Hi, everyone! Thanks for stopping by for this blog hop to celebrate my mom's newest picture book SLEIGH RIDE!
Blog Hop Question: What is your favorite holiday memory?
(This includes Hanukkah,
Kwanza, Yule/Winter Solstice, Christmas, etc.)
MY MEMORY: I was obsessed with The Nutcracker ballet when I was little. Every day for a year I watched an old tape and fantasized I was Clara. I didn’t know how to dance ballet, but that didn’t stop me from showing off my moves…karate moves. I would jab my fists in the air and punch and kick as gracefully as I could.
Jab, jab, twirl.
Jab, jab, leap.
For Christmas Eve that year, my dad gave me the last present.
I peeled the wrapping paper off slowly, wanting to savor the moment. When the colored paper fell away, I saw a handsome nutcracker nestled in a box. He grinned at me through the plastic cover. His coat, pants, and hat were painted a shiny black. His boots, belt, and trim were gold. Hand-painted red flowers lined the bottom of his coat and sleeves, and a bigger red flower was painted in the middle of his tall hat.
That night and for many nights after that, until the silky hair on the back of his head got matted, I slept with him in my bed.
I secretly thought of my nutcracker as my boyfriend. LOL
And when I played my old tape of The Nutcracker ballet, I finally had my own nutcracker to parade around with. I could lift it toward the ceiling and mimic Clara as she fought to get her beloved toy back from her mean brother.
Every year after that, my dad gifted me with another nutcracker. Each one was lovely, but they paled in comparison to my first beloved nutcracker.
Although, my nutcracker never became human, he was so full of life for the happiness he brought me. I still have him today. He stands at guard in a corner of my curio cabinet, keeping an eye on all. He’s lost his little block feet, his triangle nose, and his beard that covered his mouth, but to me he is still as handsome as ever. He will always be my Nutcracker Prince, and I will always be Clara.
New Picture Book Release from Elaine Kaye:
BLURB: On Christmas Eve, Gregory and Sammy get a
special visitor—Santa Claus! Santa brings them on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure
around the world and to the North Pole. Bundle up and come along for the ride!
General Age Range - Kids
4-8 (Story Picture Book)
Book Links:
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo
PLUS, A FREEBIE!
Get Pea
Soup Disaster now!
About the Author:
Elaine Kaye is the author of A Gregory Green
Adventure series. She created Gregory Green after her son, who loved her
homemade pea soup.
Kaye has worked as a
library assistant and teacher's assistant in elementary schools. She currently
lives in Florida, but has called Michigan; Honolulu, Hawaii; and Okinawa, Japan
home.
QUESTION: What is your favorite holiday memory?
Hop around to the other blogs participating:
I love that you slept with him. I still have my first stuffed tiger, patched all over because I wore him out.
ReplyDeleteAw! I also still have the teddy bear I got from the hospital when I had my spine surgery.
DeleteI'm glad you still have that nutcracker. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely memory, Chrys. My MIL gave me my 1st nutcracker back in 1982. Since then, my collection has grown to over 100. My grandkids help me put them on top of cupboards all around the house. I love the memories attached to each one.
ReplyDeleteOver 100? Wow! I had a lot when I was a kid. Maybe 30 or more, but after moving several times, they all broke. Now I only have that one from when I was little and a couple I've bought myself since.
DeleteAw. That's cute!
ReplyDeleteGreat story! I love the image of your karate-ballet :)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enjoyed it, Rebecca!
Deletei can see you...jabbing and punching as a little kid. :-) a couple of posts, like this one, were so sweet they made my eyes water a little.
ReplyDeletesherry @ fundinmental
Aw. That's sweet. Hugs!
DeleteWhat a lovely memory and so cute. I can see the little girl you too just dancing and jabbing.
ReplyDeleteLOL! I'm glad everyone knows me well enough to be able to picture me doing this. :D
DeleteI bet you are so proud of your mom and her series. Thanks for sharing about this fun hop.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a sweet, and kind of sad, story. I too loved The Nutcracker ballet as a kid but I never had one. I'm glad yours brought you so much joy.
I really am. :)
DeleteI performed in a ballet production of the Nutcracker once when I was young. Fortunately, it was a role that required absolutely no ballet skills whatsoever because despite actually having some lessons, I have never had any ballet skills.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was little, I dreamed of being in the Nutcracker. I would've just sat on the floor as one of the other kids, watching Clara open her gift.
DeleteWhat a beautiful memory. I can picture you now, dancing with your personal Nutcracker, in your own special way.
ReplyDeleteAw. Thanks!
DeleteHow cute. I bet you've been to many Nutcracker performances since.
ReplyDeleteActually, I haven't. Sad but true. I'd love to see it performed, though.
DeleteI slept with my nutcracker, too! Ha. I mean, if Clara could so could we.
ReplyDeleteTwo peas in a pod!
DeleteEnjoyed reading about your favourite holiday Chrys. Also good luck to your mother and her book. Sure to be successful.
ReplyDeleteYvonne.
Thank you, Yvonne!
DeleteGreat memory! I've always loved "The Nutcracker" too :-)
ReplyDeleteIt's magical and special. :)
Delete