Christmas 1994 - Nutcracker

Mom gave me this nut-

cracker in 1994. I like his funny hat. Here's some infor-

mation on Nutcrackers from Wikipedia: "Nutcrackers in the form of wooden carvings of a soldier, knight, king, or other profession have existed since at least the 15th century. These nutcrackers portray a person with a large mouth which the operator opens by lifting a lever in the back of the figurine. Originally one could insert a nut in the big-toothed mouth, press down and thereby crack the nut. Modern nutcrackers in this style serve mostly for decoration, mainly at Christmas time."

Christmas 1994 - Joe and Dale

Here we are on Christmas Day at Aunt Shirley's apartment in Denver.

Christmas 1994 - Winter Greenery

Mom dated this photo 1994 and you can see the house on Stevens spruced up (pardon the pun) with some winter greenery.

Christmas 1994 - Christmas Eve in Denver

Here's Dale enjoying family, food, and friends at his cousin Dianne's house on Christmas Eve 1994. In the bottom picture Aunt Shirley is just over Dale's shoulder.

Christmas 1994 - Denver

For Christmas 1994 Dale's cousin Dianne flew us to Denver for Christmas Eve. It was wonderful to spend time with Dianne and Brenda and Irv. We also got to spend some time with Dale's aunt, Shirley. In this picture you can see Dale, Irv and me visiting with Shirley at her apartment. Brenda is, as is often the case, behind the camera. I'm glad we were able to make trip because, sadly, Shirley died the following year.

Christmas 1995 - Nutcracker

For a few years Mom gave us nut-crackers for Christmas. I'm particularly fond of this white one which she gave me in 1995. The following information is from Wikipedia: "The carving of nutcrackers - as well as of religious figures and of cribs - developed as a cottage industry in forested rural areas of Germany. Wood-carving usually provided the only income for the people living there. Today the travel industry supplements their income by bringing visitors to the remote areas."

Christmas 1995 - Sam, Becky, Maggie and Bear

Sam and Becky came home for Christmas in 1995 with their dogs Maggie (being held) and Bear.

Christmas 1996 - Grandpa Louie

Grandpa Louie died in early 1997 so the Christmas of 1996 was his last. I have fond memories of holidays with both him and Grandma Alice in Two Harbors and spending time in the bakery they owned together.

Christmas 1996 - The Ultra Lounge: Christmas Cocktails

Cocktail culture and lounge music made quite a comeback in the late 1990s and the Ultra Lounge series celebrated with Christmas Cocktails. This quirky collection, released in 1996, features a lot of great retro material with a couple of my favorites being Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Mambo by Billy May and Cha-Cha All the Way by the Capitol Studio Orchestra. For us, this one usually comes out right after Thanksgiving. I remember listening to it at the house on Pillsbury.

Christmas 1996 - The House on Pillsbury

Dale and I were in this house from August of 1996 to October of 1997. We only had one Christmas there but what a beautiful old house in which to have Christmas! We hosted our one and only holiday party here. Mom and Dad came with Christmas cookies in hand and were quite a hit with the guests.

Christmas 1996 - Rosemary Clooney White Christmas

Rosemary Clooney's White Christmas was released in 1996. I think I first saw the movie of the same name in which she starred with Bing Crosby about 10 years earlier. The film has become one of my all time favorite movies, Christmas-themed or otherwise, and this album has become one of my favorite recordings, Christmas or otherwise.

Christmas 1997 - Ericka As a Reindeer

Dale and I went to visit Dale's parents, Brenda & Irv, along with their friends, Kelly and his daughter Ericka, in Grand Junction, Colorado for Thanksgiving of 1997. Ericka was very excited to see us and wanted to show us something she had designed and made herself. She had a slight jump on the Christmas season and dressed up as an adorable little reindeer. Notice the hooves that are rubber banded to her hands and feet. Too cute...

Christmas 1997 - The Ultra Lounge: Christmas Cocktails Part 2

Part 2 of Christmas Cocktails from the Ultra Lounge series was released the year after Part 1 and it's just as kitschy. Favorites of mine include The Merriest by June Christy and Christmas Island by Bob Atcher & the Dinning Sisters.

Christmas 1997 - Ornament

I found this robot ornament while doing Christmas shopping in 1997. I liked the retro look.

Christmas 1997 - First Christmas In the New House

Dale and I purchased our first house in 1997. We moved in in late October so we made it in time for the upcoming Christmas season. The photo here shows Dale shoveling the front steps after a November snow (probably the first of 1997).

Christmas 1997 - My Friend Noel

My good friend Noel (How appro-

priate consid-

ering this is a Christmas blog, huh?! She pronounces it 'Nole'.) and I have been friends for just a couple years shy of two decades. We have a lot in common, as most friends do, not the least of which is a big affinity for Christmas. We love decorating for the holiday and start peeling our eyes for tchotchkes and ornaments sometime in November. Pictured is a Christmas card she sent to Dale and me in 1997. I've noticed over the past 5 years or so that people seem to be sending fewer Christmas cards through the mail. I'm sure it has something to do with the cost. Noel now sends hers electronically

which I've been doing more of as well.

Christmas 1998 Part 3

Christmas 1998 - Ornament

As kids, Sam, Pete and I alway got a Christmas ornament in our shoes for St. Nicholas Day. St. Nicholas Day falls on December 6th so on December 5th, just before bedtime, we'd always leave one of our shoes in the dining room. Good St. Nick always left an ornament. By the time I left home in 1990 I had quite a collection. Mom continued to buy us ornaments from time to time after we left home but we'd get them for Christmas presents and not on St. Nicholas Day. The ornament shown is based on a design by Frank Lloyd Wright. On the box I wrote "1998" so that's the year Mom gave it to me for Christmas. I have lots of other ornaments from her where I didn't note what year it came from so I'm not sure why I did for this particular ornament. Anyway, I hang it on my tree every year and I like how it picks up the light from the tree lights.

Christmas 1998 - Christmas Cash

Grandma Alice sent money in these Christmas card "wallets" similar to the one shown here every year. The portrait of the president on the money would appear through the oval at the bottom of the card. Only her name (and not Grandpa Louis's) is signed on this card. Grandpa died in 1997 and Grandma Alice's last Christmas was 1999, so this one is probably from 1998. I remember when I was much younger Sam and I would walk to the bank on Nicollet Avenue to deposit our money that we had received from our grandparents. One year shortly after Christmas Day I remember the bank teller told me that she was impressed how many kids were coming in to deposit what was obviously their Christmas cash.

Christmas 1999 - Grandma Alice

Sadly, Christmas 1999 was Grandma Alice's last. I have many fond memories of her including those early Christmases I spent with her and Grandpa Louie up in Two Harbors.

Christmas 1999 - The Guys

The Guys.

Christmas

1999.

From left:

Dad, Pete,

Dale, Joe

Sam

Christmas 1999 - Joe, Pete, Sam

Joe, Pete, Sam.

Christmas 1999.

Christmas 1999 - Dad, Pete, Mom, Joe, Sam

I think 1999 was the last time the five of us were together at Christ-

mas.

From left: Dad, Pete, Mom, Joe, Sam

Christmas 1999 - Joe and Dale

Joe and Dale celebrating Christmas 1999 at Mom and Dad's house.

Christmas 2000 - Dad and Uncle Dale

Uncle Dale, my dad's brother, spent Christmas Eve with us between the years 2000 and 2006. I spent my first five or six Christmases with him at Grandpa Louie and Grandma Alice's house in Two Harbors. He continued to spend Christmas with them until Grandma Alice died in early 2000. Dad died in early 2007. He always brought interesting gifts like commemorative plates, Reader's Digest condensed books and sometimes even lottery tickets.

Christmas 2000 - Mom

Here's Mom sitting down and relaxing with a glass of wine just before opening Christmas presents on Christmas Eve. For many years she has been the one behind the scenes helping to orchestrate such wonderful Christmas celebrations that have turned into such wonderful Christmas memories. Thanks Mom!

(Pete's cat, named Sam, is pictured on Mom's lap.)

Christmas 2000 - Dad

This is one of the last pictures I have of Dad at Christmas time. I miss him.

Christmas 2000 - Dale & Joe

Dale and Joe toasting Christmas 2000 at Mom and Dad's house.