"A FORTIES CHRISTMAS AT POP'S PLACE"

and ...A CHRISTMAS TODAY...

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It has been a tradition in our family---dating back seven 

or eight decades---to do the big Christmas-present-

opening and related activities on Christmas Eve night.

At Pop's Place (he was my granddad),  SW of Lamesa, 

Texas  a few miles, all manner of happy things were

going on. The big Christmas dinner was always held

the next day, on Christmas Day.

A younger uncle was charged with getting all the little

kids together, and telling them stories they had heard

many times before--- "The Three Billy Goats Gruff,"

"Little Red Ridng Hood," "The Troll," and "Little Black

Sambo."

We went outside to shoot fireworks and being city

dwellers---with our eyes dulled by electric lights---

were amazed to see  the incredibly dark, black

sky...filled with millions of bright, vibrant stars,

all the while breathing in that pure fresh frosty

Christmas night air.

We shot up that big heavy paper sack full of fire-

works which Mom had bought us out of her egg

money. She stashed that sack, each year,  in the

same corner of the living room---out of the way---

there by the big ceramic white swan which she had

bought at a roadside stand, just outside Mineral

Wells...when returning home from a family reunion

in the piney East Texas country.

These fireworks, maybe bought even on Black 

Friday (before that inane day was even dream't of)

may have cost her five bucks....anything for the

grandkids!

What fireworks were in that big sack, which likely

would cost thirty dollars today?  One skyrocket, 

two Roman candles,  some erupting spray fountains, 

twirling streakers, Chinese firecrackers, red "Baby

Giants," some "torpedoes, and lots of sparklers.

On the farm there were plenty fresh eggs and egg

nog was a traditional holiday drink, to say the least,

and high priority with Pop. In the kitchen the ladies

had two bowls "working," and Pop lurking.

The kids were not supposed to notice the two bowls

or Pop as he clandestinely (he thought) drew a bottle

of Turkey Knob from somewhere in his bib overalls,

and flavored one bowl liberally!

I was a witness...I saw it all---as a kid, I never missed

anything...repeat....anything!

It came time later in the evening to open the presents.

All gathered in a circle around the living room using 

every chair that could be scrounged and  brought in.

Times  (the Great Depression, which hadn't really ended 

yet), were tough, and people had to be a

bit frugal with gift purchasing and giving. The gifts

reflected the times.

The farm boys might have received an Old Spice

Shaving kit, a subscription to LIFE magazine, or 

a Pendleton wool shirt, maybe  a western belt and

buckle, or even cowboy boots. A really much-loved

gift was a Stetson hat or even a Borsalino, out of

Italy. Parker 51 pens were popular if the boys were

heading off to college, or the military.

Little boys were more interested in what the men got

than women's things...which might have been a 

Sunbeam Mixmaster, or something like that.

NOW, TODAY'S CHRISTMASES----last night we read

memories of previous Yules,  some long ago, from

Donna's journal. Brian brought his concert guitar,

and he can play almost anything...and we sang: some

Simon and  Garfunkel, Peter, Paul, and Mary, Crosby,

Stills, Nash,and Young----

We sang "Where have you been Mrs. Robinson?" We 

sang "If you miss the train I'm on, you will know that

I have gone...you can hear the whistle blow a hundred

miles," and "The answer my friend is blowing in the

wind."   And oh, what harmony!

The big hit, which all people would have enjoyed, (as

we did), was "In The Village The Lion Sleeps Tonight.."

"A Weemaway, a Weemaway, ah..ah..ah...a Weemaway,"

and my boys and I were all singing in falsetto... Oh,

it was GRAND!

It was break time...and food time...and the choice was

Mexican---posole, tamales, enchiladas, tacos, chili

con queso and guacamole dip...and what else to drink

but ice-cold Diet Pepsis!

Then it was back to the tree for us and Silver Bells, I'm

Dreaming of a White Christmas, Chestnuts Roasting, and

Little Drummer Boy.  

We sang a lot of carols, including Joy To the World, The

First Noel, Silent Night, and O Come, All Ye Faithful.

The same two grandkids who read the Christmas Story,

years ago when they could barely read---now in their

twenties, read it once again, with a flow and feeling...

And then it was time to open the presents...the moment

all had been anticipating.

At Pop's Place Christmas,  in the late thirties and early 

forties,  there was never singing....people didn't do it 

much then...and WWII was coming on....

One thing in this world is certain---CHANGE---times

change...people change...Christmases change...but

the REASON for Christmas...never changes.

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By Mil

Christmas Day, 2015

MERRY CHRISTMAS