Portland, Tennessee Blog

Happy New Year everyone !!
I hope 2008 is a good one for everyone and for Portland.

Merry CHRISTmas y'all!

Merry Christmas everyone. Be safe and have a lovely holiday!

Peace and love.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

From Texas

Our Christmas tree is decorated mainly with homemade ornaments that we have made over the years, and that friends and family members have made, but our favorite is a set of 10 "clip on" ornaments.

The story behind the ornaments is that my grandparents used to have "themed" trees. And in 1996, the last Christmas before my granddaddy died, he went and bought "Santa" clip on ornaments for a tree in the den. When I first saw it, I thought it was so pretty. Red and white lights, Santa ornaments, candy canes, etc., but as I stood there admiring it, I noticed something a little strange. Upon closer inspection, it seems my granddaddy with his failing vision, mistakenly purchased a bag full of little red clip on "devils". When I asked him about it, he thought I was pulling his leg and left them on the tree. After his passing, all the grandkids divided them up and we have put them on our trees ever since. It's a little strange, but it never fails to make me smile.

My favorite tradition is when all the grand kids are here for their christmas, we play games where they have to sing something, answer a silly question, etc. etc. before they can open each gift, sometimes they are given a clue to their next gift each time they have to find the next clue after 3 or 4 times they get the gift. They really enjoy it and even the older ones (14) say it isn't the same if I don't do our christmas gift games. This is something I started when my kids were little after my daughter peeked thru packages, so I took several of her gifts and removed the item, and put a note in it, you've been naughty now you have to earn your presents.

This helps make that special time last a littler longer instead of sitting there for 30 minutes ripping open gift after gift, we have a little fun along the way. There have been times when we are rolling on the floor laughing at/with them. I have 6 Grands and we all love every minute of our christmas together, thankfully they all live near by. HOPING EVERYONE HAS A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS! - Judy

The day of Thanksgiving I become elated when I hear the sounds of jingle bells and tunes like "Frosty the Snowman" that are apart of Mix 92.9's Christmas music playlist that last until Christmas Day..It is just wonderful to hear as I find myself stuck in Rivergate weekend traffic as I am desperately going from store to store searching for a certain Bubblebee Transformer toy,haha :) Some of my favorite holiday movies include "A Christmas Story",which plays for 24 hours on TBS starting Christmas Eve if you want to catch it, "Christmas Vacation",which is just hilarous and will make you realize you are not alone when it comes to having some really crazy inlaws :),"The Santa Clause" because it is just an adorable movie, and one of my new favorites is "Christmas with the Kranks"..Tim Allen is a nut :)

Speaking of recipes, my mother's Christmas punch will bring anyone into the spirit of holiday parties and it is quite simple and very quick to make if you need a beverage for your own party, 1 gallon of Hawaiian red punch, 1 can of pineapple juice,1 2 liter of ginger ale, 1 2 liter of Sprite or 7up and your favorite flavored sherbet (I usually use orange), place the sherbet into a punch bowl and slowly pour all the liquids ontop, add as needed, the sherbet will melt and give it a fruity,smooth taste :) It is wonderful! Merry Christmas!

I agree with the Channel 5 commercial! I whooped and hollered after I saw it the first time the other night, and my boyfriend looked at me like I was a dork. I've always loved riding around looking at the lights and decorations around Portland and Franklin, and then to Opryland. We usually make a night of it, carry a thermos of cocoa and play holiday music while we're riding. Martina McBride's version of O Holy Night really is awesome.

It never truly feels like Christmas until you get to see the Channel 5 Christmas commercial. THat commercial is just great. Also getting to watch all of the old cartoons. My favorite is a Charlie Brown Christmas. Merry Christmas to everyone.