Getting ready for the trip tonight!
See the whole day!
The Lodge was decked out like a Christmas tree on steroids, and the Tom & Jerry station was ready to go! It was so prepared that even the cartoon characters were worried they’d get a ticket for being too animated. I half expected a mouse to pop out and start making cocktails while a cat DJ spun some tunes!
But for Elks, Tom & Jerry meant Eggnog! Egan wrote a book and subsequent play called Life in London, in which the main characters are named Tom and Jerry. He is believed to have introduced the cocktail to promote his book and play.
We arrived at 11:59, and the Tom & Jerry’s were ready!
Bob was there right before us.
Bob Z. and Bill Capps joined us.
Someone said we bring color to the party! I guess that makes us the human versions of a piñata—full of surprises, a bit messy, and best enjoyed when people start swinging by!
We were standouts.
These sweatshirts, over a quarter-century old, were given to Sue and me by her sister, Diane. It’s a tradition, and we wear them proudly.
Quick, to the sleigh, and away we go!
Mary gets the appetizer tree ready for our guests!
The greenery is right from the backyard!
The master chef arrived but needed his helmet before he could begin cooking.
Master Chef Bob put on his official cooking uniform!
Robin thought she knew when she saw the box label!
Upon opening, the Duda’s were excited as they are Disney people!
She knew every character on display!
Robin made a drink called “The Grinch.” I have no idea what it contained, but it was good!
Yummy!
Nick joined us for dinner and brought some chips and guacamole from his work. They were excellent. Bob’s sausages and unique toppings were amazing. I never knew the onions and butter would taste so good.
We sat around for an hour, just telling stories about long ago when we were kids and had to hide from the dinosaurs.
Mary could get a job at Christmastime setting up the Feuerzangenbowle, a traditional German alcoholic drink in which a rum-soaked sugarloaf is set on fire and drips into mulled wine.
It must be positioned perfectly.
What is the number for 911???
Flames could be seen for miles around!
We visited at the dinner table for another hour swapping stories of Christmases long long ago! We remembered stores “dressing their windows” for Christmas and waiting for Santa to arrive. Being the eldest, I remembered the most.
Some people remember walking to the Christmas tree lot with their dad, negotiating for the best price, and adding a track and train around the tree.
As I went to bed, I thought of Christmas in 1953, when Mom, Dad, and I would attend the annual Christmas Party at Ralph Lebowitz’s home (yes, he was Jewish!).
We would drive to his home up on the hills overlooking Culver City, and his managers from the ten dime stores would be there telling stories. I would always look forward to opening gifts, and I remember two items over the years that gave me pleasure:
- A light green sweater from Saks Fifth Avenue – I wore that until the 1970s when it became threadbare! It was a classic and made the girls swoon!
- The American Flyer Train Station with an audio system that announced the train arrivals and departures. It was on my train set until we moved to Santa Monica in 1962.
Ralph, his wife Caroline, and their daughter Paula were terrific people. I hope Paula and I can get together this year for dinner and to swap stories. She was three years ahead of me at Hamilton High School!
These memories are so vivid I can see them in color and still identify the names of many people who attended yearly.
I also remember that at 9:00 pm mom and I would go home and dad would stay and someone would drive him home, he loved his High Balls! Dad drank Jim Beam highballs made with Jim Beam White bourbon, soda water, and a lemon wedge garnish.
