I saw a post on Facebook from my daughter the other day saying
there was just something wrong with seeing Christmas decorations already out at
the local craft stores and it was only August.
Her sister’s Mother-in-Law replied that she would order the Christmas
items in January for her store, to be delivered in June, so she could spend the
summer getting decorations ready to put up for the season.
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| Wreaths for the door at a local craft store, on the shelves in August |
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| Santa's on Sale |
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| Tons of ornaments ready to go |
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| The perfect tree just waiting for a family |
Way back when I was a kid, and that was a long time ago…I
remember waiting with anticipation for the Friday following Thanksgiving. That was the real beginning of Christmas
season for me and lots of other people.
We would go to the stores in downtown Tulsa to look at the decorated
windows while listening to the Christmas music playing over the speaker system.
To the seven year old's eye, decorations seemed to magically appear on beautiful
Christmas trees placed throughout the stores. One of the highlights of the season was the Christmas Parade with Santa riding on his sleigh urging his reindeer on. People smiled a lot at each other. Men would open doors for women whose
arms were overloaded with packages, tip their hats and smile. The women were
appreciative. The pace was hectic but
the spirit of the season was high and it was a fun time. Sidewalk Santa’s would stand on the corners
ringing the bells for the Salvation Army.
We always would put in our spare change.
Then came the day we would head to the Christmas tree lot to
pick out that years tree. Was it tall
enough, full enough, would it fit the corner where the Christmas tree always
went? One year we got a flocked tree. It
was pretty, but hard to decorate. Mom
put red ribbons and red birds all over it with white lights. We all stood back and decided that next year
we would go back with the green tree since we could decorate it in lots of colors
and tinsel. Back then bubble lights were the in thing and as the light got hot
it would make the colored water in the tube bubble. It was fun to watch and just did not have a
place on a white flocked Christmas tree.
Christmas Eve my mother would give me $6.oo, I would catch the
bus which stopped across the street from the house, board it and get off the
bus at 3rd and Cincinnati in Tulsa and head for the downtown area of
5th and Main Street. I was 12 then and old enough to ride the bus
alone. I spent hours going from store to store searching for the right gift. From
my six dollars. I paid for my lunch, bus fare both ways and a present each for
4 members of my family. I dare say that
I can’t do that anymore. Every gift that
I purchased was from the heart, a set of Monogrammed Handkerchiefs for my dad, scented
padded hangers for my mom, a clip-on bow-tie for my brother and hose with seams in the back
for my grandmother.
For lunch I would head to my favorite eatery, Coney Island,
purchase two Coneys with mustard, chili and finely chopped onions and a Coke. Every
shopkeeper would say Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah as they knew their
clientele. After a hard days shopping
the last thing I did was to find the Salvation Army Santa and put some coin in
the pot, then catch the bus home thinking that I was so big to go it alone and
very proud of my purchases, as I had spent a lot of time agonizing over color
and size. Back then each gift you
purchased came with a box. So it always seemed that I had an armful no matter
the size.
We lived in a simpler, gentler time. My mom didn't worry about me being 12 and
heading downtown on my own; I had to be back at 4:30 and always made it in time. It was unheard of if there was a kidnapping
or an assault on a child. It wasn't until I was 14 that I started taking my brother with me so he could do his
shopping.
After a hard day of pounding
the pavement I would sneak into the house, with my loot and make a beeline for
my bedroom while grabbing the bag of wrapping paper, ribbon, scissors, tape and
hauling it with me as I shut the door and yelled “Don’t you dare come in here,
or you’ll spoil your surprise!” I always
managed to hand back a bit of change to my mom from my $6.00 and felt I had
done a great job staying within my budget.
Now days we would say Budget? What’s that? Charge that Please…
The weeks before Christmas, the house would be filled with
delicious odors of baked cookies, minced meat and pumpkin pies, chocolate and
spice cakes. Occasionally we would have a lemon or chocolate chess pie. Mom and
I would grocery shop for the Christmas meal and make sure that we checked and
doubled checked to make sure we had everything as she only wanted to shop once. My job was to make the biscuits and cornbread
for the stuffing and to wash and clean the turkey. Back then turkeys were not as clean as they
are now. I would find lots of feather and quill points still in the bird which
had to be removed. I use to scrub it
down with cornmeal inside and out, then water bath it with salt water. Afterwards I would inject it with butter and
put it back in the refrigerator to keep until the next morning when we would
make the stuffing for the bird and get it ready for the oven. I also made cookies with the old, old
fashioned cookie press and decorated to my heart’s content. It was so much fun.
My father was a big kid at heart. We had to open our Christmas gifts at the
stroke of midnight as he couldn't wait until Christmas morning. It wasn't until
many years later that we got him to open them on Christmas morning so he could
see the expression on his grandchildren’s faces as they discovered their gifts
from Santa. My grandmother would drive over around 10 p.m. and would bring all
her presents to put under the tree.
Before it was said and done we had a ton of presents or so it
seemed. Somehow Santa’s presents always
made it under the tree before midnight, how I don’t know but they did. After a toast of eggnog we would choose someone to play "Santa" and for the next several hours we opened presents much to the delight of all.
As our own children came along “Santa” would come and visit with
them at their grandparent’s house before they were tucked into bed to dream of
Sugar Plum Fairies dancing in their heads.
I say leave Christmas alone.
Let the kids get back to school, celebrate fall, football and Halloween,
be thankful for family, friends and a bountiful year at Thanksgiving and then
celebrate Christmas and what the season is about.
439 Days till retirement...
I have a new follower Laurrie Piland with her food blog
Baked Lava, she is cooking her way across the USA in an RV. Check out her blog. Welcome Laurrie, glad to have you at our campfire.
