Christmas Countdown #3- Am I Crazy?

I think I’m getting nostalgic in my old age. I crave the memories of my childhood- the toys I used to play with, the foods I used to eat, the kids I used to hang around with. I think what plays a big part in this wistfulness is the fact that all my childhood playmates, including my brother are gone. I’ve lost touch with almost everyone except David, my one-armed friend. I know where to find him but I can’t talk to him. He’s still wrapped up with my ex and besides, his wife hates me. Meh.

I have no one to rekindle my memories with. And this scares the crap out of me.

So, over the years, I’ve spent a few bucks on eBay buying toys from my past…

My Crissy Doll

My Fisher Price Circus
My Gumby and Pokey My Velvet Doll- Crissy’s friend.
My most recent purchase for Christmas this year is not a toy. I went online to find pieces of my past Christmases. I found, at the Vermont Country Store, my grandfather’s favorite candy- French Creams. I remember Christmas at my parent’s house helping Mom put out all the cakes and pies and brownies and candy. One of her crystal dishes held Grandpa (formerly-known-as-Pop-pop)’s favorite Christmas candy. French Creams were really pretty, and of course, pure sugar. They had a crunchy exterior that tasted of mint and the inside was slightly gooey and sugary. They came in the prettiest pastel colors and the flavor was so sublime- not overpowering at all. Am I crazy to spend $24.95 for a little taste of my past?

Wait- I’m not done. Mom sometimes put out the sweetest mints- so subtle in flavor that I’ve tried to make these mints several times only to have a glob of bright pink goo stuck to the bottom of my double-boiler. Pastel mints (VERY similar to French Creams, without the hard exterior) showed up often on the dessert table at Christmas. Again, the Vermont Country Store pulled through and I was able to order a sleeve of these melt-in-your-mouth goodies.

One more candy brings it all home for me. Ribbon candy. Mom would put out the whole box and my brother and cousins and I would break pieces off and yell out what flavors we had. Ribbon candy was so much better than regular hard candies. There was just something about the shape- that folded over shape that made this candy so much fun to eat. . I didn’t order this from the Vermont Country Store- it was more readily available on the Internet, so I ordered it from Old time Candy. Browsing through their website I also found a few more of my favorites…Flying Saucers, Nik-A-Lips and Wax Lips. I’m not ready to shell out a my hard earned cash for them just yet… maybe for Z-girl’s birthday party…

Okay, so you tell me. Am I crazy for spending money on candy that brings back good memories? I know the candy won’t keep, and NO ONE will think twice about why I have French Creams on the table. But it’s special to me. I think this year I need it, though, you know? I lost my main memory keeper- Mom. This blog is becoming my memory keeper in a way, kind of like a diary I’m throwing out there. Keeping the memories alive for as long as Google deems it so, I guess.

Okay, anyhow. Tell me your favorite memories of Christmases past, please? Let me know I’m not alone in wanting to recreate the good times.? Thanks.