Tradition

With the coming of Christmas memories also arrive from the past. Each year a new memory is added and each year they all get harder to recall. Its' a catch twenty two I suppose but I hope to thwart this by writing some of mine down. At this time of year is when we would start decorating the house. Preparations had to be made. It began with the moving of the furniture to make a spot for the tree. It almost always went in the same location. In the corner by the staircase so it could be tied up and close to a receptacle. This was followed by a good cleaning of the house. You know; the curtains came down for washing,the windows washed inside and out,dust bunnies were chased out from behind the refrigerator and stove.
The majority of our decorations were inside the house. Only a few strings of lights would be put outside and maybe an evergreen tree in the yard. Nothing like what you see today. In fact quite spartan by todays' standards. But inside the whole downstairs of the house was transformed. There were wreaths,garland,bells and Santa Claus everywhere.
Growing up one of my major jobs in all this was to get the Princess Pine,Running Pine,some White Birch and pines. White pine was abundant. All of us boys took pride in knowing exactly were to go in the woods to secure these essential holiday accessories. The Princess Pine and Running pine were pretty close together. If luck was on your side you could get some princess pine with the tops still on. The deer love to eat those Little brown tops off the Princess Pine. The Running pine you just had to grab and pull on it. Like a rope it wound through the underbrush and you never knew where the end would take you. The white Birch was in a different location altogether. This was going to be used to make a yule log and if some could be had with sap running out burned in the fireplace for the many different colors it would show. We never cut down the whole tree. A branch of the right size was all that was needed. Some years you might find a fallen tree and if it was fairly recent you could use that.

running pine

princess pine

I remember all this with a longing to do it all again. I know that I can't and that probably all the area where we got the Birch and pine has been developed. The Princess Pine and Running Pine are in an area that is now a preserve so I'm sure it is safe. Its' a comforting thought to me somehow. I did have a yule log made from white birch but the bark fell off a few years ago. I'm thinking I may go in search of some to make another. Maybe I can teach the Grandkids about that.