It’s snowing outside, the OSU/Michigan game is on the TV and I am reminded of a time long ago.

Sometime during my middle school years we began a tradition at my parents house of decorating for Christmas with a group of friends. It began as an extension of our days at the Christmas Tree Festival. I remember my mom used to drag us downtown to see hundreds of trees decorated in different themes. Every theme you can imagine was on display from monochromatic white-flocked trees to trees all decked out in trains! I mean these people went all out!

Somewhere along the line my mom and her flock of children and neighborhood kids became inspired to go home and replicate the holiday spirit that they witnessed at this festival. Hence the Christmas Decorating Party was born.

Looking back, I think our mom really just wanted that white tree with powder blue decorations, but she ended up with much more than she bargained for. Each year there were more and more kids and during my college years it culminated into a Christmas Slumber party.

I will try to put into words the chaos and joy that ensued each year the Saturday after Thanksgiving. For most of my years it also coincided with the Ohio State/Michigan game so during college the party could not begin until after the game was over.

 

First, there was food. Anyone who knows our mother knows that she can cook and bake like no other. In fact, that may have been the draw for many of our friends. There would always be sloppy jos, Bev Cake as many of our friends referred to our mother’s cakes (for those of you new to the scene our mother had her own bakery), cookies of every kind and as the evening wore on we ordered pizza.

After everyone had run through their first course of food it was my dad’s job to take a contingent of kids to find the perfect Christmas tree. Not an easy task, but I know he loved it!

His favorite part? I am pretty sure my friend, who shall remain nameless, who referred to him as Tom Selleck boosted his ego just a little bit each year.

 

After bringing the tree home and placing it in the prescribed corner my dad would step back and let the games begin. While we were out picking the perfect tree my mom was busy making fresh popcorn and lots of it! No good Christmas Decorating Party could be complete without stringing popcorn. In fact, there were a few that competed for this event each year. No where else would you find 6 foot male athletes with needle and thread in hand competing for who could “sew” the longest strand of popcorn! Now those were good times!

You might be thinking that it sounds like a lot of kids for one tree, but alas my mom had 3 trees. The live tree was the only one that didn’t come with an instruction manual. In fact, at one time I think there may have been auditions for decorating the WHITE tree. This was mom’s tree and not just anyone could partake in this sacred ornamentation. Lights and ornaments had to be placed correctly or mom would have to, “do it herself!”

Imagine, if you will, my mom and her advanced decorating class standing around the white tree with delicate ornaments while downstairs, popcorn was being ground into the carpet while we munched on sloppy jos, pizza and cookies.

I know it was way more work than it would have been if we had just decorated with our family, but our parents really were the best when it came to creating an atmosphere of love, joy, chaos and friendship.

Thanks for all of the awesome memories mom and dad! It truly was the best night of the year!

Sunshine & Sarcasm,

Lowi & G