My family just loves Christmastime here in East Texas. There are so many wonderful events to attend and fun activities in which to participate, both locally and in Houston. Much to my regret, my parents haven’t figured out a way to clone us! So, we must choose the events closest to our hearts from so many that occur simultaneously (especially during the second weekend of December).
As with our tradition, we kicked off the holiday season with the City Lighting Ceremony during Thanksgiving Week and began our weekly seasonal volunteer commitment of ringing bells for the Salvation Army Red Kettle fundraiser.
Then:
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| We took a “Walk Through Bethlehem”, a wonderful depiction of the City of David on the night the Christ Child was born, sponsored by the First Baptist Church of Livingston. |
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We made our inaugural visit to the Polk Christmas House, whose displays include animatronics and characters from Star Wars, Grinch, Rudolph, and even Nightmare Before Christmas.   |
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| We popped in to see the train set up in Good Golly, Miss Molly’s Emporium. It is always such fun to challenge my eyesight to find all the figures “hidden” within the massive train and village set ups. |
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We were privileged and honored to join the Southeast Texas Patriot Guard Riders (PGR) in the send-off festivities at GW Bush International Airport for the Gary Sinese Foundation's "Snowball Express." The organization bestows the families of fallen military members with a wonderful fun-filled week in Disney World. This year was extra special. In addition to meeting new folks and reconnecting with families, volunteers, and staff who participated in prior years, I made some new canine therapy buddies! |
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| We attended the Toy Run to Boys and Girls Country in Hockley, Texas, sponsored by the San Jacinto High Rollers Motorcycle Club. |
…And all of that fun was just within the FIRST week of December!
The second weekend of December, we forfeited browsing the vendors at Livingston’s Hometown Christmas (though Dad did take time to help set up his Masonic Lodge’s booth and sell breakfast tacos). Instead, we supported Wreaths Across America (a national event we have done for many years, going back to our days in New Jersey). As members of the East and Southeast Texas Patriot Guard Riders (PGR), we attended the ceremony and laid wreaths on the graves of military veterans interred at Garden of Memories Cemetery in Lufkin, Texas.
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| Ladies Auxiliary of the American Legion Post in Lufkin, Texas. |
We returned home just in time to join in the caroling at Escapees RV Park for folks who are unable to leave their homes due to health issues.
And we ALWAYS find time to watch the Livingston Lighted Christmas Parade, the finale of which features everyone's favorite fat philanthropist, Santa Claus.
The next day we attended "Our Father's Love", the beautiful cantata at First Methodist Church in Livingston. We joined our fellow Southeast Texas PGR members (along with a neighborhood pooch who seems to greet us each year) to lay a few wreaths on local heroes’ gravesites, including PFC Stuart Moore, who lost his life at age 21 on Christmas Eve while serving in Afghanistan.
Though we missed our Hot Stepper dance group performances at
Coldspring and Shepherd Christmas events due to other commitments, we made
sure to be available to dance at 4 area nursing/assisted living homes. Despite us dancers making some mistakes (which
provides some laughs/comedy), we know our performances, as well as the time
we spend socializing with the residents, provide much joy.
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| In addition to performing, we joined our dancing buddies for our annual holiday party. |
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| Me and Diane, our beloved Texas Dance Instructor. |
Speaking of our dance group, several of our members performed in "What Sweeter Music", representing the blended voices of folks from various churches within San Jacinto County. We went to support their efforts and enjoy the beautiful sounds of traditional Christmas carols.
We added some new holiday events in Houston to our calendar as well.
We attended “Radiant Nature” at the Houston Botanical
Gardens, a unique and festive light display to “see the gardens glow” and showcase the
traditions of the Chinese culture. It
offers a spectacular array of artistry and creativity in a kaleidoscope of
vivid colors! We had the perfect
evening to stroll through the display, with clear skies and a light breeze. We paid extra for the on-site parking pass,
eliminating the need to park at the Metro station and be shuttled over. And we chose the earliest timed entry, 6 pm,
where it was dark enough to enjoy the rainbow of colors, yet no crowds in front
of us to interfere with photos. This
Rambling RV Rat highly recommends this exhibit.
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| The exhibit includes a celebration of the Lunar New Year, and I am thrilled my species is recognized within the Chinese zodiac. |
One of the things we miss about our sticks/bricks lives in New Jersey is visiting New York City each Christmastime to see a Broadway show or attend the Radio City Music Hall production. So, it was a real treat for us to get tickets to the play “White Christmas” in Houston at the Hobby Center's Theater Under the Stars. The show was fantastic! The caliber of the performers rivaled any of those we have seen on Broadway. We had excellent seats and fun times chatting with our seat “neighbors”, many of whom were family members of the cast. This production of “White Christmas” gets a Rambling RV Rat 5-cheese award!
On Christmas Eve we began our celebration of the birth of our Savior by watching services at Colorado Community Church. (God puts us in places for a reason, and while Big Boomer was hospitalized for 3.5 weeks in Aurora, Colorado in 2022, we attended Sunday services at this most welcoming and diverse house of worship. We have continued to make it our spiritual home). Then we enjoyed a Festa Dei Sette Pesci or Feast of the 7 Fishes, an Italian tradition of abstaining from meat on the eve of a holy day. Though Mom keeps a seafood menu, she refuses to make the stinky smelts, salty baccala (cod), slimy scungilli (snail) and icky eels that would be part of the fare from when she was a kid (and which she would never eat). So, we “Americanize” our varieties a bit. We have shrimp, mussels, clams, and this year we added salmon, and bacon-wrapped scallops.
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| Despite our busy schedules, Mom found time to bake holiday cookies. |
Christmas Day was lighter fare, Antipasto, homemade bread, and a portabella mushroom/spinach/cheese stromboli, topped off with Mom’s New York Style cheesecake. And, of course, watching Christmas Story was part of our day's traditional activities.
Yes, our Christmas was quite merry and bright. But it was a far cry from white. Temperatures were in the high 70s, we experienced dense fog, and the air was thick with humidity at 70%. Such is Christmastime in East Texas.
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| The true reason for the season. |
From our home-on-wheels to you and your families, best wishes that 2026 brings us all good health (especially for my Dad, since he has some new medical issues), happiness, peace, and prosperity.
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| Yours truly and my Rambling RV Rat Pack. |
