grandma's traditions, the same can be true in these days, too.
Hugs and cookies, Nana Ellen