I remember a time when... well, let me start over...
I was busy washing dishes (by hand) when I thought of something.
Now, I am sitting in my livingroom. My husband is working on a project
in the basement. My dog is sleeping somewhere. I am listening to
Christmas music being streamed into a set of new speakers which hype
the bass.... I love bass sounds.
Hearing these wonderful old Christmas tunes reminded me of Christmases
past:
Many, many years ago, I used to turn on the Christmas 33 1/3 lp (long play) albums.
I'd go sit at the dining room table with the following items spread out in front of me:
New Christmas cards to sign, address, and stamp
Address book (a real book with pages and handwritten entries)
A red pen and a green pen to sign my name with and to address the envelopes
A page of 4 cent postage stamps (this was a long time ago - 1962)
A plate of Mother's home made cookies and candy to sustain me.
This was one of my favorite holiday rituals... second only to wrapping gifts (maybe).
When they were all signed with personal notes enclosed, envelopes sealed with a
special sticker or maybe the flap carefully tucked inside the envelop and unsealed (it was one cent cheaper that way), I'd then have the fun of taking them to the post office and send them on their way.
There used to be so many Christmas cards delivered to Mother and Daddy's house that
Mother would have to put out an extra box on the porch for the piles of cards arriving.
They wouldn't fit into the mail box. I got to open all cards that had my name written
on the envelop (Mr and Mrs XX and Coneflower (ha-ha) or that said Mr. and Mrs. XX and Family. That was really fun.
Then all the opened cards would be hung on a red string across the doorway between the diningroom and living room or taped to the mirror or to walls.
It was a joyous and fun time of year with cards, caroling, snowball fights, gift giving,
sometimes traveling to the old hometown, sledding, shopping for special gifts (never
expensive), and Christmas Eve service at church where Daddy sang in the choir. I have not gone to a Christmas Eve service at that home church since he left Mother and me and went to live with the angels. It hurts too much.... I am sitting here crying right now.
So, I guess I'm a sentimental slob. But I wanted to share a little of the sentiment with
you all. We all know how much Christmas time has changed since that time 50 years ago so no need to go into all that.
I am wishing you all a few minutes of quiet time when you can recall your old Holiday
memories and maybe shed a tear or two also.
And, by the way, it doesn't matter at all what greeting you say to folks at this time of year. They all wish joy and happiness to everyone.
Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Welcome Solstice, Joyous Kwanzaa, Funny Festivus, and many others that I can't think of right now. May you all enjoy your celebrations with family and friends and please savor those few minutes of quiet to remember and to pray for peace and respect.