The old DWP Holiday light show in Griffith Park
Well, the holidays seem to be coming fast ‘n furious this year. I suppose because this year American Thanksgiving took place later in the month than usual (the last Thursday in November this time was the 28th), so there was less time between it and Christmas. Or maybe it’s just Christmas ennui.
The house I grew up in, rather before I was born.
We “did” Christmas when I was a kid. Not quite to the Clark Griswold level- our house couldn’t be seen from space. But we decorated, and every year hauled the artificial tree down from the attic and put it carefully together, branch by branch. I would like to say that this was because my parents had some deep-seated Euell Gibbons-esque belief that if we cut down a tree we must consume it in some way, and since the previous owner of our house upgraded the wiring and plumbing, put in a new kitchen and bathrooms, and a two-car garage big enough for the his-and-hers Imperials he and his wife drove, but removed the fireplaces the tree could not be used for firewood. We would have to eat it. Like Grape Nuts, but arguably tastier. No, the artificial tree was simply easier to deal with. So every year it went up in the large picture window in the living room.
“Winter” in my part of BH
When I lived in Milwaukee we did have a fireplace, which I enjoyed, but my roommate was Jewish, so we celebrated Christmas a little differently. My friends family didn’t put up a tree (and I certainly didn’t need to do it for myself) but wasn’t going to miss an opportunity to exchange gifts, and introduced me to the Jewish tradition of going out for Chinese on Christmas. Christmas wasn’t the only time we enjoyed William Ho’s in Shorewood, but it was a day that you positively needed a reservation. I will still to this day get take-away for Christmas if I have no other plans- Christmas to me is far more delicious with Moo Goo Gai Pan than any old goose.
My Godchild, at a years-ago Christmas in Laguna Beach
Shortly after moving to LA a good friend of mine I had originally met when I lived in New York moved here with her husband and child. She grew up in one of the tony eastern suburbs of LA and her parents were long divorced. Thanksgiving was spent with Dad and his new wife at “The Club” while Christmas was at her house with her mom. Since we had met when we were working at Dean & Deluca and had been cooking together since the early thirties (and we were close friends) we started doing Christmas family dinner together. I enjoyed her Mom’s dry wit and looked forward to driving to Orange County to pick her up (husband would take her home.) I even enjoyed the 7am phone call asking me to come over immediately because my godchild wanted to open presents and would not do so until I was there.
Xmas present to myself
Eventually, my friend took a job in New York, my godchild went back East to college and I have been spending the holidays alone. Which I shouldn’t admit that I actually like, but I do. while the rest of the world enjoys their holiday with their family, I’ll be driving PCH with the top down, seat heater on, listening to Blondie while releasing my inner “American Gigolo” and picking up Chinese food from Hoy’s Wok on 3rd.
“But Tom”, you say, “this is a perfume blog! What will you wear?”
Blame Portia
Well part of the fun of selfishly being alone on Christmas is that I can wear whatever I feel like. Since it will likely be in the 60’s at the coast that means I can pull out the heavy hitters: Uncle Serge’s MKK is all it’s musky glory or his Ambre Sultan which is as comfortable as seat heaters but far more delicious in it’s rich, almost glottal amber glory. Or Guerlain Spiriteuse Double Vanille. with it’s slightly yeasty, bourbon soaked goodness or a smidge of my last bottle of original Annick Goutal Sables, it’s syrupy immortelle both cut and warmed by the hunky woodsman aspect of oakmoss and pepper. Or even the newest one I love in the cold: Clinique Aromatics Elixir, which I wrote of as the love child of Bandit and Miss Dior and is so (comparatively) inexpensive it’s almost free. I blame/thank Portia for the last..
Winter view from Lago Vista Drive in Coldwater Canyon
Oddly the one that I never reach for in winter is Malle’s L’Eau d’Hiver. It’s such a blast of chill that I take that one out in summer.
So what are your plans for the holiday? What are you wearing? Share in the comments.
Photos: my iPhone
Tom, your writing is so evocative, I can imagine your holidays of days past and future with this. I like your Christmas plan!
My family now does homemade lasagna for Christmas. We decided we wanted something other than the bird or ham, and just did that for Thanksgiving. I make a vegetarian lasagna that we all like.
I generally go big on Christmas, Aromatics Elixir last year. MKK sounds great. If I’m being demure, then Clinique Wrappings or No 5. I hope you (all) have a lovely holiday. Be well.
Your words are the best Holiday gift I could ask for! And homemade lasagne is better than any bird or gammon..
Here in the DC suburbs we never know what our weather on Christmas will be like. Sometimes frigid, sometimes balmy. One year as a teen I got rollerskates, and could use them immediately wearing no heavy coat. Our young adult kids and their dog will come over Christmas Eve, and we’ll all go out (minus the pup) for Chinese food after services. They’ll spend the night, and we’ll open presents in the morning. I’m not sure what scent I’ll wear. Maybe Bois des Iles?
I love that the Chinese food on Christmas thing has become.. a thing. Give me egg rolls and shrimp fried rice over some boring bird any day..
Do you remember SNL’s ‘Christmastime for the Jews’? Hysterical – and the Chinese food on Christmas is such a tradition!
Alas (or not) I will be cooking – my friends here don’t cook so I’ll be making dinner; he’s very much a traditionalist so it’ll be ham, etc. I think I’ll do cheesy potatoes, since they love them and I really don’t!
I’ll probably wear No5 because !
I do indeed!
OMG that is so much fun!!! And funny! I think I’ll start the Chinese food tradition too. It will make me smile.
Yay! Another convert! The more the merrier- and the more variety of dishes we can order if we finally all get in one place!
I am currently 11 days into a 20 day trip through southern Europe and Greece and will get home on the 20th. Christmas itself will be quiet this year, as hubby and I recover from jet lag, exhaustion, and whatever bugs we’ve picked up. We will make it to church, and call family, and otherwise have a quiet, lovely day. I’ve picked up three perfumes already, each made locally so perfect souvenirs, and I’ll probably wear one of those since this trip IS my Christmas gift – for this year and the next 20!
That sounds just lovely. Enjoy!
YAY! for Aromatics Elixir Tom. Happy to have enabled that beauty into your heart.
LOVE the idea of Chinese food for Xmas. You’ve given me an idea.
Portia xx
I hope the idea I gave you works out as well as the one (of many) that you’ve given me!
For quite a few years now, I’ve been wearing Guerlain’s Winter Delice for the month of December. One of my favorites!
I’m going to have to look for that one!
I am still stuck on the idea of Xmas at a fancy hotel in Paris. Maybe it would snow. Hardly ever does that here. But, it’s going to be Xmas/Hannukah here with the hope of no floods or gales. I do love houses with mad amounts of lights — either tasteful or kitschy. As to holiday perfume, don’t know yet. I keep putting on VB 21:50, like every other day…
I kind of love houses with kooky amounts of lights as well. Across America there are places where several blocks will get together and go stark, staring mad with them- like DIsneyland exploded and the shrapnel landed in suburbia with the animatronics intact. I can just imaging the electric bills..
PS I love the old picture of your house and the very cool cars!
Thanks! It’s an old past card I found on eBay
Christmas is really not so special for me. It was fun when my daughter was little and even now she is very happy when she gets special and/or fun gifts. So other than distributing gifts, I plan on a lovely, quiet day.
I actually love a quiet day..
We have nothing planned yet since Christmas is 15 days away. I keep going back and forth on if I should go for Lyric, Theorema or Chanel no 5 in extrait form. It might be a quiet day at home for me. All I know is that the holidays can’t end soon enough.
I stay well away from holiday kookiness (no malls, etc) so I am not feeling under siege (yet), but it will be nice to be able to think about going to Costco again..