So we went to Mississippi.
And I don’t even know where to start, so I think I’ll just go with chronology. It’s not nearly as ambitious in terms of narrative structure, but it’s functional - which is about as much as my brain can handle right now.
We got to Mama and Daddy’s house yesterday afternoon, and Alex immediately started demanding things like Coke and Little Debbies and injections of sugar straight into his molars. But since it was the first time I’d been to Mama’s house during this particular holiday season, I chose to ignore my offspring (MOTHER! OF! THE! YEAR!) and take pictures of Mama’s Christmas decorations.
Now I know that the Christmas Tour was a couple of weeks ago, but I have to show you two things:
This is her tree. Sister decorated this year, and I honestly don’t think I’ve ever seen a prettier Christmas tree. I took many photos from various angles so that I can try to replicate the effect next year. (Of course, I’m kidding myself by thinking that I can in fact replicate it, because we all know that when next Christmas rolls around I’ll just stand in front of my blank tree, staring and trembling, and then I’ll end up calling Mama and Sister to ask them what to do.)
But pretend world is fun so indulge me.
This next picture is the most Southern Christmas decoration I’ve ever seen:
It’s on the light fixture in Mama and Daddy’s breakfast room, and I know that all you Southern girls just experienced a mild fluttering sensation in your hearts at the sight of all that mismatched antique silverware. And it’s perfectly fine if you think that it’s the cutest thing you’ve ever seen, cuter than your own children, in fact. Because I love Alex and all, but he wouldn’t look nearly this good hanging from garland.
Here’s an obligatory picture of the child emerging from one of Mama’s voluminous bedskirts:
It should be no surprise that the bedskirt is pink. It should be a surprise that the bedskirt is not floral or toile, because I believe that there are four items in Mama’s house that are neither floral nor toile, but all of those four items are pink, because she is nothing if not consistent in her decorative scheme.
Oh! While I was there, I happened across an old picture of me with Santa when I was the age that Alex is now:
And then I happened across a picture of Sister when she was close to the same age:
Are we a bunch of genetically freaky clone people or WHAT?
My, this all must be absolutely riveting to read. Picture me jostling you awake now.
And oh my word I have to go to bed as it is now almost 11:00 and I haven’t even gotten to the part where we went to Martha and Sissie’s to exchange presents, much less the part where D’s best friend Todd brought his girlfriend (who is adorable) to meet us today and subjected her to lunch with my parents as well as TWO visits with Martha and Sissie, and seeing as how she’s from Minnesota and all, she must have thought she had been dropped straight into some Southern Gothic novel gone all wrong, gone all terribly, terribly wrong.
But here’s a picture of Alex with the first present Martha gave him last night:
It’s a stuffed lion. That sings “What’s New, Pussycat” when you press its paw.
And Tom Jones is very, very proud.
See y’all tomorrow.
Tammy and Parker says:
I’d like to know if you are the older or the younger sister…….and who your little boy got those amazing blue eyes from.
It looked like you had a wonderful visit!
December 28th, 2006 at 11:35 pm
SWEETY says:
I am absolutely loving the silver on the chandelier- You know I live in MS too, so I’ll definitely be copying that next year- Us Mississippians can get away with crazy things like that! Right?
December 28th, 2006 at 11:40 pm
Big Mama says:
It’s like three carbon copies.
And that Santa looks a little whacked.
December 28th, 2006 at 11:56 pm
Melanie says:
You just can’t have a Southern Christmas without photos of people and gifts on a floral sofa.
It just isn’t done.
December 29th, 2006 at 3:17 am
Heather says:
I.LOVE.THE.SILVERWARE.
I need permission to snag that photo, seriously. I know someone who would fall over from excitement from seeing it!
Ill trade you my billybass the singing fish (That must never have batteries ever again) for said lion… please :)
-H
December 29th, 2006 at 6:49 am
cassie-b says:
Thanks for the walk through your Christmas celebration. I love the pictures, and would just love to see your Mother’s house.
I lived in South Carolina for 10 years and just loved it there.
December 29th, 2006 at 6:51 am
Robin says:
I do believe I may be trying to replicate that tree and uber cute thingy on the light fixture as well next year.
Can’t wait to see/read the rest!!! Enjoy your weekend.
December 29th, 2006 at 7:25 am
Debbie from South Georgia says:
Being from South Georgia, I LOOOOVVVEEE the silverware arrangement!
I have old silverware in the form of wind chimes in my backyard, I hadn’t thought of using them for Christmas decorations! Next Year though…..
Ah the South, gotta love it!
December 29th, 2006 at 8:10 am
Roxanne says:
Speaking of freakishly genetic. . .we must all have some of the same blood coursing through our veins to love silverware so much–maybe it has to do with the Confederacy and the imminent threat of Yankee takeover ingrained in our souls that makes of love our portable, lovely, sturdy, cash in hand (or hanging from the breakfast room light fixture) silverware.
I, myself, have a fork handle of my Oneida pattern as a key chain–it is “Dover” and I’ve had it for about 13 years now dangling away. It still looks wonderful. Love the trip down memory lane with you and am D.Y.I.N.G. to hear the rest about Martha and Sissie.
December 29th, 2006 at 8:37 am
BooMama says:
Hey Big Mama M.S. - I cropped the photo of Santa and me so that y’all couldn’t see his missing finger. Apparently Santa had a bit of an accident in the workshop. At least I think that’s what my daddy told me at the time.
Tammy - I’m the younger sister. And Alex actually looks more like Sister than he looks like me.
Heather - Of course you can snag the picture. Let me know what your friend thinks.
December 29th, 2006 at 8:54 am
His Singer says:
OK, being more than a bit on the Interior Decorative Challenged side, I must admit to being ignorant of two, count ‘em, two things.
1. What WAS that at the top of the tree?
2. Whilie I adore antique silverware (see my silverware drawer), I do not understand its use in the decorative capacity.
And…
B. What is toile?
Just sign me:
Hopelessly Ignorant
December 29th, 2006 at 9:13 am
Barb says:
That silverware hanging from that light fixture is the funniest thing I have EVER seen. Ever. Ever. Since you’re practically the funniest person I’ve ever read, I’m pretty sure you’re a chip off the old block, Boo Mama. This stuff is obviously hidden in the DNA.
Happy New Year to you and your guys!
December 29th, 2006 at 9:50 am
Rocks in my Dryer says:
Oooo, speaking of southern decorations, you just reminded me–a friend of mine from the Louisiana delta decorates a little mini Christmas tree every year with cotton tied with red ribbon (I don’t mean cotton balls, I mean actual tufts of REAL cotton, plucked straight off the…off the…off whatever it is cotton grows on. Stalks?) Anyway, it’s a cute nod to her family’s cotton-growing heritage.
December 29th, 2006 at 10:10 am
dawn says:
I love your descriptions of your “southernness”. I’m originally from Minnesota, but lived in Arkansas. I can only imagine the young lady’s culture shock. Fun stuff!
I truly think you ought to try out for the Funniest Mother contest they’re having on some tv station, I can’t remember which. You are so funny in wuch a good way.
December 29th, 2006 at 10:27 am
s@bd says:
dude … silverware?
Well colour me not from the south.
December 29th, 2006 at 12:24 pm
chickadee says:
one year i decorated a tiny tree in my kitchen with tin cookie cutters and measuring spoons. it was very cute.
in your picture with santa i noticed that back then santa seemed to have more beard and less tummy.
enjoyed all the photos.
December 29th, 2006 at 12:50 pm
Linda says:
Being a MS gal myself….I have never seen silverware used in a decoration like that! What a cute idea. My aunt would go crazy over that. hee hee
Linda
December 29th, 2006 at 1:10 pm
Southern Girl says:
Oh my, I will absolutely have to show that silverware decoration to my mother. Rest assured, next Christmas there will be mismatched silverware (the only kind we have!) hanging from some light in our house. ;)
December 29th, 2006 at 1:17 pm
Diane J. says:
Yep, those are some powerful family genes y’all got goin’ on there. Y’all’s nuts don’t fall far from the tree, do they? ;-)
Your Mama’s tree is gorgeous. Sister did a great job on it. Nashville isn’t really all that far from Bay, Arkanasas. Wonder if Sister would want to ply her services here next Christmas?
And floral and toile is good compared to hoarding. My Mama’s Mama was a hoarder. You could barely get through her house for all the STUFF, and then you had to turn sideways in places. It took 10 minutes to unload the bed every night before you could go to bed. Pillows, dolls, stuffed animals, Oh My!
Can’t wait to read the next installment in your Visit To Mama’s Series. :-)
December 29th, 2006 at 1:26 pm
jen says:
cute photo of you with Santa
that lion looks very cool
LOL hope it doesnt drive you up the wall though
December 29th, 2006 at 2:20 pm
Lisa says:
I am a new reader to your blog- found you thru Antique Mommy. I lived in Meridian for 4 1/2 years while I was in the NAVY. I have the best friends ever still there so I go back to visit about once a year. We have actually bought a home in Meridian and are planning on moving there next year (from Orlando). I just love your blog and I am busy reading thru your old posts!
December 29th, 2006 at 2:24 pm
Susanne says:
That tree is absolutely gorgeous! What does she have at the top of it? And being north of the border it took me a minute to realize that that was silverware hanging off the chandelier! You might have to explain the southern thing about that one to us northerners! :vD
December 29th, 2006 at 3:35 pm
Kelli says:
The silverware makes me homesick.
Well- have to run to Part II-
I’m all a-dither!
December 30th, 2006 at 4:08 pm