Seasoned With Style: November 2010

The Story of Mistletoe Reindeer

Now that Thanksgiving is over and Christmas is upon us, I look forward to getting out all of my Christmas decorations.

One holiday staple in my house is “Mistletoe Reindeer.” Mistletoe Reindeer has lived in my grandmother’s house in Newport, Arkansas; at my parents’ house in Kennett, MO; in the counselor’s office at my high school; in my dorm room at college; in my apartment at college; and now at my apartment in St. Louis. The story of Mistletoe Reindeer is a simple one.

One year around Christmas time, my family was visiting my grandmother in Arkansas. She proudly presented us with a hideous reindeer head made out of a sock. It had a mouth, eyes, and even eye lashes. I can’t remember if she had made it herself, or actually purchased it. Either way, she wasted her time and/or money. As my mom gasped at the gaudy thing before us, my dad explained that this “thing” would not be coming home with us. End of story. Somehow the reindeer ended up in the car with us and made its way to our house. There, my dad threatened to throw it in the trash. I saved it from an untimely death and kept it for the next several years.

I worked in the counselor’s office during high school and one year I decided to bring the ugly reindeer to decorate the office with. We ended up hanging it from the ceiling. This is where the reindeer got the name, Mistletoe Reindeer. Mistletoe Reindeer spent two years receiving attention in the counselor’s office during the holidays. I had to sneak it back into the house each time so that my dad didn’t see it. He refused to have it in his house.

When I left for college, I had Mistletoe Reindeer in tow. This is where my reindeer spent 4 fabulous years bringing Christmas joy to all who laid eyes on her. My dad refused to let it back into his house so it has remained with me through the years. It is now one of my favorite Christmas decorations.

Mistletoe Reindeer continues to spread Christmas cheer even today, much to my dad’s disappointment.

3:47 PM
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Continuing Education

1904 World's Fair

After being out of the classroom scene for a while, I realized I actually missed being in a learning environment. Recently I’ve been taking some continuing education classes (or non credit) at St. Louis Community College to get my learning fix.

After loving my ballet class my last semester at Missouri State, I signed up for a ballet class in St. Louis. This lead to me becoming a regular student at ADIVA Dance for almost three years now.

My mother and I signed up for a Saturday class about the 1904 World’s Fair not too long ago. This ended up being a day of traipsing through Forest Park with strangers while listening to cassette tapes explaining when and where events took place. The day ended with a 1904 World’s Fair feast including ice cream cones, iced tea, and hot dogs; all of which were invented at the 1904 World’s Fair. This class kept my interest for most of the day. Did you realize that Forest Park used to house 1000’s of buildings but were demolished after the fair was over? Insane!

Last month I took at class on haunted castles in Ireland. Because I can’t turn down a good ghost story, I knew I had to take this class. I learned that I want to visit Ireland and that I want to stay the night in a haunted castle.

My most recent STLCC experience involved a class about Christmas during the Civil War. I love history and most importantly I love learning about the Civil War. I think watching Gone With The Wind at an early age sparked this interest. My mother was originally going to take this class with me, but I ended up going alone.

So on a cold, rainy night in November, I wandered through the Meramec campus of STLCC, pepper spray in hand (just in case), and tried to fit in as a student who knew where they were going. I was headed to a science building so I wouldn’t fit in for long. Science and I never got along. Once I was in the “Science West” building, I was beginning to think I would never find my classroom when I saw a room filled with older adults with their eyes fixed on a 70-something-year-old man dressed in a Civil War (Union) uniform. Great. This must be it.

I cautiously made my way into the classroom where I signed in, took my information packet, and made my way to the desk in the very back on the room, all while trying not to hit people in the side with my giant oversized purse. I quickly realized I was the youngest one in the room by a good 30 years. As the “instructor” rambled on about the Civil War (all of this information I either already knew or could easily read about on the internet), I was thankful for the grande peppermint mocha I had previously consumed that afternoon; without it I would have no doubt fallen asleep. While the “Union Officer” was a very sweet, knowledgeable man, he was also very boring. He didn’t really start talking about Christmas during the Civil War until almost 45 minutes in. The other adults in the room seemed mesmerized and hung on his every word. It must be a generational thing. I doodled in my notebook for what seemed like forever, sketching a detailed drawing of the Civil War soldier before me. After an hour we were dismissed for a short break, after which we would resume for another hour. Unfortunately I couldn’t take it anymore and dismissed myself from the building.

While I miss the hustle and bustle of the college campus, I do not miss the boring lectures. At least I didn’t have to take a test on it afterwards.

3:14 PM
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Thanksgiving

Family

With everyone getting ready for Christmas already, I feel like poor Thanksgiving gets ignored. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays for several reasons.

Of course one reason is the food. Years ago my family would go down to Newport, AR to have Thanksgiving at my mother’s Uncle “Hobo’s” house (I forget why he was called “Hobo.” His real name was Bill). Uncle Hobo had an entire building behind his house just for food gatherings. There was always more than enough food, and more than enough people I may or may not know. When the meal was finished and everyone grabbed their plates, Uncle Hobo would sit off to the side and watch everyone. After preparing such a feast all he wanted to do was rest. I remember the organized chaos of that day; with everyone running around and talking over each other. These days Thanksgiving is a little less theatrical. My mother prepares Thanksgiving food now and more often than not, it’s just my parents, brother, and Jason and I.

For me, Thanksgiving is like the calm before the storm. It’s the last day before the holiday season officially kicks off. It’s the last day you can get away with not having any Christmas gifts bought yet. After Thanksgiving is over, you’re expected to have started your Christmas shopping or even be close to being finished. This is another reason I like Thanksgiving; a last good meal before you run yourself ragged getting ready for Christmas.

I don’t think we should wait until Thanksgiving to think about what we’re thankful for. Over the past couple of years, I’ve found myself having pity parties almost daily. I had to stop and realize all that I really did have to be thankful for. I try to remember everyday how blessed I truly am. Thankfulness is another reason I love Thanksgiving.

Every year, before I get the Christmas decorations out, I try to devote at least a couple of weeks to Thanksgiving by putting my Thanksgiving decorations out. There aren’t a lot of them and they usually don’t stay long, but I want them to at least see the light of day. This will probably be their last week on display.

11:00 AM
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The Wizard of Oz

Wizard of Oz

I don’t remember the first time I ever saw The Wizard of Oz. It must have been when I was very young because for as long as I can remember, I thought I was Dorothy.

I remember my mother making me a “Dorothy dress” when I was little. I wore the blue and white gingham dress everywhere. And I do mean every where. I wore the dress to the store, to church, to play in, everywhere. When I outgrew that dress, my mother made me another one a size bigger. This dress got as much attention as the first and was eventually accessorized with red shoes and a basket purse with a stuffed dog inside. I was never Dorothy for Halloween because I was Dorothy all year round.

To make things even better, my grandmother’s name was Dorothy. So when she bought a Yorkie puppy one summer and offered to let me name it, she should have known what was going to happen next. Yes my grandmother, Dorothy, had a dog for seventeen years named Toto.

I watched The Wizard of Oz so much that I completely wore out several VHS tapes. I could watch it over and over. I would sing along with the songs and dance with the music. The Emerald City was the most beautiful place I had ever seen. The Emerald City make-over scene was one of my favorite parts. Dorothy’s house landing in Munchkin Land was too exciting to comprehend. This is also probably where my fascination with tornadoes came from. And I am still to this day, a big Judy Garland fan (although her best work will always be playing Dorothy).

I wanted to follow the yellow brick road and hang out with the Scarecrow, Tinman, and Cowardly Lion. I wanted to be somewhere over the rainbow. But as I grew up, I realized that I was not Dorothy, that I would never visit Oz, and that the characters from my favorite movie were just that; characters.

It was around this time that my Wizard of Oz collection took flight. Through the years, I’ve acquired many, many items. Because I live in a small apartment, most of them are crammed into a tiny cabinet with glass doors. This at least keeps them dust free. I hope to eventually have a better place to display these items.

I still watch it when it comes on TV. I even own a collectors edition DVD. Even though I know I’m not Dorothy, I still like to pretend sometimes......