For The Journal<\/p>\n
This column is going to be about Christmas, so read on and see if any of it applies to you.<\/p>\n
The first Christmas I remember I was 6 and we lived in a log cabin on the beach and had no money to spend, hardly enough to eat. At 6 I had not been accustomed to a tree with colored lights, tinsel, breakable ornaments, but I remember it as one of my favorites.<\/p>\n
We had visited with some friends at their house and came home with a package under my dad\u2019s arm. No tree, no decorations, but I didn\u2019t know about that so I didn\u2019t miss them. I walked up the stairs on the back porch where my dog, Kim, and the cat both slept. I heard a strange whimpering sound and was waiting for my dog to come running. She didn\u2019t. She only lay on her blanket next to the cat, who was doing the same thing. My dad was next to me and kneeling down he whispered to me, \u201cKim has had some baby puppies. When they get a little bigger, you can play with them. Your cat has had some kittens too. What a great time you\u2019ll have in a few days.\u201d<\/p>\n
My crying stopped, and I wiped my nose and lips on his shirt. \u201cAre they OK? Why don\u2019t they get up? Why don\u2019t the puppies get up?\u201d I had a lot of questions, which my dad answered as he drew me into the kitchen. \u201cDo you like the presents that Santa left you? The puppies and kittens are all for you to play with. Won\u2019t it be fun?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSanta Claus? He left them for me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe did,\u201d said my dad. They are all for you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Even today I can remember my cries of joy and wanting to play now, but I was led into the kitchen and given the package my Dad had. \u201cYou can open it now if you want.\u201d<\/p>\n
And I did. It was a beautiful red coat, handmade by my dad\u2019s friend, Edie. I put it on, and it fit perfectly. (I learned later that the coat was made from Edie\u2019s nursing cape that she had worn in the First World War.) I stumbled around, flashing the skirt and showing all the shiny gold buttons. And now I get to wear it.<\/p>\n
That Christmas: no toys, no tree, no ornaments or tinsel \u2013 just squirming little puppies and kittens and a beautiful red coat that had been in the war.<\/p>\n
The years went on. The kittens and puppies were long gone. The coat stored in my closet. Three kids had packages under a big, beautiful Christmas tree decorated with tinsel and ornaments from last year and a couple of new ones. My husband complained loudly, \u201cWhy spend money on all this? We don\u2019t need it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course not,\u201d I replied. \u201cBut it\u2019s exciting and fun for the kids.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHmm. Blah. Blah. Waste of money,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n
The next Christmas I went out to the garage and picked up some old rope and five sacks that Tom had hauled cement in. I filled each sack with our presents, tied the sacks with the rope, and put them under the tree. The next morning, my husband started yelling, \u201cWhat are all these sacks about?\u201d I replied, \u201cWell, Santa didn\u2019t want to waste any money so he put our presents in the sacks.\u201d<\/p>\n
That night as I was putting the kids to bed, I told them about my first Christmas and how I felt. My daughter said, \u201cChristmas isn\u2019t about what\u2019s under the tree anyway or how the presents are wrapped, is it?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, it\u2019s the spirit of Christmas that matters.\u201d My first Christmas was the best I\u2019ve ever had.<\/p>\n
You read a few weeks ago Queenie Barz\u2019s terrific Christmas village display, which took years of collecting and gifting by friends to acquire. Well, I went with some friends to the Valley Inn and helped take down the village. I must have wrapped at least 100 Santas, horses, dogs and farm animals. It was sad to put them all away for a whole year, but everyone will enjoy them next year.<\/p>\n
Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year 2017.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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