When I was a kid, I loved the way my mom decorated our home for Christmas. When those boxes of decorations would come out from the space underneath the stairs, I would get so excited. My mom would put Nat King Cole’s Christmas classics in the CD player and we would get to work setting everything up.
So many of our decorations were unique, too. My mom made 5 cotton snowmen that sat on our mantle that were supposed to resemble my parents, my 2 brothers and me. When I was about 8 or 9, I noticed that mine was so much smaller than all the others and I asked her about it. There was a pause and then she proceeded to explain to me that originally, there were only 4. You see, I was born almost 9 years after my brother Mike and my mom said that when I was born, she took a bit of cotton from all the other snowmen to make me. I loved that story and even asked her to repeat it on several occasions. I can still hear myself asking her, “Why is “snowman me” so small, mom?”
So many of our decorations were unique, too. My mom made 5 cotton snowmen that sat on our mantle that were supposed to resemble my parents, my 2 brothers and me. When I was about 8 or 9, I noticed that mine was so much smaller than all the others and I asked her about it. There was a pause and then she proceeded to explain to me that originally, there were only 4. You see, I was born almost 9 years after my brother Mike and my mom said that when I was born, she took a bit of cotton from all the other snowmen to make me. I loved that story and even asked her to repeat it on several occasions. I can still hear myself asking her, “Why is “snowman me” so small, mom?”
Not all of my mom’s crafty family creations were a hit though. One year, she made versions of the 5 of us as Christmas carolers. She took these 2x4’s, cut them in half, drew faces on them, dressed them up in winter clothing and some of us were even holding real sheet music.
Even when I was in my early 20’s, she was still going full force with the decorations and spoiling us with gifts but I noticed that she would never spend money on herself. For my mother it was considered sacrilege to pay full price on something for herself. She had more clothes than anyone I’ve ever met but if you think she paid full price for even one sock, you’re mistaken.
My favorite example of her discount clothing was her Wu-Tang Clan sweatshirt. My mom was many things but she most definitely was not a Wu-Tang Clan fan. I used to joke with her about it but she kept wearing it, especially around the holidays. I think she simply liked it because it was warm and it was green and by buying that sweatshirt, it allowed her to have a little more money to buy things for her family which to her was the most important thing in the world.
My favorite example of her discount clothing was her Wu-Tang Clan sweatshirt. My mom was many things but she most definitely was not a Wu-Tang Clan fan. I used to joke with her about it but she kept wearing it, especially around the holidays. I think she simply liked it because it was warm and it was green and by buying that sweatshirt, it allowed her to have a little more money to buy things for her family which to her was the most important thing in the world.
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