by Paul Big Bear
Dear Friends,
What was it that told you Christmas was coming, was it the change in the weather? How about the songs of the season being played everywhere, or the lights on the stores and homes and the holiday decorations; snowmen, elves, Santa Claus adorning store windows, front yards, churches, and schools. Maybe it was the life size manger in front of the church and township building that signaled that Christmas time was here. Perhaps the ads for Christmas giving on radio and television, or the catalogs (wish books) that helped to fill wish lists for Santa Claus. Maybe the snow that fell so deep, so crisp and clean, how about your father putting chains on the car’s tires to get him through the snow to work in the morning. Maybe it was the day the family got in the car and drove to the lot where they were selling Christmas trees , those beautiful evergreens, which one would adorn your living room? Did your mother have a favorite? Mine loved Scotch Pines with the long needles, how tall, is it full enough; will it fit in the stand? Perhaps you went to a tree farm where you followed dad, saw in hand, seeking to cut down the perfect tree. Did you get cookies and hot chocolate while they tied the tree to the top of the car? Was putting the tree up a family thing or did Santa put it up and decorate it. Did your mother hang that December page with a door on each day to count down the days to Christmas morning? I remember the fun we had watching and helping mom mix glass wax with food dye and applying it with a sponge to the windows and mirrors with stencils of Christmas; decorated trees, candy canes, snowmen, and the special one, a star shining brightly with light rays that always went on the mirror in the dining room. How beautiful was the wreath on your door? How about the day mom pulled out the wrapping paper, ribbons, bows, tape, scissors, and tags to wrap gifts for Christmas morning? Did you hang your stockings from the mantel for Santa to fill? As you went to bed did you listen for sleigh bells, did you hope for snow and fall asleep dreaming of coming down the stairs to the magic of the day?
What happened? Christmas fills the store as Santa arrives on a broom stick chauffeured by a witch, candy canes and Santa stockings on display with Halloween costumes and bags of bite size candy for trick or treaters and assorted pies. Signs reminding that if you buy enough (this is kept track of on your shopping membership card) you will get a free turkey. Of course there are Christmas trees, in various sizes and colors, not just shades of green but colors, artificial trees. The first artificial Christmas tree I remember was in my grandparents (father’s side) living room it was silver. The snow doesn’t fall as deep any more, the schools no longer decorate, the Manger is still in front of the church but we must not offend others with our beliefs. No one uses snow chains, today we have snow or all weather tires. The tree in the living room no longer stays up for weeks and relatives and neighbors don’t visit each other to admire their trees. Season’s Greetings now arrive in the form of an E-mail or text message. Christmas lights strung on the house are no longer just red, white, and green, but blue and any other color imaginable.
This year I won’t be visiting children in hospitals or singing at Christmas breakfast. This year Ginny and I will sleep a little later, exchange gifts with coffee in bed and I will prop up my pillows and load my 1951 copy of “Scrooge” with Alistair Sim and celebrate Christmas and all my blessings as I await the phone ringing with Christmas greetings. Tradition.