Christmas Eve At Grandpa & Grandma E's House

I am feeling grateful for memories of the annual Christmas Eve parties at Grandpa and Grandma Eldredge's house.  I get a little sentimental when I think about some of the things that made those times magical for me...

• Feasting on Grandma E's cheese loaf (of course...my favorite!)
• The annual cousin Christmas play that started in Grandma and Grandpa E's living room then moved to the Christensens then to the church stage across the street when we became too big...my favorite was "Christmas in the Hospital"
• The year my aunts made matching pajamas for all of us kids...that was really cool!
• Aunt Kaye always being coaxed to play a Christmas medley on that old upright piano
• Cousin Kale's perfect recitation of The Grinch That Stole Christmas
• Having Aunt Leah and Aunt Wilma join us as part of the family...and occasionally Uncle Denton and Aunt Martha
• Separating into the "boy" and "girl" factions and playing out our strategies in the two separate basements of Grandpa and Grandma E's house...I loved rummaging through boxes and drawers to find old artifacts of my aunts' youthful years
• Meeting Aunt Julie's different boyfriends each year...seems like she had a new one every Christmas (Bob, Bill, Jim...I remember Jim as the one who would throw me 10 feet up in the air)
• Watching television with Grandpa E in the little TV room...he would always sit in "his' chair closest to the kitchen
• Listening to "Hear Comes Suzy Snowflake," on an old 45 record we'd play on Grandma's record player
• Hanging out where the adults were talking and listening to their Christmas memories...I can still hear Grandpa E's laughter like a repeating nasal goose honk and Grandma E. exclaiming, "Oh Goodnight!" or "Oh Grab!"

It was time to go when my aunts started telling me that Santa would be coming soon to deliver presents.  I remember one of my aunts (can't recall which one) pointing into the dark sky from the TV room window to draw my attention to Rudolph's nose somewhere in the night.  I couldn't see it...but I trusted it was there.

Frankly, I get a little teary-eyed when I think of those Christmas Eve gatherings at Grandpa and Grandma E's so long ago.  It was something I expected every year...one of those yearly events that grounded me and gave me a sense of who I was.  I grew up knowing I was loved, knowing I had value and knowing that I was part of something bigger than myself.  I miss Grandpa asking me to play "Born Free" on the piano every time I visited.  I miss Grandma's food and her flitting around that pale blue kitchen.  I miss the stern, wet kisses from Aunt Leah and Aunt Wilma.  I miss the laughter and pure joy I felt being around six sisters who loved being with each other and reminiscing about their past.  I miss that old home...all the different rooms I could wander in to be alone or to partner up with cousins Brian, David and Tyler and play pranks on "the girls."

I believe the Lord will allow us to re-live those memories again with each other someday...sort of like what Scrooge got to do in "A Christmas Carol."  Until then, I will rely on photos and my own imperfect memory and smile as I close my eyes to drink a swig of Grandma E's delicious holiday mixture of eggnog and Sprite...

As I think about Christmas and children...the Christmas time of my childhood, the memories my kids will have of their Christmases...and also the heartbreak of those families and children who are suffering this year after the devastating school shooting in Connecticut, I want to share this poem by one of my personal favorite poets...

CHRISTMAS - MAY THE LITTLE CHILDREN

By Uncle Lonnie Carlile

May the little children quietly laugh and play

as they celebrate Christmas Day.

May loved ones and friends have a reverent, cheerful view

as they spend this special day too.

May leaders and rulers follow proper protocol and cue

to insure peace and joy for me and you.

May heavenly hosts sing new praises for this day,

and the sun, moon, and stars give their warming, enlightening ray.

May more hearts and minds be touched somehow

with faith and hope in holy covenant and vow.

May the second coming of God's son influence mortal mind and heart

to faithfully continue preparing, or to start.

May envy, greed, and violence be spirited away

on the wings of love and kindness this Christmas day.