Christmas Past

Christmas is a very family minded time of year. For most. If you have a family. If you are in the Christmas spirit. I don't feel it so strongly these days. I'm going to make it as christmassy as I can for my son. Although he doesn't live with me I know he loves this time of year. We can't afford much but we can afford some Christmas cheer.
Before he was born I celebrated Christmas with my father and Step-Mother. They both had full-time jobs but my Step-mother always had time to bake and cook and we sisters made christmas decorations.
Anette (step-mother) baked lots of cookies and I helped her churn them out of the meat grinder and arrange in small curls on the baking tray. They were filled with almonds and sugar. Then there were the spicy ones with dried fruit and cookie spices- this dough my Father mixed as it was very heavy and thick- so he stuck his big hands in the bowl and mixed it around and we rolled it out and made paper thin cookies . Anette also made pork rolls- this was ham meat rolled together with pepper and thyme and put into a press so it turned out square and not round. You would then cut thin slices and put on rye bread for lunch. I carried on these traditions for many years when the boys were little but now they don't live at home anymore I buy my cookies.
All these preparations got you into the Christmas spirit. We really has a good time.

I am so sorry that my own little family is split up now. My parents have passed away, my sisters live abroad,my older son and I are estranged and I can't work myself up into much christmas cheer. Luckily my youngest son has a large family on his deceased father's branch; grown-ups and small cousins. Great great Granma is 94.

I hope we have a white Christmas.