There seem to be so many Christmas traditions and memories of my childhood, where do I start?
We always went to my grandmother’s. My dad’s family was big. He had 4 brothers and 1 sister and each of them except his sister all had children themselves. So it didn't take much of an imagination to figure we'd be all over my grandmother's house with our Christmas celebration.
We always went to my grandmother’s. My dad’s family was big. He had 4 brothers and 1 sister and each of them except his sister all had children themselves. So it didn't take much of an imagination to figure we'd be all over my grandmother's house with our Christmas celebration.
The women helped in the kitchen to finalize the finishing touches of the holiday meal while the men would talk and the children played. When the meal was ready, it would be served near the old wood burning stove that heated the basement. It emitted the coziest feeling I could imagine then. To this day, everything still pales in comparison to the gentle warmth and that special feeling that basement held.
Today, we often cut corners. During my grandmother's childhood, everything was homemade. NOTHING WAS STORE-BOUGHT. The food, the decorations, the tree dragged home over snow-covered fields and decorated with angels and paper chain all took effort. Love enriched her childhood experience.
Today, we often cut corners. During my grandmother's childhood, everything was homemade. NOTHING WAS STORE-BOUGHT. The food, the decorations, the tree dragged home over snow-covered fields and decorated with angels and paper chain all took effort. Love enriched her childhood experience.
As the years passed and she has gotten older, she longed for a tree of her childhood. The grandchildren now come together to decorate her home and this year, a tree that fits that description was a must. My family has chosen to contribute oranges to the "old time" tree. I have heard that during World War II, finding an orange in your stocking could be a delicious and rare treat. Economically, I understand that oranges were not available to use as ornaments for some poorer farm families, like my grandmother's. However, in the spirit of using whatever is available to create a beautiful tree, we will be using oranges. Sometimes the simple joy of an old-fashioned Christmas doesn't have to be a complicated affair.
Dried Orange Ornaments
Things You'll Need
- Oranges
- Sharp Knife
- Decorative Box - we used the empty box from A Wilton Cookie Cutter 4 piece set
- Festive Stamp
- Ink Pad
- Scissors
- Twine, String or Ribbon -We used 2 mm Jute
- All Purpose Labels
- Packing Paper or Brown Paper Bag
- Mod Podge (or glue & glitter optional)
Instructions
1. Slice an orange into ¼-inch slices with a sharp knife. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place orange slices on cookie pan or pizza pan, then place into pre-heated oven.
3. Set oven timer for 6 hours and place pan in oven.
4. Check on the orange slices periodically and flip them when the edges begin to curl up. Time may vary depending on thickness. These oranges were rotated after 3 hours. After six hours, remove the cookie sheet from the oven and allow the orange slices to cool.
5. Use scissors to puncture a hole near the rind.
6. Measure twine (ribbon etc.) to desired length. Make sure to leave enough room for larger tree branches and thread through cut hole.
7. Carefully place in decorative box.
8. Use a festive stamp to stamp on an all-purpose label. Affix to decorative box.
9. Wrap with packing paper and tie with twine (ribbon, string, etc.)
Optional: Use glue and glitter or Mod Podge to paint a decorative orange slice. Affix it to wrapped package.
