George and I got married in September 1990, and a month later, we moved to Geneva for a year. By December, the we were…
Christmas in 1976 | Advent Calendar, Day 9
Today we’re going to take a trip back in time to December 1976, the end of our nation’s bicentennial year. My family, of course,…
Egg Rolls | Advent Calendar, Day 8
What does an Asian cookbook have to do with Christmas? Plenty, if you were a member of my family. My father made the best…
Food and Fashion | Advent Calendar, Day 7
Today we’re going to take a trip through one family’s Christmas celebrations, as envisioned by Woman’s Home Journal, Christmas Number, 1967. The Swinging Sixties…
St. Nicholas Day | Advent Calendar, Day 6
When I was growing up, St. Nicholas Day was a much-anticipated milestone on the long road to Christmas Day. Our celebration was simple: We…
‘Black & White’ | Advent Calendar, Day 5
It’s Saturday night, and these adorable dogs would like to encourage you to have a glass of whiskey. (Holly Leaves, 1962)
Santa’s Britches | Advent Calendar, Day 4
This needlepoint set of outfits for Santa and Mrs. Claus was made for me by an old friend, Mrs. P. She took great pleasure…
Cookie Cutters | Advent Calendar, Day 3
These cookie cutters were made by the Educational Products Company of Hope, New Jersey, and according to the folks at cookiecuttersearch.com, that company made…
Sing Along with Esso | Advent Calendar, Day 2
Here’s a Christmas ad from those mid-century magazines that has stuck in my head for the past 50 years. I have to salute the…
A Pictorial Recipe for Plum Pudding | Advent Calendar, Day 1
I had the good fortune to grow up in a family that kept Christmas very well, and this year, I will be sharing some…