Today is Tuesday, December 21, 201

10 things I remember about my Ma and Christmas

1. Every year the Wish Candle would be brought out the week before Christmas.  It was an ordinary big red candle with a bow stuck on it and there was a small notebook beside it.  Everyone that came in the house, until New Years Eve, would light the candle, make a wish, blow the candle out, and sign the book. And I mean everyone including the milkman, the  mailman, and anyone else who might wander in.
2. She always made her gift list  after she went shopping not before.  I don’t know why she didn’t make  a list before shopping like most people, but I do know she made a list after so she wouldn’t forget to give the gift or give it to the wrong person.
3. If she gave a pin or anything sharp  as a gift it always had a silver coin with it to dull the edge so it wouldn’t cut into the heart of the relationship.
4. If she gave a purse or wallet there was always a penny in it so the recipient would never have an empty purse or wallet.
5. Her gift wrapping skills were legendary. The gift with the wrinkled paper, often not quite enough paper to cover the box, the most tape, and bad bow, was the gift from her.
6. She also liked to get boxes from expensive stores (I have no idea how she did this because she didn’t shop in them) and wrap things from Penney’s and Kmart in them.
7. She always forgot to remove price tags–which sort of messed with the expensive box thing she had going.
8. Bayberry candles were lit at six o’clock Christmas Eve and if they burned out by midnight there would be good fortune in the coming year.
9. We watched the televised Mass from Rome with the Pope at midnight Christmas eve.
10. We  had the traditional Christmas stockings, but they had to be our own socks no big commercial phony stockings!  The usual presents were found, candy, fruit, a toy, and because we were not that good all year, an onion in the toe.