When I was a kid we would go out sometime in November to the tree farm to search out the perfect Christmas tree. We’d bundle up and trudge through the acres of trees searching for the best of the best.
We’d weave in and out and all around those huge, beautiful smelling trees that just screamed Christmas and started that holiday feeling deep inside your tummy.
One of us would find a potential candidate and mom would walk around it, step back and look at it from all angles. It couldn’t be too round; just round enough, she wanted it to be tall, but still have enough room for the angel at the top. It needed to be full with as few noticeable holes as possible. She was pretty darn picky, but of course this was a very important decision. Finally after what seemed a gazillion trees she finally approves of the one and only that will be absolutely perfect in the living room.
Dad would flag that amazing fir with a bright colored strip of cloth and it was marked for our family for that year. Then with my fingers crossed that we’d remember where that tree was when it was time to cut down, we headed home for hot cocoa and a treat.
A few weeks and several snow falls later, we’d be bundled up once again and heading back to the tree farm. Wrapped up tightly in our long underwear, snow pants, boots, warm hats & gloves and a thick scarf wrapped around our necks and faces, we fell out of the car laughing and giggling with excitement and filled with Christmas joy. The snow was was soft and absolutely perfect for snowballs, so of course I had to throw one at my brother, what would winter be if I couldn’t lob a ball of wet sloppy stuff at that little pain in the neck.
As he heads out into the acres, dad was armed with a saw and hatchet with a sharp shiny edge, ready to do battle with the branches and trunk of that tree, the rest of us following behind to cheer him on.
As I look around I see dozens of bright colored strips cloth fluttering in the wind. How is he ever going to know which one is ours? Does he remember what color we used? What if he forgot? Mom’s perfect tree will never be located.
But my dad walks in a direction with the confidence of a lumberjack, mom is alongside directing with ease as to where our desired location is. We walk for what seems like hours and miles, around the brush, past the other color flags and crawl over the fallen tree ( that I don’t remember from before ). I asked mom if we already walked this way and she assures me we will find the tree.
Just as I think we are going to be lost forever in this forest of green, we round a pile of bushes and there it is standing in all it’s glory with a beam of sunshine shining down on it. Our glorious Christmas tree was still waiting for us to claim it and give it a new home.
Dad tells us to go play in the snow while mom holds the tree so he can cut it down. Mike finds a section of snow that hasn’t been walked on so we fall on our backs and make snow angels.
Mom and dad get that tree cut down and we all grab on to help him pull it to the car. The walk seems a lot longer when you’re pulling a ” gigantic ” tree. Dad get’s it tied to the roof of the Buick and off we go. Once we get it home, it has to stand in the garage for a few days so the snow will melt off and drip on the Livingroom carpet. Then is the big day to decorate.
Themes would rotate I remember red and gold, one year was blue and silver ( that was the only year, dad was sick that year so mom never wanted that again ), for many years we had homemade beaded ornaments. Mom and I spent months with the Styrofoam bases and putting in sequins and beads. They were beautiful and so festive. I still have those ornaments, they need to be refreshed and perked up, but hopefully in my free time I can do that.
After Mike and I moved out, Mom and dad went with a much more formal, delicate tree with just gold and white lights. I like this version so much better, more sophisticated and peaceful.
This meal is one of my absolute favorites every time I go home, it is a standing order. Mom’s BEEF STROGANOF is different as she uses tomato paste and sour cream and always has extra gravy.
BEEF STROGANOF
1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup oil
2 lbs beef stew meat, cut in 1″ cubes
3 tbl flour
2 15.5 oz cans beef broth
2 cups water, more if needed
2 tsp Accent
1/2 can tomato paste
1 tbl Worcestershire sauce
1 cup sour cream
Salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste
In a deep skillet, saute meat in oil until no longer pink, Season with Accent, add onions and garlic and saute another 5 minutes until browned, taking care not to burn the onions and garlic. Sprinkle the flour over it all and blend it well, let cook 2-3 minutes, stirring often so the flour doesn’t burn.
Stir in the tomato paste and blend in well. Add beef broth, water and Worcestershire Sauce and season to taste. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook until meat is tender. Add additional water as needed.
Stir in sour cream and serve over buttered noodles or rice.
Go Ahead….” Just Try It! ”
