Okay, a memorable Christmas for me would have been Christmas 1986. I was 11, and my brother and I got a Nintendo Entertainment System. I also remember it being the year that my mom finally got a full-length fox fur coat. Growing up in Chicago, I remember seeing women wearing full-length fox fur coats. I also remember going on walks with my mom back when I was like 9 years old, and that if we ever passed by a woman wearing a full-length fox fur coat, my mom would always stop to talk to her about it. I even remember my mom dragging my brother and me into a fur coat store several times, where she would try on several full-length fox fur coats. My poor dad had to listen to my mom nag him for a full-length fox fur coat all the time. One time when they came home from an opera, I remember my mom telling my dad how so many women there were wearing full-length fox fur coats, and she wished that she had one as well. The Christmas before that, her sister got a full-length fox fur coat, and after she tried it on, my dad decided then and there that she would have a full-length fox fur coat next Christmas. So, the very next Christmas, he got her a full-length golden island fox fur coat. She was so happy then, and she would wear it everywhere. I remember during the winter, she would try and wear it all the time, like at parties, museums, office functions, fancy restaurants, the opera, the theatre or symphony, etc. She loved that coat so much. She still has it but doesn't really wear it anymore since full-length fox fur coats and fur coats, in general, are no longer in style.
What was a memorable Christmas for you?
- Thread starter shopaholicandshoelover75
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this resonates^! 
my mom got a full length mink in the early 1980s. I went with my step father to pick it out. Other times, she would look at the box ads in the NYT, like for Tiffany, Mikimoto, cartier, and pick out things for me to hint to my step dad during shopping days. After shopping, he and I would go to PJ Clarke’s (the original location near Bloomingdales) that served home fries and burgers on paper plates. It was a thing. this was also when Hermes had a smaller boutique on 57th st. and, du hill had a huge store on 57th near Park Avenue with bolts of cloth for custom suits for men. I’d help my step father by picking out medium gray herringbone (what did I know lol). One year, I got white four wheel roller skates. Bc it was important to be able to g9 to a roller rink called the Roxy on west 18th st on Saturday mornings with my girlfriends. There were strobe lights and music like chirstopher cross Sailing. Okay, we had no taste back then. But, it was the 1980s
I also remwmber one holiday season, I think I was in eighth grade or ninth grade, saving for my first chanel make up item which I think was opalescent pink highlighter. back then there was also a store near Bloomingdales called fiorrucci where you could get sparkly eyeshadow pots with tons of fall out. In the mid 1980s, we bought Giorgio of Beverly Hills fragrance and there would be wafts of spillage for miles. and, later, in on vacations back from board8ng school, my girlfriends and I would wear Charles jourdan heels and pretend to smoke du hills or clove cigarettes (inhaling was an issue lol)
my mom got a full length mink in the early 1980s. I went with my step father to pick it out. Other times, she would look at the box ads in the NYT, like for Tiffany, Mikimoto, cartier, and pick out things for me to hint to my step dad during shopping days. After shopping, he and I would go to PJ Clarke’s (the original location near Bloomingdales) that served home fries and burgers on paper plates. It was a thing. this was also when Hermes had a smaller boutique on 57th st. and, du hill had a huge store on 57th near Park Avenue with bolts of cloth for custom suits for men. I’d help my step father by picking out medium gray herringbone (what did I know lol). One year, I got white four wheel roller skates. Bc it was important to be able to g9 to a roller rink called the Roxy on west 18th st on Saturday mornings with my girlfriends. There were strobe lights and music like chirstopher cross Sailing. Okay, we had no taste back then. But, it was the 1980s
I also remwmber one holiday season, I think I was in eighth grade or ninth grade, saving for my first chanel make up item which I think was opalescent pink highlighter. back then there was also a store near Bloomingdales called fiorrucci where you could get sparkly eyeshadow pots with tons of fall out. In the mid 1980s, we bought Giorgio of Beverly Hills fragrance and there would be wafts of spillage for miles. and, later, in on vacations back from board8ng school, my girlfriends and I would wear Charles jourdan heels and pretend to smoke du hills or clove cigarettes (inhaling was an issue lol)
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I had a memorable Christmas in Vienna when I lived there. Christmas has always been an important family time for me, but I would be alone that year, my family being in Canada. Somehow it ended up being the best Christmas I ever had.
At midnight I walked along the snowy cobblestone streets on Christmas Eve to the famous medieval St. Stephen's cathedral for midnight mass. The crowds formed an enormous ring around the cathedral and you needed a ticket to get a good seat, but an older woman in a fur coat asked me if I was alone, and then gave me a ticket. Next thing I found myself seated inside right at the front with her, which is like winning a lottery to get those seats on Christmas Eve. It was a gorgeous service and it was a beautiful walk home in the wee hours. Vienna is stunning at Christmastime.
I had splurged my lowly-university-student money on a box seat at the ballet for Christmas Day, the Nutcracker, at the Vienna State Opera House. I went with friends. I felt so special and luxe sitting in that box watching the ballet in the heart of Vienna. It was so magical.
The holiday lights strewn all over the city, buying hot mulled wine at the Christmas markets, people literally waltzing in the streets, the architecture, wow...it's my favorite place to be for Christmas and I hope to return one day.
At midnight I walked along the snowy cobblestone streets on Christmas Eve to the famous medieval St. Stephen's cathedral for midnight mass. The crowds formed an enormous ring around the cathedral and you needed a ticket to get a good seat, but an older woman in a fur coat asked me if I was alone, and then gave me a ticket. Next thing I found myself seated inside right at the front with her, which is like winning a lottery to get those seats on Christmas Eve. It was a gorgeous service and it was a beautiful walk home in the wee hours. Vienna is stunning at Christmastime.
I had splurged my lowly-university-student money on a box seat at the ballet for Christmas Day, the Nutcracker, at the Vienna State Opera House. I went with friends. I felt so special and luxe sitting in that box watching the ballet in the heart of Vienna. It was so magical.
The holiday lights strewn all over the city, buying hot mulled wine at the Christmas markets, people literally waltzing in the streets, the architecture, wow...it's my favorite place to be for Christmas and I hope to return one day.
All of your Christmases sound so grand and wonderful! Mine was more "The Waltons" than 5th Avenue or the cobblestone streets of Vienna. Growing up on the farm that had been in our family since the early 1800s had it's own magic, though. My dad would hitch a wagon to the tractor and off we'd go looking for the perfect tree. Never found one, but after being decorated, they were always beautiful. In my very early teens, my older brother and some friends met up early on Christmas Day at our house to go hunting on the farm. On discovering my younger brother had gotten a BB gun from Santa, at about 5am. they decided it would be good practice to see how many Christmas balls they could shoot off the tree. My mom and dad were furious, but the rest of us were delighted with the early morning mayhem.
After my mom got over her pique of anger, she made breakfast for everyone, after everything was cleared away, it was time to start preparation for the 30 odd people we were expecting. We'd forgotten all about the presents under the now very humble looking tree and had a wonderful day. It wasn't until the last of the leftovers were put away, and last bit of china and silverware were back in place that we all gathered under the tree. But, the talk of the night wasn't about what was in the boxes and stocking, it was about the most unusual Christmas we'd ever had.
And yes, the older brother was always by far my favorite, because he always made everything exciting and special, even if there was a little mayhem (which there often was with him) involved.
Our family farm was sold last September, and it nearly broke my heart, but I have so many memories of lessons learned, and the sheer joy of walking barefooted through freshly mowed grass, or sitting in the creek beside my father's prized watermelon garden, breaking them open on the rocks and just eating the hearts thinking the moving water would float the evidence away (which we found out later it often didn't). Those memories and many others will never leave me. The family farm is going to be turned into an upscale housing development, and I can truthfully say I never want to see it again, but the memories will sustain me for the rest of my life.
After my mom got over her pique of anger, she made breakfast for everyone, after everything was cleared away, it was time to start preparation for the 30 odd people we were expecting. We'd forgotten all about the presents under the now very humble looking tree and had a wonderful day. It wasn't until the last of the leftovers were put away, and last bit of china and silverware were back in place that we all gathered under the tree. But, the talk of the night wasn't about what was in the boxes and stocking, it was about the most unusual Christmas we'd ever had.
And yes, the older brother was always by far my favorite, because he always made everything exciting and special, even if there was a little mayhem (which there often was with him) involved.
Our family farm was sold last September, and it nearly broke my heart, but I have so many memories of lessons learned, and the sheer joy of walking barefooted through freshly mowed grass, or sitting in the creek beside my father's prized watermelon garden, breaking them open on the rocks and just eating the hearts thinking the moving water would float the evidence away (which we found out later it often didn't). Those memories and many others will never leave me. The family farm is going to be turned into an upscale housing development, and I can truthfully say I never want to see it again, but the memories will sustain me for the rest of my life.
Thank you so much for sharing your very special Christmas, it read like a little novel.
I am so sorry that the farm is sold and being turned into a housing development. But the memories will live on.
LOL! I almost didn't post it after I realized how long it had gotten, so I appreciate that you persevered and read the whole thing.
I actually meant in how descriptive and lovely it was to read, not that it was too longLOL! I almost didn't post it after I realized how long it had gotten, so I appreciate that you persevered and read the whole thing.
Thanks for sharing!
I can understand that very well!
And that hot mulled wine - or Glühwein - is really fine!
It is indeed! I make sure to make Glühwein every Christmas season. I still have my mug from the Christkindlmarkt at the Rathaus down the road from where I lived.I can understand that very well!
And that hot mulled wine - or Glühwein - is really fine!