Thinking Back....on Christmases Past
by Billy Gilbreath, Guest Writer
Seems that tonight I am thinking of old
Days when waiting for the Christmas catalog
Containing the many brightly printed pages
Trains, Cars, puzzles, games, all designed for boys
Girl things, seems the pages were always more
Many dolls, miniature kitchens with real ovens
Don’t forget the inclusion of dress-up stuff.
Christmas
With anticipation that final day at school
Letting out for Christmas and those times
Wondering who drew my name for this event
Hoping that I didn’t get a comb or yellow pencil
Times were hard as the old folks would say
Now realizing that the exchange gift may have
Been a great sacrifice for others in the family
Christmas
Home for a while and the searching begins
That tree in the woods, hoping the perfect shape
Not a blue spruce, or artificial but a real cedar
Decorating with ornaments from years past
Icicles, rope chain, red and green, maybe lights
Wishing and hoping they would all put forth light
Unlike today, toss and head to the nearest store
Christmas
General merchandise store, the five and dime
Now replaced by Amazon, Walmart, and the mall
Is that the smell of that famous cake baking?
The family traditional Yankee Layer Cake
A secret that remains and must remain, the recipe
Travel was limited but always to Papa and Grandma
Christmas
Now travel is simple as we look forward to the East
Seeing Son, Daughter, In-laws, (now family) those
Little ones now grown, grandkids, and great one
A contrast from Over the Hill and Through the Woods
Christmas
In spite of all the changes, observed in over 8 decades
The meaning of the Christmas Celebration, Joy, remains:
“The Angel said to them, I bring you good news,
Of great joy that will be for all the people.
Today in the City of David, a Savior has been born,
He Is Christ the Lord.”
Without Christ there is no Christmas
Billy and Annalon
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for MIL'S, December, 2019
Billy Gilbreath, Hardin Simmons University, Class of '57
