Christmas Memories



I remember Christmas when it was really Christmas and Santa left the presents. When three young boys peeked around the railing on the landing of the stairs'. There before us, in the false dawn of a snowy morning, was an array of wrapped presents so magnificent that it was a wonder our hearts didn't explode.

Not that many times in my life did my heart react that way. After puberty, it always had to do with a young girl. And like the promise of all those presents, the heart settled down after realizing it wasn't all for me. Until I met my wife, that is!

All the presents under and around the tree were for me and my two brothers and two sisters. There was usually a lone, fully assembled bicycle w/o wrapping but with a Christmas bow and a note from Santa. Almost yearly if the mill hadn't been on strike for part of the year. One step forward and two steps back.

I don't believe we bum rushed the pile of presents. If we had gone down at all we would have reconnoitered individually and then returned to our shared bedroom with the bunk beds. Our Mother had warned us NOT to do what we already did because we shouldn't wake up our Father who was busy all night trimming the tree?

So we waited, fully awake until 7am or until we heard our sisters get up and go into the house's single bathroom. It was their fault for waking us up. Then we could bum rush the living room and start enjoying Christmas. Eventually, two of the most exhausted individuals would join us and they would sit around and smile. 
 After they received their gifts and the pancakes were finished, it was time for 'Blessed Sacrament, Pope John the First, Holy Mother, Saint Brendan's Catholic Church. 10Am Mass was the best!

In the name of the birth of our Lord, the well off and well dressed front of the church didn't sneer quite as much at the less well off back of the church as they paraded passed while trying not to chew the host. Since most of us had some kind of exemption, we hadn't committed a MORTAL sin by eating before communion. Our Mater made the pancakes but couldn't eat any because she wasn't real young or full time working or any of the other allowed reasons.

All the family napped through lunch and waited for maiden Grand Aunt Theresa to come to dinner (some years) and pass around the folding money. She would tell us fantastic tales of her travels. Then a lot of our cousins and Aunts and Uncles would breeze in and out on there way to somewhere spectacular but we didn't care because we had the best Christmas ever! Until next year!  


 This blog/column is meant for educational purposes only. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. All images are merely for humor and not meant to comment on subject. Void where prohibited. Some assembly required. Do not read while operating a vehicle or heavy machinery. Keep sending those great questions and comments! (Contact) boatguied@aol.com

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