CHRISTMAS MEMORIES:

Some things I remember about Christmas Past.

When I was little, I lived at Gramma’s house.  She always put the Christmas tree in the front room.  It was usually closed off to cut down on using coal (we had coal stoves) until company came.  We still slept in the bedrooms in the front of the house.  Yes, it was cold.  But I slept with her on her feather bed or with my Mom.  You can see my poem about ‘The Wishbook Doll’ in my December 2012 blog post.  (see list of posts in the right margin)

When I was in the eighth grade, I started collecting stamps.  My Christmas present was a Liberty Stamp album from H. E. Harris.  I was so proud to have it.  Still save stamps.  Still enjoy that.  Wonder how much longer, we’re going to even be using stamps?

When Gene and I moved home from St. Louis, 1975, we lived in Aunt Stell’s house in FudgeTown (ie. Ferges).  We went to Uncle Frank and Aunt Viola’s on the road to Crenshaw Crossing (now is Reed’s Cemetery Road).  He took us way out back into his woods and we got our own Christmas tree.  It seemed really special being in FudgeTown with a real live Christmas tree, after all those years being away in the city.

Sometime in the early 80’s, we lived on North 13^th St. in Herrin.  I remember Mom (Lola) was with us and we had our Christmas party going on Christmas Eve.  Then the hospital called and asked me to come.  I sat with Aunt Phyllis, so Uncle Obed could go home and rest.  She had huge problems after a surgery and ended up being moved to St. Louis.  Eventually, I had to give a deposition in the case.  Sometimes Christmas is more about being there for others than just enjoying the season.

One time in the fall, there was a tiny lost kitty meowing from atop the rear tire of my car (on North 13^th St.)  So I thought, ‘Well, this will be good.  Mom will have a pet and good company while I’m at work.’  I had several cats in my life time.  The very first was Casper, a solid white kitty, whose mother chose my lap (at friend Clara’s house) to have her water break and start her labor.  (Remember, Casper the Friendly Ghost?)  Casper lived a long time at Pop’s, mostly in the chicken coop and the barn.  Probably the most precious, of course, was my Serena.  I got her while Gene and I were in St. Louis, a full blooded, seal point Siamese.  And she was my best friend through that first ill-fated marriage, until she died on the front porch at Herrin.  Anyway, the little lost guy was kind of a grey striped feisty little feller, so I named him Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.  Mom was writing pen pals, and stories and poems and was actually the poet in the Herrin Spokesman Poet’s Corner.  I fancied myself a writer and poet as well, so I thought Henry would be a good addition to the family.  That year at Christmas I was working evenings.  The tree was up and the house was all decorated, etc.  One night I came home from work, worked 3-11:30, but often worked late.  When I came in, Mom, who should have been in bed, was sitting in her wheelchair in front of the Christmas tree with a fly swatter in one hand and a can of room spray in the other.  “Mom, what in the world are you doing?”  She points to Henry, perched low and behind the tree, “Keeping Henry from climbing the Christmas Tree.”

In the late fall of 1989, Gary Frey came into my life.  Wow, a Southern Illinois redneck, marine, coal miner with red hair.  I was not impressed.  But he kept hanging around and he was highly recommended by my Aunt Helena.  (Who just happened to be married to his Uncle Harry.)  AND he WAS a cowboy.  So early December I said, “We have to get ready for the Christmas Eve party.”  He looked at me, very solemn and said clearly, “I don’t do Christmas”.  Whooo!  Who doesn’t do Christmas?  So I just flipped back at him, “Well, if you’re going to hang around here, you will do Christmas.” So we went on and a few days later, I said, “Well, it’s time to get the tree out and put it together and get the house decorated.”  And HE SAID, “I don’t do Christmas trees.”  So I said, “Okay, we’ll have a tree decorating party, too.”  So we did, with Lawrence and Clara and Amanda and Preston.  It was great fun.  Lawrence and Gary put the tree together and strung the lights and we decorated it.  It was really pretty.  So on Christmas Eve we had a party.  By the way, he got the barbeque, the buns and was pretty much the happiest duck in the puddle.   After everyone left, he brought in this big box all wrapped up in Christmas paper and gave it to me, I mean scooted it over on the floor.  It was a huge box.  I unwrapped it and opened it.  A complete set of that Visions Cookware.  I mean,  Come on,  something to cook with?  But see, he already had given me roses (Yeah, on our first date!)  and he gave me something else I’d never had. 

It’s why Christ came and why we have Christmas every year. 

And it’s why God put Gary Frey in my life, just in time, 1989, for Christmas. 

It’s called “love.” 

I hope you all get lots of love for Christmas and all year long.  Yeah!

(Copyright – 2013 – Doris Grant Frey)