Sherry and I were in the car this morning heading to the grocery store for the weekly shopping and listening the Christmas music on the radio. I started thinking about what our children and grandchildren must think about the words to the traditional Christmas songs. I am sure my children have no idea what a “five and ten store” refers to. Just think these kids are growing up in the days of the “dollar store” and I saw a reference the other day to a “$1.09 store”. By the time I came along the “dime store” had already lost the nickle it started with, and dime stores were mostly gone by the time I had kids.

Then there is the old standard…”Chestnuts roasting on an open fire”. My kids wouldn’t have a clue as to what image that phrase is supposed to conjure up. For that matter, my only recognition of those images arises from motion pictures that were old when I was in elementary school. Not a personal nostalgia moment in the bunch.

As for “white Christmases”, I have seen one in my life. Luckily, I got to share it with my kids. We spent Christmas Eve playing outside in the snow with a bonfire to keep us warm as the flakes sploshed down around us. We all stayed up till after midnight just to see if the snow would continue on Christmas Day…It did. Here’s what my “white Christmas” looked like…

From North Carolina Mountain Dreams

I doubt that I will ever see another such Christmas around this part of Texas. But you never know…We’ve already had snow this season, and it even stuck around for a few hours at least…

Oh, and if you are following these notes…The ham is back on the menu for Christmas Dinner…

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It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Ev’rywhere you go;
Take a look in the five and ten glistening once again
With candy canes and silver lanes aglow.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Toys in ev’ry store
But the prettiest sight to see is the holly that will be
On your own front door.

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Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
Jack Frost nipping at your nose
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir
And folks dressed up like Eskimos

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I’m dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the tree tops glisten and the children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow

I’m dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases be white