Christmas Reflections #Holidays#Christmas#Family#Snow

My blog messed up yesterday's post "Enjoying Echoes of Christmas." Ouch. Here is a replacement. 

   

Christmases Past: Snow Memories 

Christmas in our family is all about celebrating the birth of Christ. It is also filled with good food, fun and laughter.
 

Darrington home, about 1964

Recent sub-freezing temperatures and heavy frost that whitened roofs and yards here in Auburn, WA  carried me back in memory to Darrington. where we almost always had white Christmases.
Very white!



Far right, top. Nephew Jerry clearing snow from steep aluminum roof. He climbed to the peak, spread-eagled, and sailed down, arms and legs outstretched. Once he decided to go headfirst--and landed upside-down in a huge, soft drift. Bottom: A Sunday afternoon  decades later (early 80s?) at present home in Auburn. Brother Randy, wife Camille, kids Julie, Kelly, and David came home with Mom and me after church, bundled up, and played in the snow. We topped off a wonderful afternoon with Mom's (Grandma's) Famous Homemade Biscuits while clothes dried in the dryer. Another special family memory.

From the Archives

I recently ran across an almost-forgotten poem published in our school paper, the Logger. I had just turned 18 and was in my second year as school secretary. Not the world's greatest poetry, but everyone praised me and had a good laugh. That edition was printed in green ink. Please, fellow writers, no editing  (grin).

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

’Twas the night before holidays, and all through the school, Everybody was busy, with nary a rule. The teachers were trying to get things across in hopes that the knowledge would not be lost.

The boys were all shouting,” Golly! By Ned!” while visions of mistletoe danced in their heads. Mr. Edwards in Glee Club had started to sing when all of a sudden, the fire bell did ring. Out in the hall, it made such a clatter, Mr. Ireland came dashing, to shout, “What’s the matter?”

The students were all simply milling around for the culprit who rang it could not be found. However, the damage was not too complete for in the dim corridor a stranger did meet. With a smile on his face and a twinkling eye, he took just one look, and the prankster did spy.

Old Santa just smiled, then he said to the boy, “l suppose that that trick gave you much joy.” The boy then apologized and classes went on, but by now all the teachers had started to yawn.

Mr. Dyer, Mrs. Shuler and Mrs. Myers too, they all felt like saying, “Get out! Scram! Shoo! Mr. Lewis was dreaming, island sounds could be heard. And Colleen was typing her last feeble word.

Mr. Simmons was excited, the team had won their game He thinks the holidays all very tame! Mr. Caspers was storming, “Someone has my key!” While Tiland and Clark bothered Mrs.Wabaunsee.

The cooks were in a dilemma, the dinner was cooked. and here came a lunch line that hadn’t been booked. Mrs. Edwards had troubles, her throat had a cold, And the grade teachers all felt a million years old. Of course all the high school thought it was fun and vowed every Christmas to put faculty on the run. But when three-thirty bell had sounded its tap. the whole place was cleared in three minutes flat.

With shouts of glad greeting, the din finally cleared, and from the shelter of the office, the faculty peered. They mopped at their brows, and all shook their heads, and one even murmured, “l think I am dead.”

 But as they all sped, away out of sight, each one shouted back, “Merry Christmas.

GOOD NIGHT!”

Christmases Present and Future

I still keep in touch with friends from those long-ago days--and smile. Thomas Wolfe said you can't go home again. Wrong. I can and do, not only at Christmas but year-round. Passing decades have brought a wealth of children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, all bound together by unbreakable bonds of love. This Christmas is no exception. We give thanks for the simple joy of being together with as many of the family as possible. 

It has been said, "Families who play and pray together stay together. So it has been, so shall it be. As Tiny Tim, in Dickens's A Christmas Carol joyfully said, "God bless us. Every one!"

Colleen