Thursday, December 12, 2013

ANOTHER CHRISTMAS MEMORY -- A LOT OF SUGAR AND A LITTLE SPICE

When Bob's family sold their grocery store in the 1960s, I took the opportunity to snoop around in the attic of the building to see what I could find.  I spied this old display jar in a dark corner; and I asked my father-in-law if I could have it.  I'm sure he wondered what his antique-crazy daughter-in-law was going to do with that old thing!  Bob remembers that it held bulk cookies for sale at one time. 

  This Christmas I decided it would be the perfect thing to hold a replication of a family Christmas memory. 

 In our part of Colorado, there are not any tree farms where you can go cut your own Christmas tree.  If you want the experience, you go to the Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management for a permit.  Then, you pack up the family, the gear, and enough sugar and spice to sustain the troops; head to the mountains; traipse through the snow and freezing cold; get your vehicle stuck in a snow drift; etc. etc.  You end up with the perfect 'imperfect Charlie Brown' tree, sugar-hyped kids, and another priceless Christmas memory.
Since we weren't really an outdoorsy, adventurist family (especially me); we only did this once.  
From then on, a grocery store tree; and now a fake tree works just fine!

Here's proof that we actually did this -- 1980 pictures.  These don't show that much snow, but trust me, there was!
                          Eating cookies                                    Dragging the tree out                   

So many fun blogs to read this season, but please check out the following:
Have a Daily Cup for A Sugar and Spice Christmas on 12/11
Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
Dwellings for Amaze Me Monday
A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday
Shabby Creek Cottage

9 comments:

Jan said...

This brings back memories! We lived in Northern New Mexico back in the mid-80's. We used to get a permit and go up into the national forest to cut a tree. We would usually make a scouting trip in the fall before there was much snow and find our "perfect tree". When we went back in December, it was inevitably sitting in snow so deep we couldn't get to it! We took hot cocoa and soup in thermoses. Our kids have very fond memories of those days-thanks for posting this!

Linda @ A La Carte said...

We did the Christmas tree cutting and buying for a few years and it was fun! Love your little snow globe/jar!!

Marilyn said...

That is such a unique piece and the snow scene brings back memories of Wally and I going tree "hunting" near Granby where I taught before we were married. I think we cut down at least three that year, one for my mom and day, one for his, and one for an aunt and uncle. He fell into a hidden creek and was wet and COLD! I just remember that I really wasn't much help. Thanks for jogging this memory!♥♫

A Few Pennies said...

I absolutely adore that glass container with your little display of trees and truck! So precious. Lots of sweet memories you invoke and me, too, I love my "faux/fake" trees more than ever. Merry Christmas!

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson said...

Oh my gosh Sally that container is a real treasure. I love, love it! The little scene is perfect! We use to cut our tree at a tree farm every year. Kind of miss the experience! Thanks for sharing with Sugar and Spice Christmas. I will be featuring you this week.
hugs,
Jann

A Romantic Porch said...

That is such a neat way to showcase that memory. With owning our land surveying business and my husband working out in the cold and snow so many months of the year, we have NEVER done that. I just don't have the heart to ask...plus I've been using artificial now since 1993...ugh is that 20 years? I can't be that old! The cookie display case is so neat. I have never seen one of those.
Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Rachel

Laurel@ChippingwithCharm said...

I love that display jar!! Great find and adorable re-purpose :)

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

Oh wow, what a fabulous jar and such wonderful memories too. We use to love to go out into the woods and find our tree, it was so fun. Thanks tons for linking to Inspire Me. Hugs, Marty

Liz@ HomeandGardeningWithLiz said...

That is a really great find! Lucky you to gave a good eye and grab it. That is cute about the tree (think Chevy Chase and his family in the movie Christmas Vacation- LOL) I hiked out back on my husband's family farm with him to find a tree once and when we got it home we realized what a silly tree we picked) I guess that was my big thrill! You designed the inside of the jar so cute- I never thought to use sugar before for snow, but it's perfect!