CHRISTMAS PAST

                    Memories of Christmas Past are floating through my mind.

Christmas was a BIG deal when I was a child. Unfortunately, those were not the times of picture taking. But, the images are still crystal clear in my head.

Mom, my sister and I lived with my Grandparents and an aunt who had never married and at times an uncle or two. On Christmas Eve, my Aunt Lena and her husband would drive up in their BIG black car to spend the night and join in the festivities of the following morning.

Aunt Lena

She was a school teacher and it was her role to be the organizer. Because of that.... our Christmases were wonderful.

Just remember, it was in the midst of the Depression and there was little money for gifts. But, I can tell you more about those magical holidays than the ones more recent. So, let me just drift back in time..........

In the wee hours of Christmas morning, when all were fast asleep, someone would wake up and holler, 'Christmas Gift' and so the sentiment was passed from room to room much like everyone on the Waltons saying goodnight, John Boy and so on. Then we all fell asleep again til morning light came.

Everyone dressed and we gathered around the live cedar tree in the sitting room. It had been cut and dragged in from the pasture. We had strung paper roping around and around the branches. We had draped the entire tree with foil tinsel.

Aunt Lena would seat us all then start us singing carols. After a couple of carols she'd glance out the window and announce... 'Let's sing Jingle Bells' and so we would start 'Dashing through the snow in a...'. and by the time we got to the chorus there would be heavy footsteps on our front porch.

She would fling open the door and Santa would come marching into the room, a big bag slung over his shoulder.

 Inside were wrapped presents... clothes we needed, books to read, coloring books and paper dolls. Once I got a large book about the Night Before Christmas and it was my job (an idea from my teacher aunt) to memorize the verses to recite to Santa the following year.

Years passed, I got older and my uncles got married and started having Christmas at their house. My aunt was faced with a huge problem ...

                                                     Who would be Santa?

So, she enlisted my Mom for the task. When I saw him, I thought Santa had lost some weight, wasn't as tall... and hey, wait a minute... Santa has on my Mother's shoes!

                      And, so the magic that was Christmas for this small child came to an end.

Do  you have a favorite Christmas story?