From my earliest years I remember one gift that has always been present under the tree: a box of chocolate covered cherries. This gift was always given to my grandpa Longcor. It was one of those things you could count on every year. Grandpa would receive the hollowed box of cherries. The tradition included him opening up the box and passing them around for everyone to share. It was just a given that Grandpa Longcor loved Chocolate Covered Cherries and Christmas wasn't Christmas without a box under the tree! I can remember for weeks after Christmas going to Grandpa's and within a matter of minutes he would pull out his stash of cherries to share.
A few years before he died he was spending a week with Ruthann and I. I was at work and he and Ruthann were doing gardening. They took a break to have a cup of coffee and Ruthann pulled out our stash of Chocolate Covered Cherries to share with Grandpa. As they sat on the couch enjoying their coffee Grandpa leaned into Ruthann and with a faint whisper said: "I have something to tell you: I don't like chocolate covered cherries!" He then threw back his head and laughed like there was no tomorrow. The secret was out. It all made sense to me why he would always open the box and share. It also made sense why he always had cherries well after Christmas. The following Christmas he received a plethora of chocolate covered cherries! It has been 21 years since grandpa died but every year a box of cherries would magically appear under our tree.
This has been a tradition for 50 plus years and this year I was wondering if Christmas would come and go without the cherries. Unlike the States, Australia hasn't caught on to this tradition and does not have chocolate covered cherries...chocolate covered licorice yes, cherries, NO! When Natalie's luggage came she called me to her room as she unpacked her suitcase and what did she uncover? A box of Chocolate Covered Cherries sent to me by my sister in law Jan! WOW, the tradition continues. Thanks Jan!
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