Vintage manger from TJ's youth

Some of the Santas that inhabit our mantel a couple of weeks each year

The countdown is on. Santa is preparing to leave his home base at the Arctic Circle in Lapland—everyone knows the real Santa lives in Finland. But if you haven’t yet written to or visited Santa, you can send a last minute e-mail request—I asked for a trip to Finland and he replied promptly with an assurance that he and his elves were working on it.

My brother Gordie and me a few Christmases ago; is it my imagination or does Santa look like he's had too much spiked eggnog?

Check out his digs on the Santa Claus Village Web site, and tune into Santa Television to see amazing sights straight from his  headquarters, including a cheery Christmas music video by Jamaican singer Cherry Laine.

Merry Christmas. Hyvää Joulua!

Judging by the Christmas trees I see in the home magazines, ours is a mess.

Our Christmas tree will not win a decorating award, but each ornament means something to us. Look below for a description of this section of our tree decor

I don’t know how we can even enjoy the holiday with only one (1) Christmas tree within our walls. I’m not talking one (1) per room; just one (1) total, and it is located in the front “picture window” of our 1940’s brick bungalow.

Years ago we tried multiple trees, but it was, as Paige would say, “a fail.” Both looked anemic.

I put everything we’ve got into our solo tree. If a holiday decorator/designer tried to identify its theme it might be “mish-mash” or “chaos.” We have a real evergreen, grown in Harrisville, Michigan—not an artificial, made-in-China interpretation of a tree. Unless “rainbow” qualifies, we do not adhere to a uniform color for our ornaments. To top it off, we have an angel tree topper, and the tree  is aglow with old fashioned bulbs, not the latest LED lights*.

I love the big-bulb strings of lights that grace our tree. Many moons ago my Dear Old U of D friend Tania and I shared an apartment in a beautiful 1920’s building in Detroit’s Palmer Park neighborhood, and we graced our first tree with big-bulb strands of lights purchased at the late great Sears & Roebuck in nearby Highland Park.

But I digress.

The burning question is: Why have folks abandoned the big-bulb lights? Is it Global Warming and the trend toward LEDs, or is it because of the mysterious workings of these sometimes fickle old-fashioned strands?

If I could ask one question of these big-bulbers it would be: “Who Goes Around Unscrewing The Dang Bulbs?”

One minute our tree is aglow with big, juicy, colorful reds/blue/green/orange/white/orange (did I say orange? Why is there a disproportionate number of orange bulbs?) and then you blink and a bulb—which only a moment ago was shining its light onto the world–goes dark. Touch the defective bulb (or look at it cross-eyed) and it might flicker back to life.

Anyway, the fickle nature of these lights requires having a number of back-up bulbs on hand, but this season I was unable to find replacement bulbs in the traditional retail stores. It seems the world has gone LED.

Luckily, at the local St. Vincent de Paul resale shop I scored a bagful of umpteen still-in-the package bulbs for just $1. Not only that, I got a Road Food tip from Jan, who was running the store.

(She recommends the 1/2 roast beef sandwich at the Hilltop in L’Anse; we’ve only been to the UP landmark eatery for breakfast, including cinnamon rolls the size of a baby’s head. I don’t make these things up; see their Web site photo!).

If I hadn’t been looking for the big bulbs, I wouldn’t have met Jan, whose family tree goes back to the Indians and French settlers of Michigan.

There are a lot of lessons to be learned from our mish-mash Christmas tree.

About the tree photo:

Somewhat clockwise from the top: a ceramic square that was a gift from my friend Tania and created by a Great Lakes artist from Ohio; a Finnish tontuu or elf, made by my mom of birch bark and red felt; beaded candy cane made by one of the kids; a Swedish dala or horse with the blue cross of the Finnish flag, representing my dad’s mixed Scandinavian heritage; a ceramic clown head angel from either the Detroit Artists Market or Pewabic Pottery (hey, I can’t recall the details— it was the ’80’s); a blue bulb aglow; a  traditional red and gold glass bulb from Kresge’s, retrieved from TJ’s parents’ home; a Minnie Mouse ballerina for Paige from an aunt; and a 1970s Santa; plus yards of popcorn that I string each year while watching “Christmas in Connecticut” (the original version)

* Confession: For the first time, we do have some LED lights outdoors. For what it’s worth, I am not happy.

After the tea: unfortunately, I didn't think to take a picture of the tea table during the party

This afternoon Paige hosted a dozen girlfriends for a Christmas Tea. The lovely young ladies, all high school juniors, arrived in beautiful dresses, many teetering (tea-tering?) in high (3 – 4″ !) heels, with make-up and hair done as if they were going to The Townsend for tea.

We’ve hosted many gatherings here at the home, but this is the first major event with Paige at the helm. She planned the party and the menu, helped clean the house and shopped with me for the ingredients, then prepared much of the food herself. She baked the cherry scones I’d mentioned in an earlier post (and quite honestly hers were lighter and moister than mine), and made 4 types of finger sandwiches. There was fresh fruit with whipped cream for dipping, and a chocolate-filled, slender tube of a cookie that she likes—starts with a P…can’t think of the name. Additional sweets were catered by Costco. I’d hoped to contribute some homemade Christmas cookies and truffles, but that didn’t happen. I did help by making the chicken salad for sandwiches, heating the mini-quiches, and preparing the Chai tea and punch. And yes, I washed the dishes.

I also offered her guidance during the planning phase to help her grasp what an undertaking it is to host a gathering. That went well.

We were talking about it over lunch during our tree-hunting expedition at Eastern Market on Saturday—a whole two days before the tea. As TJ and I reviewed the party plans with her—everything from menu (hot/cold/savories/sweets/beverages) to activities (gift exchange, gabbing), serving pieces (tea service, punch bowl, platters, dessert plates, napkins, and where will we find enough tea cups and punch cups?), music (CDs or ipod?) and ambience (fireplace lit or not?), not to mention centerpieces, and where we’d round up 13 dining chairs, I could see Paige’s attitude gradually shift from laid back to near panic. “Why are you scaring me?” she only half-kiddingly cried. Okay, maybe it did seem more like an interrogation than an offering of guidance.

Anyway, the decor was lovely, the food tasty, the tea a success. And I was very proud of our Hostess with the Mostess. It will be interesting to see if/when she decides to plan another party. If she’s like her mother, this is just the beginning.

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

Angels by Liberty Craftworks artisans, Greenfield Village, Dearborn

Charles Wesley

Polka Christmas? This Nativity scene from Poland includes a band with a squeeze box (left)

Finally getting around to decorating for Christmas. TJ pulled the boxes out of the basement a couple of weeks ago, but between travel, work projects and family matters, the time has just flown by and there the cartons sit.

Tucker the Wonder Dog tried to help by dragging a few items out of an open box, but he tends to keep things at canine-eye level and it’s difficult for the humans in the household to appreciate decor on the floor.

Actually, the timing of the decorating is fairly typical here at the home; we’ve never been a part of the crowd that hauls out the lights and holly the day after Thanksgiving only to un-deck the halls the day after Christmas. In fact, we’ll find our tree at Eastern Market tomorrow morning and put it up that night, where it will stay until the Twelfth Day of Christmas.

The Nativity figures Graham crafted many Christmases ago; he even made sure some giant rats (foreground) made it to the Blessed event

I did manage to set up our collection of 10 Nativity scenes: a hand carved, rustic one from Poland…the antique from Tom’s youth…the FIMO clay figures that Graham and I, guided by Family Fun magazine, crafted when he was about 7.

Decorations-wise, everything will come together over the weekend. Can’t say the same about baking, gifts, and cards.

But there’s a whole week until Christmas!

I’m sure there are other good restaurants in Chelsea, the charming town west of Ann Arbor that I wrote about in an earlier post. In fact, one faithful Great Lakes Gazette reader recommends ZouZou’s Cafe, which looks very inviting. But we get to Chelsea so infrequently we always head to The Common Grill for a meal, a carryout en route to Chicago or, on our latest visit, just appetizers and dessert to share. Uncommon appetizers

Tempting specialties include Pan Fried Walleye in a Black Walnut Crust with Citrus Butter, Wild Rice Pilaf and Sauteed Spinach…
Grilled Marinated Pork Tenderloin with Michigan Dried Cherry Compote, Warm Sweet Corn Pudding, Garlic French Beans and Baby Carrots…
Mixed Grill of Herbed Chicken Breast, Grilled Beef Tenderloin and BBQ Shrimp wrapped in Smoked Bacon, served with White Cheddar Mashers and Grilled Asparagus… I’m drooling on the keyboard.

But it was 5 p.m., TJ and I had had a late lunch, and we wouldn’t have done any entree justice. So we opted for an order of Crispy Parmesan Portobello Fries served with Red Pepper Aioli, plus the Warm Pecorino Romano Custard with Roasted Hen of the Woods Mushrooms, Garlic Cream and Grilled Basil-Garlic Flatbread. Both were delish. To top it off we shared a slice of Pumpkin Cheesecake with Brown Sugar-Walnut Crust and Maple Whipped Cream—and left not a crumb.

The restaurant, which opened in 1991, retains the large windows of the Main Street department store that formerly occupied the space, and lives up to its “upscale American bistro” feel with its wooden floors, pressed tin ceiling, central bar, open kitchen, friendly but professional servers, and murals by a local artist on the exposed brick walls.

Owner and self-taught Executive Chef Craig Common seems to have gotten it just right. About the only thing that might improve the place is if the man behind it was named Uncommon.

NOTE:

Actor, singer, and local boy Jeff Daniels‘ Purple Rose Theatre is around the corner and down the block from The Common Grill, making it a natural pre-or post-theatre stop. (In fact, it was Daniels’ father who encouraged Craig Common to create the restaurant to complement the fledgling theatre when it opened in 1991.)

Daniels performs his annual Onstage & Unplugged concert beginning December 26, and the Yooper comedy “Escanaba” (which my siblings saw and enjoyed) has been extended to run through January 23; check the Purple Rose Web site for ticket info.

It’s Christmas all year long on a 45-acre chunk of Frankenmuth, the town in Michigan’s Thumb area known as “Little Bavaria” for the Germans who settled there in 1845. Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland is a monumental salute to the holiday, from the oversized Nativity scene, angels, and giant Santa Claus that decorate the grounds to the dizzying array of decorations within the self-described “World’s Largest Christmas Store.”

Larger-than-life wooden soldiers overlook shoppers and the sprawling merchandise floor at Bronner's CHRISTmas Wonderland

Wally Bronner, who passed away in April 2008, started it all as a teenaged sign painter in 1945. In 1951 he supplied the mid-Michigan city of Clare with Christmas decor for the lampposts, and the young man and his wife Irene—who is still active in the family business with the Bronner children and their spouses—built the holiday supply store that capitalizes “Christ” but makes plenty of room for Nutcrackers, penguins, snowmen, Santa, and indoor/outdoor holographic reindeer.

I admit that my sense of wonder takes over when I enter the massive retail space: I wonder who buys a “5 O’Clock Somewhere Santa” figurine, a corrugated artificial fireplace for hanging stockings with care, or many of the other 50,000 different decorations, trims, and gifts that fill the equivalent of 1.7 football fields worth of retail space. And that’s just a fraction of the entire 320,000 square foot building: another 5.5 football fields accommodate business behind the scenes.

Artists with steady hands personalize 100,000 ornaments each year at Bronner's

Bronner’s annually welcomes (in dozens of languages) some 2 million visitors who can also buy decorations for Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Independence Day and Halloween 361 days a year (it is closed only on Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, and New Year’s Day).

In addition to retail and online sales, Bronner’s handles wholesale and commercial accounts such as shopping malls and municipalities—even a bit of Hollywood glamour; recent movie credits include Deck the Halls, The Four Christmases, The Lovely Bones, Fred Claus, and The Time Traveler’s Wife.

Another Bronner’s claim to movie fame: on December 15, 1976 Bronner’s filled a phone order for a Santa suit for actor John Wayne, the all-American cowboy. Maybe that’s why the CHRISTmas store carries a choice of John Wayne ornaments (dressed in Western gear, not as Santa).

Don’t Miss:

If you visit Bronner’s be sure to stroll the grounds to the Silent Night Chapel, a replica of the original in Oberndorf, Austria.

Each year from 3-3:15 p.m. on Christmas Eve Wally Bronner would lead visitors in singing “Silent Night” at the peaceful memorial chapel; the tradition continues at 3 p.m. this December 24.

Thousands of ornaments from 70 countries appeal to a variety of interests

Tell 'em they're the tops with a chance to tower above the Straits of Mackinac

Need a gift for someone who has everything? Something you can’t buy in a store? I’ve got a bridge to sell you.

Well, not the entire bridge. Just the chance to reach the peak of one of the towers that soar 525 feet above the 5-mile long suspension bridge linking Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas.

Raffle tickets are $5 each or 5 for $20. Proceeds will benefit the Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association and are available at the GLLKA Web site. The drawing takes place on March 31 in Mackinaw City.

The visit for the winner and a guest will be mutually arranged with the Mackinac Bridge Authority for sometime in 2010. And yes, there is an elevator.

Give a chance for a trip aboard the longest freighter on the Great Lakes

Sail away on a Great Lakes freighter

There’s no swimming pool, casino, or Vegas-style lounge act, but Great Lakes freighter fans will appreciate a chance to board one for an overnight trip on the inland seas. You cannot book passage on these working vessels, but they do have accommodations for a guests as well as crew, and offer occasional opportunities to win trips in raffles that benefit a variety of charities.

Currently there are 2 different chances to win:

~ a trip for 2 aboard the Great Lakes freighter Manistee. The drawing will be held on January 13; tickets are $5 each

~a 5-day trip for 6 aboard the 1,013-foot Paul R. Tregurtha—the largest freighter on the Great Lakes. The drawing will be held on February 20; tickets are $10 each or 3 for $25.

This is the dream trip for the boat nerd—in fact, you’ll find info on the trips and how to buy tickets at BoatNerd.com, a comprehensive site for fans of the Great Lakes.

HURRY! Tickets may be purchased only by mail.

These are not regularly scheduled vacation cruises; guests must be able to meet the physical demands of a working freighter, including negotiating stairways and ladders. Both voyages will be arranged during the 2010 season, and winners must be flexible on dates due to the nature of the schedules of the working freighters.