pickle ornaments

4 12, 2017

Home for a Texas Christmas

By |2017-12-03T14:42:46-06:00December 4th, 2017|Uncategorized|1 Comment

The snow and cold in Colorado we enjoyed so much during Christmas will be missing this year. We’re back in Texas for our most favorite holiday.

Our oldest granddaughter, Catherine, is ecstatic that we’ve returned home to our roots. Her fondest memories are Christmas Eve at Nana and Pepa’s house. And, at her special request, we’ll restart the family traditions this year.

One of those Texas Christmas traditions is reading The Night Before Christmas in Texas, That Is by Leon A. Harris, a children’s picture book that has entertained readers for more than forty years.

You’d recognize the familiar “Night Before Christmas” poem with a definite Texas spin. Santa’s all decked out in Levis, a ten-gallon Stetson, a cowboy vest, and a bandana around his neck. His faithful “hosses” pull his buckboard “sleigh” piled high with gifts and boot stocking stuffers.

As a child I spent hours listening to Gene Autry read the poem. That original 78 record is floating around in storage some place. We’ll have this YouTube version playing as we decorate.

Come Christmas Eve, we’ll munch on baked ham sandwiches on pumpernickel rye bread, homemade mustard potato salad, and cutout Christmas cookies. I’ll be the only one eating fruitcake, which is so sad but no one else in the family likes it.

There might be a plate of tamales too. It wouldn’t be Christmas without tamales, a true Texas tradition. Read all about it here.

In true homage to our German roots, some lucky child might find a pickle ornament hidden on the Christmas tree and gain good luck for the New Year. Learn about the Weihnachtsgurke legend here.

And before our holiday time together ends, you’re sure to hear.

Yes, Catherine, we are as excited as you are that we’re back home with all the wonderful, unique Christmas traditions of the Lone Star State.

See you on Christmas.

19 12, 2013

Christmas in Texas

By |2021-12-03T06:44:12-06:00December 19th, 2013|Holidays, one word Wednesday|0 Comments

Celebrating Christmas in Texas is different. No snow, no cold, and a few other traditions unique to the Lone Star State.

We’re excited to be where we have both snow and cold this year, but memories of our Texas Christmases linger.

A Christmas classic story to read was The Night Before Christmas in Texas, That Is by Leon A. Harris,  Based on the well-known “Night Before Christmas,” this tale with a definite Texas spin has entertained audiences for more than forty years.

From the inside cover flap: A Western Santa Claus-decked out in Levis, a ten-gallon Stetson, a cowboy vest, and with a bandana around his neck-makes his Christmas journey on a buckboard piled high with presents.  Swooping in over the prairie to the amazement of sleepy residents and jackrabbits alike, a plump, jovial Santa parks his buckboard outside a peaceful ranch house. From boot-stuffing gifts to the faithful “hosses” pulling his “sleigh,” this is a Christmas tale rich in Texas tradition.

Gene Autry recordGene Autry recorded the poem for Columbia Records in the 1940s or 50s. I have a copy of the original 78 record.

Take a listen to a later release:

These are some other Texas Christmas traditions we’ve brought to Colorado with us:

Hanging a pickle on the Christmas tree

Lining our sidewalk with Luminaries

Eating tamales on Christmas Eve

Christmas is next week. I’ll be taking a break to enjoy my family and friends.

Before I go, though…

You can take the gal out of Texas, but you can’t take Texas out of the gal.

While I’ll be celebrating Christ’s birth in the snowy woods of SW Colorado this year, I’ll be singing…

And that’s my wish for all of you — MERRY CHRISTMAS, Y’ALL! See you next year.

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