Donna's 2005 Christmas Speech - Christmas Memories of our Tree

The items in RED are words from Jennifer Grooms (Carnes) my baby sister.

Christmas Memories

     When I think of Christmas I think of myself as a young girl, waiting for Dad to bring home the Christmas tree.  It was never the best looking tree sort of reminded me of Charlie Brown’s Christmas tree.  (LOL…boy is this true!! he sure couldn’t pick em!) My Dad would be so proud when he brought it home.  I always would think just wear in the world did this one come from?  Was he driving along and saw a tree along the road and hop out and cut it down?  Did he drive all the way down to southern Ohio and find one lonely tree standing along a country road waiting for my Dad to come and cut it down?  No matter what the tree looked like all of us kids just thought it was the most beautiful tree.  Dad would take the tree and put it in a tree stand and bring it in so proud.  Dad would say “about that bare spot, just turn it around to the back no one will see it.  All 6 of us would already have everything out and waiting to decorate the tree. There were always those special ornaments that had to be put on the tree every year.  The ones that were red shiny plastic balls were a must along with the see through prism that held angels it them.  Too this day we still have a few of those ornaments left to hang on the tree. (I always liked those plastic red reindeer that he got from the gas station for buying gas)   Of course there was the shiny silver tinsel that was strung around the tree.  Sometimes there was snow that was sprayed on the tree but dad didn’t like it because it got all over the ornaments.  He let us put it on the tree anyway every year knowing how hard it would be to clean the ornaments. The last thing to be put on the tree was the big Silver Star that we put on the top.  The tree was usually small that no chair was needed to put it on.  It was all of our responsibilities to make sure the tree had water and pray it stayed alive until Christmas.   Christmas was always the best time in our house. Then the excitement began of the waiting for Santa.

     Mom would get a big JC Penny’s catalogue ( I remember looking at that catalog for hours…$25/$50 bucks went a long way back then. You could get a toy, a pair of jeans, and maybe something else if you were thrifty) and store sales ads and let us take turns marking in the books what we wanted Santa to bring us. We all spent many hours looking over that book for just that special toy.  Mom would save all year long by putting monies on her Christmas club.  It was so hard for her to save monies when there were 6 of us kids at home to feed and clothe. 

     The day before Christmas was spent preparing food for Christmas dinner.  Mom would work so hard on making sure everything was just right.  We all knew how much the Christmas season meant to my dad.  Like I said Christmas was always something to look forward to, lots of good memories.  Mom always made her famous yeast rolls and pumpkin pies. Christmas would not be the same if those 2 items were not on the dinner table.   

      The night before Santa was to arrive at the Grooms resident all the children were snug in their beds.  We would try to stay up as late as we could in hopes to hear Santa come in the door. We would get up out of bed and sit on the stairs when we thought we had been asleep for a long time.  Then we would sneak down the stairs, which was so hard when there are 6 kids.  We would then decide maybe only 1 of us to go down and look and see if Santa had come. (Nothing like getting up at 2:00 am to open presents and then go back to bed!! Wonder if that is how Dad did it when he was growing up?? Do you know?) They would go down the stairs and get on there hands and knees to look beyond the wood burning stove which so happened to be in the same room as dad and mom were sleeping.  If they made it to that point without waking up dad then coast was clear to check for presents.  If they saw presents they were not quiet getting back up those stairs.  The excitement of seeing all the presents Santa had left was just over whelming.  Then it was like a stampede coming down the stairs (I can see us all now…stampede is certainly a good way to describe it. I think it is great that we have this memory, I have told my kids this several times). We would start yelling that Santa had come and dad would just smile and say go ahead. I think we usually got up around 5:00am.

     There was always one person in charge to pass out the presents.  Boy, the waiting for your name to be called was so exciting.  I don’t remember ever being disappointed with any Christmas because we knew how hard it was for our parents to give 6 kids presents.  Far as I can remember we always got something we had asked for. (You are right!! Mom always managed to get us what we asked for. I cannot remember being disappointed at Christmas either. What a wonderful thing to be able to say! We were so much happier with less back then than kids are now days) It was such a happy time for the family.  We would then clean up all the wrapping paper and play with our new toys.  Mom would start making breakfast for all of us. 

      As the family grew up and moved away from home dinners at the park building for Christmas was a must.  The family had grown so large there was not a house big enough for all of us. The last dinner with my dad was at that park building.  I remember being late and crying.  I some how had got the time wrong and was late.  Every one was eating when I got there with my family.  I did get the potato casserole there in time before the family had finished eating.  Dad called me to come over to him and I sat on his lap and cried. I was so hurt Christmas get together’s were always a special time.  My dad told me not to cry that this was going to be the last Christmas he would be spending with us.  I cried more and told him to stop talking like that.  He rubbed my back and said he loved all of us kids and was so happy we all made it to the dinner.  Dad smiled at me and told me to go get a plate of food. I can still feel the love and warmth of that moment. (I remember Mom saying that at first Dad thought it was silly to have Christmas at the park building and not on Christmas….but he sure enjoyed it and changed his mind after that first time!! Everyone was able to eat at the same time and there was a ton of presents!! I remember Mom telling Dad that the kids wanted to stay home on Christmas with their own kids and start their own traditions and then the kids could play with their new toys and not have to leave them. They could start visiting us on Christmas. It is so sad that Dad is not here to do that now. I am so thankful that I still have Mom and she comes over for Christmas dinner. Dad sure enjoyed seeing the things my kids got for Christmas. He was the biggest kid of all!!)  FAMILY Christmas dinners are important because we can be just that a FAMILY.  I got up and did as he requested.  I will never forget that special moment I spent with my dad. 

     One year later my world would be turned upside down and it would never quite be the same again. Those memories are over a decade old now.  Yet, I compare every Christmas to that magical moment when my dad held me on his lap.  It’s funny how some events in your life make a mark on your memory that doesn’t fade no matter how much time passes. And it’s the things that do not seem so important when you’re experiencing them that often turn out to be the ones you remember the most. It seems to me that the most precious memories are not planned, they just happen. Although, it is said that you cannot bring back what is gone, I disagree: it comes again each year at this time and I feel the warmth and love that family Christmas dinners bring to me. I hope that my children will one day look back and feel the same about a special day that I have given them. 

What a wonderful story!! I keep my pictures of Dad and our last Christmas put away because he looks so ill in them. I prefer to remember him as happy, which he certainly was at Christmas time.  For all of Dad’s sternness, he was a loving man, a hard worker, and provided for his family the very best that he could.  On our last Christmas together he told me to make sure that we kept having the dinner together; and I do not want to disappoint him. All we have is each other and should we should respect and cherish our family. I plan on having a good time at the dinner and at Christmas remembering my Father and how much he loved it. My kids say the same thing about me, especially when I try to put the tree up before Thanksgiving! But the holiday comes and goes so quickly……..another year fades away…..and another memory is added.  You should share this with everyone!