Christmas on Main-Memories

I always get giddy when my husband decides takes the route down Main Street on the way home. Ive always liked the look of the old buildings and fancy street lights. A lot has changed through the years. Some of the buildings have been torn down and replaced by parks or pavilions.

Christmas time down Main Street always brings back memories of the 70's. We lived in Belmont. Thanksgiving night was the night the town of Gastonia turned on the Christmas lights. Gastonia was about ten miles away. It was such a big deal. We piled up in dads Oldsmobile Station Wagon and headed up to Main Street. Its a small town with barely a quarter mile stretch, but as kid, it was ten miles long. The lights were strung across one side to the other. With the radio playing Christmas songs, cars would drive slow bumper to bumper. It was a big deal riding through the tunnel of lights. The cars would be full of kids with their heads hanging out of every window with smiles and wondering eyes. 

The town still decorates for Christmas but its not the same. Its sort of sad how the simple joys just dissapear as the world changes. I found a photo of the town at Christmas from the 50's. I was not there but it looked the same in the 70's except for the old cars of course. I had to pull out my cell phone and snap a photo from the same corner as the vintage photo was taken. 

Looks like they kept the tradition for quite a while. By the 80's, its all started trickling away. It takes a lot more now days to impress a child. Oh how I miss those simple days. 

THEN (daytime).

NOW (daytime)

 

Cold walk and Mistletoe

I slept in this morning. I didnt get up until 8:00. Im usually wide awake at 6:30 and will lay around until my fitbit alerts me to get up at 7:00 to go to work. Saturdays I try to sleep in but it usually never happens. My body seems to have its own clock..

When I got up this morning it was 31 degrees outside. I dont like to go outside if the temperature is below my age. I popped some english muffins in the toaster, poured a cup of coffee and snuggled up to my iPad for some reading and writing. 

After breakfast I did some laundry and walked a mile on the treadmill that we ended up pulling out of storage last week. Boring!!! 

I sat back down to another cup of coffee when I suddenly got an idea. I asked Nick if he would like to bundle up and take a walk up the road. "I know where some mistletoe is on a tree along side of the road". Ive had my eye on it all week as I drive by it each morning on the way to work. Im sure its within reach and would love to have some. 

He never turns down a walk so we bundled up and headed up the road. 

The tree was just two blocks away but before we stopped for the mistletoe, I suggested we go ahead and gets some miles in since I was warmed up a little. We ended up walking three miles. On the way home, we stopped at the tree. "Right there. You see it? Mistletoe!

  

It was a little far from reach but Nick was able to pull the limb down just enough for me to jump up, hang on and grab it off.

 

It was a nice bundle but no berries. There are no berries because its not been cold enough. Its also odd to find it growing low. 

 

It now hangs in the doorway of the living room. 

And for the record, Ive aready tried it out and it works.