339
R. Linda:
This afternoon as the sky was getting dark (it starts getting dark here around 2:30) we sat in front of the fire sipping hot cider with rum. The candles were lit in the windows and those and the firelight was our only light. In that mellow light the setting seemed magical and the wee ones had brought in their blankies and were asleep together in the big chair, looking like dolls, so cute. The dogs had come in and were sleeping at our feet as is usually their way and the cat was God knows where.
In such a setting me Da was asking me if I remembered the snowy Christmas Eves we'd go to the main street in town and pick out a tree, bring it back and decorate it. Many of me fondest memories are of Christmas Eve, with Da and me sister, the snow falling, Da pulling us as we sat on the sleigh through the neighbourhood all excited about picking out a tree. Every year the trees were set against the old cemetery wall by our church which was up on the hill. But on the main street next to the wall were a set of small shops, and one was the toy shop. We would always run there first to see the train set in the window with the little village and the fake snow all around. There were toys interspersed in the windows for sale and a mechanical Santy that moved from side to side like he was bowing. Wonderful stuff for us, and lovely memories now.
After we'd show Da the toys in the window that we hoped Santy would bring us, we'd go over and pick out a tree. They weren't the full lovely things you see today, they were a wee bit on the Charlie Brown side, but once decorated who'd know. Me father would tie it to our sleigh and back home through the snow we'd go. Me sister would run in and tell me Mam the tree was here with such excitement, jumping up and down like this was the greatest information she could impart. I'd be out with me Da holding the tree steady as he sawed off the bottom and got it ready to come inside.
He'd decorate it up with the lights while me Mam got the ornaments down from the attic. Our job was to make sure all the ornaments had hangers and as soon as the star on the top was lit, we plunged in to get the ornaments on. We'd laugh and talk about what we hoped we'd get Christmas morning and once the tree was finished, we'd sit down and admire our work and dream of Santy.
Just before midnight we'd bundle up and head for St. Patrick's for mass and that was always a wonderful mass, the church decorated in holly greens, red berries, the white candles in gleaming brass holders, and the people jammed in as the choir sang such joyful songs of the season. It was a warm place and filled with good cheer yet there was a peace in the air that was not there the rest of the year.
We talked for hours, it was lovely, reminiscing and the time got away from us, and so did the rum cider. The wee ones stirred but fell back to sleep and I'd like to think with sugar plums dancing away in their heads.
Yes, Christmas Eve was magical to me as a child and it never lost the appeal. Quite different from Tonya's. Me Mam asked how she spent the night and she told us that it was a tradition for her parents to invite friends and neighbours for a big dinner. They'd make merry with spiked eggnog, mulled cider and whiskey sours, a huge turkey on the table with all the trimmings. She said they'd have candies and cookies for dessert, all homemade and around eleven some of the friends would leave for the midnight church service and yes, the choir sang carols (she went once that's how she knows) and everyone was dressed to the nines, and festive in their Sunday best. Meanwhile, back at the house, her family would be clearing up, the last of the guests wishing all a Merry Christmas and going on home. Around 3 a.m. the opening of presents would begin. It was technically Christmas morning she said, but they always left one or two gifts to open when the sun was up. Then off to bed they'd go happy and filled with food.
This all said in a cavalier tone and there I was thinking how rich people celebrated the night and then I noticed me Mam looking a bit taken aback, and me father was leaning forward in his chair ready to ask a question.
Me Da asked her when her family got their tree and she said, weeks before. No Christmas Eve buying? No, said she, "The weather could make it not exactly a fun time to be freezing asses off at some tree place where the only trees left were the Charlie Brown ones." OOPS. But she didn't seem to notice what she said, she plunged right on with "And then to come home with one of "those" everyone thawing out and too cold for decorating, it would take a lot of hot alcoholic punch to warm back up and even more to attempt to hide the shortcomings of a Charlie Brown tree. Hahahaha."
"Well, ye went to church service then?" Me Da asked.
"No one would want to venture out in the frozen tundra for a church service, they'd rather go to bed," Tonya laughed.
I forced a laugh, so did me Da, me Mam sat there with that harrumph look which is a sour introspective look and it does not bode well. I jumped in to change the subject and asked her what was her favourite present ever. She didn't know, I was like what do you mean you don't know? Everyone knows, but she offered up this, which if me Mam was having a harrumph moment then it was about to be extended.
"I had a great gift idea for my brother's wife. He would struggle every year with what to get her. If you give gift cards to Macys, you can't use those 25% off coupons (you can only use them if you charge), so you are better off buying something and having the person return it for credit on your Macy's account. So, I told him to get her the most ridiculous, hideous outfit he could find, six sizes too big with a note hidden inside that says have fun returning this and shopping! This way he gets credit for taking the time to look and purchase a gift, with no possible failure and a good laugh."
Silence, abject SILENCE. We all heard this, we all absorbed it into our befuddled brains and we sat there wide-eyed not knowing quite what to say. Tonya didn't seem to notice she was too busy slugging down that hot cider which I knew she had put a great deal of rum in. Oh my God. She needed to be stopped but before I could turn the subject, me Da asked, "How'd that turn out for him?"
She had to catch the cider from drooling out of her mouth as she started to laugh with the memory.
"SHE was pissed! When she saw that bright red suit and the SIZE she was ready to spit nails, hahahahahaa!"
I put me face in me hands with embarrassment for her, but she got up to replenish her drink and asked as an after thought if anyone else needed any. I got up and said I did, but I'd do mine and I took me Da's as he held it up and followed her out to the kitchen. There I told her she was saying bizarre things and to let up on the rum. She pooh poohed me and went right back out there. I hurried to catch up with her for fear of what was coming out of her memory banks next.
"So let me see I got this straight," me Mam said as we sat back down, "ye never buy trees that look a little sparse, ye eat and drink a lot on Christmas Eve and ye don't feel ye should celebrate the birth of our saviour at high mass at midnight."
"Yup, that's about the size of it," Tonya said sipping the rummy cider.
UH OH. They both needed to be stopped, I glanced at me Da who also realised me sainted Mam was winding up for three strikes you're out at Tonya and Tonya not knowing what was coming her way, we both spoke at the same time and we both said the same thing, "Funny how things here are different at home." Yeah, not really, but that's what we said and this stopped me Mam to look at us like how could we say such and Tonya, swilling her glass of cider, looking near cross-eyed, mumbling, "Yeah ya got that right."
"Well, I think it's time for that football game, Jets versus Steelers, Da," I said flicking on the telly and turning up the sound. "Mam, would you mind heating the stew now, I think we're all getting hungry," I said trying to cut her off at the pass as they say, and send her to another room where the conversation can fade into the shadows. BUT, Tonya got up and said, "Here Mam let me help."
OH MY GOD! I grabbed at Tonya and missed as she took off after me Mam who was eyeing her like she'd like nothing better. Me father was up and in pursuit and he, unlike me caught her and turned her right back around and he signalled me to go to me Mam and help. Lucky for Tonya, I was able to give me Mam some cock and bull story about it all being Tonya's way of having a little fun, telling silly stories that went against everything. I don't think she bought it, but by the time we got back to the living room with the bowls of stew and biscuits, there was me wife snoring, head thrown back, the glass of cider being gently removed from her limp hands by me Da. It was later I found out what he did, he purposely put double shots of rum in Ton's cider, this way was the only way he saw of making her incoherent and not able to understand a word me Mam might say should she go off on her, which we knew she was going to.
Ton is all tucked in right now, I be about to watch Weasil lose Survivor with me grumbling parental units. Hopefully, tomorrow Tonya won't remember any of it and if she acts like everything is normal, me Mam will too. I hope.
Gabe
Copyright © 2010 All rights reserved
R. Linda:
This afternoon as the sky was getting dark (it starts getting dark here around 2:30) we sat in front of the fire sipping hot cider with rum. The candles were lit in the windows and those and the firelight was our only light. In that mellow light the setting seemed magical and the wee ones had brought in their blankies and were asleep together in the big chair, looking like dolls, so cute. The dogs had come in and were sleeping at our feet as is usually their way and the cat was God knows where.
In such a setting me Da was asking me if I remembered the snowy Christmas Eves we'd go to the main street in town and pick out a tree, bring it back and decorate it. Many of me fondest memories are of Christmas Eve, with Da and me sister, the snow falling, Da pulling us as we sat on the sleigh through the neighbourhood all excited about picking out a tree. Every year the trees were set against the old cemetery wall by our church which was up on the hill. But on the main street next to the wall were a set of small shops, and one was the toy shop. We would always run there first to see the train set in the window with the little village and the fake snow all around. There were toys interspersed in the windows for sale and a mechanical Santy that moved from side to side like he was bowing. Wonderful stuff for us, and lovely memories now.
After we'd show Da the toys in the window that we hoped Santy would bring us, we'd go over and pick out a tree. They weren't the full lovely things you see today, they were a wee bit on the Charlie Brown side, but once decorated who'd know. Me father would tie it to our sleigh and back home through the snow we'd go. Me sister would run in and tell me Mam the tree was here with such excitement, jumping up and down like this was the greatest information she could impart. I'd be out with me Da holding the tree steady as he sawed off the bottom and got it ready to come inside.
He'd decorate it up with the lights while me Mam got the ornaments down from the attic. Our job was to make sure all the ornaments had hangers and as soon as the star on the top was lit, we plunged in to get the ornaments on. We'd laugh and talk about what we hoped we'd get Christmas morning and once the tree was finished, we'd sit down and admire our work and dream of Santy.
Just before midnight we'd bundle up and head for St. Patrick's for mass and that was always a wonderful mass, the church decorated in holly greens, red berries, the white candles in gleaming brass holders, and the people jammed in as the choir sang such joyful songs of the season. It was a warm place and filled with good cheer yet there was a peace in the air that was not there the rest of the year.
We talked for hours, it was lovely, reminiscing and the time got away from us, and so did the rum cider. The wee ones stirred but fell back to sleep and I'd like to think with sugar plums dancing away in their heads.
Yes, Christmas Eve was magical to me as a child and it never lost the appeal. Quite different from Tonya's. Me Mam asked how she spent the night and she told us that it was a tradition for her parents to invite friends and neighbours for a big dinner. They'd make merry with spiked eggnog, mulled cider and whiskey sours, a huge turkey on the table with all the trimmings. She said they'd have candies and cookies for dessert, all homemade and around eleven some of the friends would leave for the midnight church service and yes, the choir sang carols (she went once that's how she knows) and everyone was dressed to the nines, and festive in their Sunday best. Meanwhile, back at the house, her family would be clearing up, the last of the guests wishing all a Merry Christmas and going on home. Around 3 a.m. the opening of presents would begin. It was technically Christmas morning she said, but they always left one or two gifts to open when the sun was up. Then off to bed they'd go happy and filled with food.
This all said in a cavalier tone and there I was thinking how rich people celebrated the night and then I noticed me Mam looking a bit taken aback, and me father was leaning forward in his chair ready to ask a question.
Me Da asked her when her family got their tree and she said, weeks before. No Christmas Eve buying? No, said she, "The weather could make it not exactly a fun time to be freezing asses off at some tree place where the only trees left were the Charlie Brown ones." OOPS. But she didn't seem to notice what she said, she plunged right on with "And then to come home with one of "those" everyone thawing out and too cold for decorating, it would take a lot of hot alcoholic punch to warm back up and even more to attempt to hide the shortcomings of a Charlie Brown tree. Hahahaha."
"Well, ye went to church service then?" Me Da asked.
"No one would want to venture out in the frozen tundra for a church service, they'd rather go to bed," Tonya laughed.
I forced a laugh, so did me Da, me Mam sat there with that harrumph look which is a sour introspective look and it does not bode well. I jumped in to change the subject and asked her what was her favourite present ever. She didn't know, I was like what do you mean you don't know? Everyone knows, but she offered up this, which if me Mam was having a harrumph moment then it was about to be extended.
"I had a great gift idea for my brother's wife. He would struggle every year with what to get her. If you give gift cards to Macys, you can't use those 25% off coupons (you can only use them if you charge), so you are better off buying something and having the person return it for credit on your Macy's account. So, I told him to get her the most ridiculous, hideous outfit he could find, six sizes too big with a note hidden inside that says have fun returning this and shopping! This way he gets credit for taking the time to look and purchase a gift, with no possible failure and a good laugh."
Silence, abject SILENCE. We all heard this, we all absorbed it into our befuddled brains and we sat there wide-eyed not knowing quite what to say. Tonya didn't seem to notice she was too busy slugging down that hot cider which I knew she had put a great deal of rum in. Oh my God. She needed to be stopped but before I could turn the subject, me Da asked, "How'd that turn out for him?"
She had to catch the cider from drooling out of her mouth as she started to laugh with the memory.
"SHE was pissed! When she saw that bright red suit and the SIZE she was ready to spit nails, hahahahahaa!"
I put me face in me hands with embarrassment for her, but she got up to replenish her drink and asked as an after thought if anyone else needed any. I got up and said I did, but I'd do mine and I took me Da's as he held it up and followed her out to the kitchen. There I told her she was saying bizarre things and to let up on the rum. She pooh poohed me and went right back out there. I hurried to catch up with her for fear of what was coming out of her memory banks next.
"So let me see I got this straight," me Mam said as we sat back down, "ye never buy trees that look a little sparse, ye eat and drink a lot on Christmas Eve and ye don't feel ye should celebrate the birth of our saviour at high mass at midnight."
"Yup, that's about the size of it," Tonya said sipping the rummy cider.
UH OH. They both needed to be stopped, I glanced at me Da who also realised me sainted Mam was winding up for three strikes you're out at Tonya and Tonya not knowing what was coming her way, we both spoke at the same time and we both said the same thing, "Funny how things here are different at home." Yeah, not really, but that's what we said and this stopped me Mam to look at us like how could we say such and Tonya, swilling her glass of cider, looking near cross-eyed, mumbling, "Yeah ya got that right."
"Well, I think it's time for that football game, Jets versus Steelers, Da," I said flicking on the telly and turning up the sound. "Mam, would you mind heating the stew now, I think we're all getting hungry," I said trying to cut her off at the pass as they say, and send her to another room where the conversation can fade into the shadows. BUT, Tonya got up and said, "Here Mam let me help."
OH MY GOD! I grabbed at Tonya and missed as she took off after me Mam who was eyeing her like she'd like nothing better. Me father was up and in pursuit and he, unlike me caught her and turned her right back around and he signalled me to go to me Mam and help. Lucky for Tonya, I was able to give me Mam some cock and bull story about it all being Tonya's way of having a little fun, telling silly stories that went against everything. I don't think she bought it, but by the time we got back to the living room with the bowls of stew and biscuits, there was me wife snoring, head thrown back, the glass of cider being gently removed from her limp hands by me Da. It was later I found out what he did, he purposely put double shots of rum in Ton's cider, this way was the only way he saw of making her incoherent and not able to understand a word me Mam might say should she go off on her, which we knew she was going to.
Ton is all tucked in right now, I be about to watch Weasil lose Survivor with me grumbling parental units. Hopefully, tomorrow Tonya won't remember any of it and if she acts like everything is normal, me Mam will too. I hope.
Gabe
Copyright © 2010 All rights reserved
