USA: Christmas in the Chu house

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Chuplayer
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Location: New Jersey, USA

USA: Christmas in the Chu house

#1 Post by Chuplayer »

This barely qualifies as a Momoko thing, but my Jessica does appear in a couple of the photos :lol:

My mom loved decorating for Christmas. She had a lot of Peanuts decorations and even some vintage stuff going back to before she was born. My dad and I are continuing the tradition.

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Here's the top of the TV stand. We usually have some white fluffy thing to go on top of it, but my dad skipped that this year. Things stand up with more stability on the bare TV stand anyway.

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There's some other stuff on the floor. Mrs. Santa Claus moves, and her candle lights up. The snoring Santa doesn't snore anymore, unfortunately. And that little bear reads 'Twas the Night Before Christmas!

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Another one that moves and has the lighted candle. Mrs Santa Claus in this shot also no longer snores. I think we had those way back when I was in elementary school.

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Here's Jessica! This is actually the first time she has appeared in this setup. I was too apprehensive to display her here last year.

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By her feet are little Peanuts tree ornaments, but we have them set up on the TV stand instead.

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There's actually a hilarious story behind this one. It's an old Hallmark set from the 90s, and it was sold in individual pieces. My mom was only able to find some of the pieces in this set in the local Hallmark stores. This was pre-ebay, so she was playing detective trying to find somebody who could help her complete the set by mail and telephone. At one point she ended up calling Hong Kong! I think it wasn't until January the next year, but she eventually did complete the set.

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This train makes sounds, and it will make smoke if you have any of that fake smoke liquid stuff that you can put in it.

The "LEON" thing is kind of a family joke. It stemmed from an episode of Home Improvement where the kids were doing a Christmas play, and each kid held a letter just like the kids in these decorations. Unfortunately, the kids were standing in the wrong way, and they accidentally spelled Leon. Ever since then, I would move these decorations around to spell Leon, and my mom would get upset and change them back. This went back and forth dozens of times each year.

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This angel is actually the angel that we put on the top of the tree. Unfortunately, the tree's not ready yet.

That thing to the right, whatever you call it, is a nice year-round decoration, believe it or not. It plays Christmas songs, but you can mute it. It turns around and opens the little doors. Unfortunately, it couldn't support its own weight, and the bottom partially fell out. That causes the doors to malfunction. I haven't figured out a good way to repair it yet.

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Another Peanuts decoration. I don't remember a funny story like the other one, though. It's weird that they have tree ornament loops on their heads yet they have a stand to display them on a flat surface, don't you think? It's the same thing with the other Peanuts sets.

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My mom loved Snoopy! She had so many Snoopy things for all times of the year that you couldn't have a part of the year where there wasn't a Snoopy on display. Here's a big concentration of a bunch of her Snoopy and Peanuts Christmas decorations.

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On the top of the hutch, there are some older decorations. The little angel was my great grandmother's I believe. The Santa warming his butt is from way back, too. I don't remember where the reindeer came from.

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The mouse on the left is what we always called "No-No Mouse" because when I was little, my mom wouldn't let me touch it. It has a very unique light bulb that flickers like a flame when lit.

The tree to the right is also a decoration that we had for as long as I can remember. The light bulb inside it finally blew out this year. When my dad put in the replacement that we had kept for years, that one blew out, too. Luckily the local Ace Hardware store still carries such a lightbulb. It is working again.

blackiegracie
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Re: USA: Christmas in the Chu house

#2 Post by blackiegracie »

This is so touching. :kissy: It's great you can remember your Mom this way.

I'm sure she would love what you did with the decorations and the wonderful memories of her they bring back.

Hugs :) Zoila

bluesime
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Re: USA: Christmas in the Chu house

#3 Post by bluesime »

I also love Peanuts so much! My husband always said I am Lucy :)
Thank you for sharing your great X'mas story! I love seeing momoko in the decoration as well. ^^

LauraLA

Re: USA: Christmas in the Chu house

#4 Post by LauraLA »

It's beautiful to see you remembering your mom at the holidays. Big holiday hugs for you and your dad.

teddybear4me2
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Re: USA: Christmas in the Chu house

#5 Post by teddybear4me2 »

All the decorations look so lovely. It must take a lot of patience to put these around the house. I am sure your mom will be very delighted from above. :daisy:
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Chuplayer
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Re: USA: Christmas in the Chu house

#6 Post by Chuplayer »

Thank you, blackiegracie, Blue, Laura, and teddybear :daisy: I think she would be happy, too :)

Blue, I always said my mom was Lucy, too :lol:

Mikan
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Re: USA: Christmas in the Chu house

#7 Post by Mikan »

What a precious gift of memories and laughter (and some irritation, what with Leon ... LOL) your mother gave you, and which you and your dad gave your mother!
Thank you for sharing Chu house photos, memories, miniatures, and merriment!

Chuplayer
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Re: USA: Christmas in the Chu house

#8 Post by Chuplayer »

Thanks for the kind words, Mikan :daisy:

bo_anders
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Re: USA: Christmas in the Chu house

#9 Post by bo_anders »

*temporarily wakes up from his winter hibernation*

Thanks for sharing your great X-mas decorations and memories Chu!
I was also a great Snoopy fan once. In Sweden he's called Snobben ( = the snob) :)

*looks at all the snow outside. Growls like a bear and goes back to hibernation hoping that the roof won't fall in*
Anders

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Mikan
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Re: USA: Christmas in the Chu house

#10 Post by Mikan »

Hey Anders! Glad to see you ... don't hibernate too long! :wink:

Chuplayer
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Re: USA: Christmas in the Chu house

#11 Post by Chuplayer »

bo_anders wrote:*temporarily wakes up from his winter hibernation*

Thanks for sharing your great X-mas decorations and memories Chu!
I was also a great Snoopy fan once. In Sweden he's called Snobben ( = the snob) :)

*looks at all the snow outside. Growls like a bear and goes back to hibernation hoping that the roof won't fall in*
Thanks a lot, Bo! I'm glad you enjoyed my post :) I didn't know that Snoopy was called Snobben in Sweden. I wonder if they rewrote some dialog to make him more of a snob in the Swedish version. I'm not a big fan of Peanuts, but I have seen and read enough to know that Snoopy doesn't strike me as a snob.

I hope your roof is holding up. It's snowing here, too. Nothing nearly as bad as last time, though. Only a couple inches are expected. It was something like 18 inches right after Christmas. It was nuts!

Mikan, :lol: I miss Bo and his dolls, too. Please come back, Bo! :daisy:

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