Opening lines: Oh, Christmas tree!

When we started planning our December issue, we spent a lot of time sharing stories of our own families' holiday traditions and memories that we cherish. In the food pages this month's issue, three of our Test Kitchen members share the stories of favourite fruitcake recipes that have been passed down through their families. In Reader' Stories, readers offer memories of sharing, not only at Christmas time, but also throughout the year. Continued below, staff members share treasured memories (some poignant, others humorous) and new traditions.

As we go into the holiday season, may the spirit of Christmas be in your heart and may all of your wishes come true.

Merry Christmas from the Canadian Living family to yours.

Until next month.

 – Susan Antonacci
susan@canadianliving.com


Each year my husband and I buy a new ornament that symbolizes the preceding 365 days. Our ornament box is like sedimentary rock, with layer upon layer of our 15-year history. There's the sappy glass heart (our first Christmas together), the Buddhist monk (the year we taught English in Japan), a handstitched house (the year we were so broke we stayed home all the time) and many more. Reminiscing over each trinket as it comes out of the box is a Christmas ritual I cherish.
Christina Anson Mine

My fondest Christmas memories from my childhood in rural Germany always include a squat little Christmas tree perched atop the marble-topped table in a corner of our living room. Sparkling with silver ornaments and decked out with real white candles, it was a vision of elegance. When night fell and the candles were lit, it became sublime. Its twinkling flames danced and reflected in the ornaments and shimmered on the walls, making that little tannenbaum glow with joy and beauty on cold winter nights.
Michael Erb

I have a Santa Claus ornament that was my grandma's that my mom was going to throw out last year because it was looking really rough. Santa's beard was dirty, his hat was torn, his plastic belt was ripped and he was missing a boot. "I can't believe you were going to throw Santa in the trash!" I said to her. I fixed him up, gently cleaning his beard with baby shampoo, making a new felt hat, creating a real leather belt out of an old purse, and "borrowing" a boot from one of my son's old action figures. My wish is that my ornament is a symbol to all of us who find ourselves, for whatever reason, not in the best shape this year. I hope for a better 2010.
Donna Paris

My favourite decoration is a craft I made when I was about five years old. His name is Mr. Peanut. He may have a shell for a body, pipe cleaners for arms and legs, and an ink-drawn face, but he's decked out for the holidays in his felt Santa hat and always given prime position on the tree.
Wendy Graves

As Christmas approaches, I find myself dreading the day we trim the tree. However, after what seems like hours, the tree is set up and the darn lights are finally aglow, and I can sit back and watch the kids take out all the ornaments of Christmases past. "This is my Spidey one, I got it the year I thought I was Spider-Man"; "Look at my ballerina one, remember when I took ballet lessons?"; "Ahh, the baby in the bassinet is cute – is this one from the year I was born, Mommy?" Memories in the making – and to think I was dreading this!
Teresa Sousa

We used to heap silver tinsel on our tree, but the glittery strands inevitably appeared on various unexpected surfaces – dogs, wineglasses, elderly relatives – so now we make do without.
James Doyle

My auntie Deby Bernstein used to make little Judah Maccabees for Hanukkah. She used a clementine as the body, mini-marshmallows affixed with toothpicks as legs, and a marshmallow for the head. She painted a face using toothpicks dipped in food colouring. This was a fun tradition my sisters and I looked forward to.
Adell Shneer

We decorate our tree with a jumble of ornaments we've collected over the years. Each one represents a bit of family history, from the antique glass ornaments that once adorned my mum's family tree to the "X" ornaments I bought at university to the tiny star, covered in glitter, that my sister made in kindergarten. Hanging up those ornaments, and recalling all the family stories that go along with them, is my favourite part of Christmas.
Austen Gilliland