My present was posted in my local newspaper.
You asked for the "cool" gifts we received. My coolest gift was posted in my local newspaper just a few days ago. (It was my personal Letter to the Editor).
I posted this in another forum thread, but here go's:...........(don't get too upset MODS)
MY CHRISTMAS MEMORIES
I am now 61 years old and I still have fond vignettes running through my head of Christmas Past.
Us kids getting mom and dad up at O-Dark thirty (
4:30 in the morning) to open up our family presents and mom and dad loading the back of the car with the items that were going to the Christmas party at Grandmas. Pushing and shoving - mom, dad and seven kids piling into the cramped car and heading off to Grandma's place with mom driving and dad snoozing (
a trip of approximately 40 minutes).
Arriving at Grandma's we would find Grandma sitting on her little stool in front of the kitchen sink peeling potatoes for the Xmas meal with the smell of pumpkin pies making your mouth water to the point that you just had to go outside to escape the hunger pains. Grandpa would be sitting in his chair and be enjoying one of his daily ration of fine cigars with the light scent of the cigar smoke intermingling with all of the smells wafting out of the kitchen.
The turkey was so crisp and golden brown with the juices glistening where they'd escaped through the cracks in the skin you just knew it was moist as could be and was going to be absolutely delicious. Presents piled around grandma's tree in stacks by family groupings that you just knew were going to set all the little ones to twittering. The presents would be opened around 11 or 12 o'clock by everyone so that the debris could be cleaned up prior to the Christmas meal.
The punch bowl was sitting on the kitchen table all day and the various aunts, uncles, cousins, moms, dads, brothers and sisters would dip their cups to full and then proceed to empty them in little sips only to start the cycle all over again (
until one of the uncles decided that the punch needed something just a little stronger than ginger ale).
Then all of the moms and dads would put a stop to the young ones partaking of the punch and would break out the sodas (
it never failed - every year the same thing happened - it became the standing joke. How long before Uncle *** spiked the punch).
All of these things were taking place in the early part of the day at my grandmothers home. The various families began arriving at about 8 or 9 o'clock in the morning bringing their "swap" Christmas presents (
limit $5.00) along with whatever they were contributing to the Christmas meal.
By 1 o'clock or so, everyone was ready to sit down to the Christmas repast.
SOOOOO - down to the basement where plywood trestle tables were heavy laden with so much food that the tables were "really" groaning (
not kidding).
By the time that everyone had filled their stomachs to the "belt loosening" stage it was time for the guys to retire to the "TV" room for the "big" bowl game and the women would clean up the Christmas mess and do the dishes (
wiping and putting them away) and then retire back down to the basement where they talked about everything under the sun.
This was the holiday time where they managed to catch up on all of latest gossip about what had taken place during the last year. Along about 6 or 7 o'clock at night, paper plates and plastic silver ware was broken out and the evening "snack/meal" would be eaten.
Once that was done, the women would begin splitting up the food that was left into family group packages and the various families would begin heading out the door on their way home.
Mom, dad and the rest of us kids were usually one of the last of the families to leave.
I know that people sometimes look back at life's memories through rose colored glasses and I "may" be looking through a very lightly tinted set my self, but these memories are as alive for me today as they were over 50+ years ago.
May the memories of your Christmas's be as clear and as enjoyable as mine.
- -
Merry Christmas -
Happy New Year -
Happy Hanukkah - -
This was one of the nicest and coolest gifts a person could ask for. Memories in print are there for posterity and for someone to think they were worty of print is an honor.
