A Christmas from the Past

by

L. Sue Wright

It was Christmas Eve and I wanted our family to be at our house.  I wanted the four of us to be gathered around our fire, admiring our tree, taking turns guessing what was to be found in each of our gifts.  But, in the winter of my third grade year, we were on the road, driving to Springfield, to spend Christmas at my aunt and uncle's house.

Celebrating Christmas at my aunt and uncle's would be a big event.  All of the relatives would be there, and with 8 children in the house, there was always something going on. The older cousins would take the younger ones in tow, and we might even get to learn some new games.  It would be fun to explore, as their house was much bigger than ours

Every meal at my aunt's house was a big event.  The big dining room table was always used, to allow room for everyone.  The huge volumes of food placed in the middle of the table would somehow disappear during the course of the meal.  Everyone had assigned jobs to do.  My job was usually helping to set the table, and making sure there was a chair at each place.  I can now really appreciate why my aunt was one of the first people I knew to have a dishwasher.

Sleeping over at my aunt's house was almost as thrilling as going camping.  My brother and I would take our sleeping bags and camp out in one of the bedrooms, or in the living room.  The hardest thing was finding a free bathroom when you needed one.  Bedtime and first thing in the morning were especially busy times.  When 12 people needed to use the facilities, it made for a lot of congestion.

Although most visits to my cousins' home were happy times, this one was not. Christmas was a time to be in your own home, with your own tree, surrounded by all of your own things.  I wanted to see all the decorations we had put on the tree.  I wanted to know how the star on top of the tree looked when the lights were on.  This was not the way Christmas should be.  We hadn't brought any presents, but rainy weather and customer packed stores, made a last minute shopping trip turn sour.  We never found the dress I had wanted, and, only reluctantly, did my dad agree to purchase an electric train set for my brother.  Would there be any surprises?  Was anyone going to be happy?

Everything that happened that holiday looked like Christmas, but it never felt like Christmas.  As evening approached on Christmas Eve, all the relatives arrived, and a big holiday dinner was served.  The food was plentiful, as much time had been spent getting it ready.  However, it had very little flavor.  After the meal was eaten, and clean up finished, the gift exchange began.  Names had been drawn, and gifts were given to the proper parties.  I still remember opening my gift, The Little House on the Prairie, a book.  I only felt sadness.

We were not going to be at home for Christmas.  We would not be in our house.  This was not our tree, there was no popcorn garland, nor any silver tinsel.  We would not go to sleep in our own beds, dreaming of special surprises.  We would not wake up to the wonder of Christmas.  It was not the same, and it made my heart ache.