I always remember Christmas growing up. We'd spend Christmas Eve at my maternal grandparents house enjoying the tree that had those bubble lights on them. You know, they had the long tube with liquid in them that bubbled when it heated up.Since we're part of a pretty large family the house was always full, and we'd get to watch the old black and white version of  "A Christmas Carol"  which might be why it's one of my favorite Christmas movies, although today it's the version with George C. Scott.

Then, "the freeway" came and took the house, and my grandparents moved to Detroit's western suburbs.  My emotions were mixed about Christmas Eve in the new house.  The living room was pretty much off limits to us kids, the living room furniture was covered in those clear plastic slip covers, and the tree was...gasp!  aluminum and rotated on a color wheel!

What was in the basement more than made up for it. A pool table provided the entertainment for us now, once we reached that certain magic age where you're considered grown up enough to behave responsibly.

My grandparents have since passed away, and I got a huge laugh about 10 years ago when I opened a Christmas card from one of my cousins to find a picture of that aluminum tree with the note "I got the tree!!"

Those were fun times, but we have our own  Christmas  traditions now. The candle light service at church, a quiet supper, and opening gifts on Christmas Day; watching our favorite flicks, including "White Christmas", "Miracle On 34th Street" among them.  If the weather's nice, perhaps a walk in Prien Lake Park will be included.

Merry Christmas!

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