A couple of weeks ago I was invited to the Four Seasons Toronto's seasonal customer appreciation party. Along with an open bar and passed hors d'oeuvres there were cookie decorating stations set up. Geat fun! We were supplied with "blank" gingerbread men, snowmen and Christmas trees and all the "toppings": coloured icings in squeezable containters, sprinkles, gum drops, mini M&M's....
The hotel also provided beautiful boxes in which to carry home our creations. As I was carefully placing mine on the red and white shredded tissue paper I realized - with a start - that I had re-created my mother's Christmas tree: all blue and green.
I hadn't done it on purpose.
After Mom died, when we were cleaning out the house at 401 Elmwood, without a second thought I added the box marked "Christmas decorations" to the items that were to be sold at auction, grimly declaring: "There won't be any more Christmases."
Ha! In the decade since I've had to accept (kind of like the Grinch) that you can't stop Christmas. It's all-pervasive, even after your childhood traditions have ceased, and the blue and green Christmas decorations are long gone.
That said, I really liked seeing Mom's tree again.
