The Eve of Christmas (Holiday Compilation #2)

Is it Happy or Merry Christmas Eve? Or is it just December 24th? I'm confused. I know with our family, the kids get to open a gift today and they will badger us all day so I made the executive decision to let them open a few of their gifts early and I made sure they were the ones that would at least whet their appetites. My seven year old is still asking every few minutes when she can open more. When did Christmas become like this? No wonder I get cranky come this time of year!! 

When they go to sleep, I will perpetuate the annual myth of Santa Claus. I know it's special and fun and all that, but after doing it for 17 years it kind of loses its luster. Especially when kids assume that Santa is going to give the good gifts and what the parents give are just shit compared to the Santa. Since both Santa and our gifts come out of the same bank account, that didn't happen. 

Anyway, It's time for more holiday cheer and happy thoughts. This one is going to be a long page today. First of all, since Christmas is a time of memories and celebration, here's a few pictures of me as a kid in the 1970s. 

The year is 1974. It's my first Christmas and my parents outdid themselves like most parents do for the first Christmas. I probably couldn't crawl, let alone use my hands to play with my loot. It makes for a bittersweet memory.

1976. That's right, I am dumbfounded because for some reason I have a bunch of new toys with no strings attached. Note the Weebles Haunted House and the Perfection Game. That seems like a good idea for a 2 year old. Little pieces and a little ticking clock that explodes the pieces. I bought one for my son last year and it scared the crap out of him and he was 4 at the time. 

I adore my sister's Hollie Hobby vest with butterfly collar shirt and brown pants. I'm rocking the Pooh suit and Buster Brown shoes. 1976.

1977. I think I'm getting the hang of this whole Christmas thing. My parents or Santa got me the Walt Disney Weebles set. I loved that little roller coaster.

There's the epitome of the 1970's. A Sunshine Family set.

I know, ADORABLE. And soooo 1970's. 

As well as the recipe cards you all know and love, I will be using these books: 

McCall's Book of Merry Eating, 1978 reprint.

Betty Crocker's Merry Makings booklet, 1960? For the blog entry associated with this booklet, click here

Treasury of Christmas Ideas, 1968. For the blog entry associated with this book, click here

Better Homes and Gardens Guide to Entertaining, 1969. Again, for the blog entry associated with this book, click here

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There has to be some gelatin mold at these holiday gatherings. Maybe not in this day and age, but I'm pretty sure the Perfection Salad was a popular favorite to make, probably not to eat.

Every retro cake I see looks like it has the potential to come to life. The smile replaced by a sneer, the eyebrows slanted angrily, the construction paper arms turning into lethal weapons.

Let's all celebrate the North Pole! USA! USA! USA! Because there should only be an American flag. Kind of presumptuous to assume only the USA has planted a flag in the North Pole. At this current moment, NORAD has Santa 20 seconds away from Moscow.

If the usual fruitcake is just not your thing, there's always its tropical relative. Or maybe not. I don't see how this will improve fruitcake. It's like polishing a turd.

I'm sure the Cissys, Lisas, Bobbys, Marcias, and Als of the world are tickled to their bones to have one of these.

Easy, maybe. Going to happen? Not a chance.

When I display my turkey for show, I usually make sure it is standing upside down too.

If it didn't look like toothpaste and probably smell that way, it may not be so bad.

Penguins, snowmen, and reindeer all live in perfect harmony in this igloo cake. No problem.

I see what Betty Crocker did there. The Joke-Stir is on those who drink it after the ice ring melts and get a cherry or green leaf lodged in their throats.

R.S.V.Pizzas. Because it's kind of dickish not to RSVP to a party. Really, truly, dickish.

Fruitcake with a napkin full of fruits and nuts that were spit out in the polite eating process.

Either there is no freezer room, or McCall's is trying to be kitschy. I hope a dog doesn't hike its leg on any of those treats.

Maybe I am the only person who just can't cook a Christmas breakfast. It's not like my kids are going to eat it.

Wine Fruit Salad, probably the only mold worth trying. Golden Whipped Potatoes or mashed carrots with mashed with potatoes, cornbread dressing rolls and a Mincemeat glacé. It all started out so normal and then they had to throw a mincemeat glacé into the mix. 

I'd be pretty pissed off at the kiddy table if I had to wear a sailor suit while the other kids did not. What kind of dorks were these parents? 

That is one angry looking Santa.

Who is sitting next to the tuna tree? The 1960's Elf on A Shelf.

Ring-O-Chocolate Yule Logs. Kind of like a rice krispies treat. Makes my teeth hurt to look at though. It seems so sweet.

Ahhh, Madame Baboushka from Poland as this book depicts. Think she's scary? She has nothing on this little guy:

The Krampus! For more info on Krampus, click here

It's been a good year. I thank those who encouraged me to start a blog and I thank all of you who help keep it going. I also still have my Facebook page in its infancy.
 

Merry Christmas (there I said it).