My first 50 Christmases or so were pretty much alike and wonderful, with moments of course. For 40 years they were at my parents' home.
Those who've been around for awhile are aware that my mom was something of an obsessive cleaner, (at least to me and most that knew and loved her. Let's put it this way, she washed the outside of windows monthly and screens twice a year- these were not the pull in to clean windows. Nuff said!)
Christmas cleaning was something else, we all-including my dad were put to work at least a week before. Sometimes my dad's would start earlier which included painting a room or two! All closets and drawers had to be emptied and cleaned out-(in fairness this happened in the Spring too, but Christmas always had its own stress with hidden presents, trees and decorations all over, true stress makers! No matter, mom said it all had to be done. Other than her sister, my aunt, I don't think a soul looked in a closet; no one a dresser drawer in all those years and there were usually 30-35 people for dinner, more after for dessert.
Her shopping must have started in September, though dragging my brother to the malls began after Thanksgiving after we no longer believed in Santa. I think we were around 7 or 8. Mostly would be Friday nights, the malls weren't opened Sat night or Sun then! That was shopping for my dad, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. Needless to say we weren't thrilled to be dragged to toy stores for cousins or Marshall Field's for clothes shopping for others! Poor mom!
My dad was always off Christmas Eve. During the morning and afternoon it was very hectic, picking up bakery goods ordered; meat from butcher; last minute groceries from supermarket-these were chores for dad to do and bring my brother and I along with. Mom was still cleaning! LOL! When home and everything put away the fun times would begin in earnest. We opened the last doors on our advent calendars. Until we were in our early teens, we went to Children's Mass around 4 in the afternoon, afterwards mingling with friends after watching the little kids visit with Santa after and having cookies and hot chocolate.
Around 7 we'd have dinner, always the same: Baked pasta, hot garlic bread, minestrone soup. Then we'd all get to open 1 present-new Christmas jammies and slippers. We'd put them on then watch Christmas movies. It was the one night my brother and I always slept in the living room-starting on couches, ending up on the floor. This went back to my earliest memories-how Santa got all the presents under the tree I have no idea! It probably helped that it seems to run in our family that we sleep like the dead! But really??!!!!
In the morning, around 5, we kids would wake to the lighted tree with presents spilling around us, sometimes with big things like bikes in the dining room! We'd wake up mom and dad, then have to wait while they had coffee and dad read about the Christmas story from the bible. THEN it was crazy opening frenzy! When all the packages opened and wrappings put out to the trash, we had to get all this 'stuff' into our rooms, company was coming! Breakfast was juice and pastries-picked up by dad on his bakery run. Mom needed the kitchen! Pretty much my brother and I were in our rooms, playing with the loot. Dad was peeling and cutting potatoes, carrots, celery, and onions. Mom was cooking. Then dad was cutting chicken wings, making meat balls, etc. Mom was cooking it all.
Around 4 company would start arriving. There was always 'Christmas punch' for us kids-lime sherbet with 50/50 pop poured over with maraschino cherries in ice cubes floating on top. The adults were imbibing with cocktails. Always there were at least 12 trays and hot dish appetizers. (Needless to say, dinner wasn't fully appreciated. After years, mom switched from turkey to making a simpler ham and beef roast). Around 8:30 mom's family, including my 5 cousins would come for dessert and playing the 'card game!') We played Rummy Royal for pennies, the kids always won! Sometimes I'd have over $5! Most years at least 3 cousins would end up spending the night, one year they all did, even my aunt. The last company must have left around 2, I was asleep.
I admit that when I was the mom I was not as compulsive at cleaning and there were far, far fewer presents on Christmas morning-but I wasn't raised during the depression and had never wanted for any necessities, few wants. Other than that I stuck with the plan for most things. I didn't have to seat 30-35 for dinner, more like 15-20, but didn't have a huge dining room that ran directly into the living room. Our 'kids table' were two Little Tykes picnic tables, not a banquet table end-to-end with dining table. Dinner began at 1 with fewer appetizers and less drinking. After dinner the kids went caroling, then we'd play Rummy Royal with the kids winning; years later the 'kids' got to choose other games to play. They still do that!
Lots of memories tied up with Christmas including train rides downtown to see Santa at Marshall Field's and lunch in the Walnut Room. Yearly trip to see "The Nutcracker" at Arie Crown. Car trips to drop off toys for "Toys for Tots" and to collect and bring boxes to Food Collection that WGN ran downtown; shopping for our 'ornament people' off the city tree.
I think my parents did a good job of mixing the real meaning of Christmas with the excesses often lamented. The lessons have been handed down to my kids and their cousins. I'm pretty sure the grandkids will have a similar experience growing up. My daughter has already started a new tradition, sort of a blend of what's gone before. Alison's 'advent calendar' is a big, decorated box. Every day they wrap a 'present' of food or a toy or article of clothing and put it in the box. On the 24th they will bring that big box to a collection point to be delivered to some family in town.
Merry Christmas everyone!
Memories of Christmases Past
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Originally Posted by Kathianne
