Christmas List

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When I was a little girl, I started making my Christmas list around Thanksgiving.  Actually, Christmas started simmering on the back burner of my brain in September.  Those were the days when the mailman delivered the free Sears Christmas Wish Book to the house.  Consumed with listing all the things I "needed", I spent hours laying on the floor or sitting at the dining room table carefully studying each page so as not to miss anything that would make my heart jump.  This was a process that couldn't be rushed.  Each day the list grew longer until I had flipped page by page through the entire Sears catalog.  My older brother, Chip,  just shook his head and told me it was a waste of time.  My younger sister, Retta, had a much shorter and more sensible list.

The Christmas catalog covers were marketed with bright colors, smiling Santa, and other images of Christmas pleasures and excitement to entice children of all ages.  My list numbered well into the hundreds.




1937
It took forever for Christmas to arrive and I couldn't stand the suspense as the days drew closer.  I drove my mother crazy counting down the days until I could tear into the wrapping paper revealing what had been haunting me for months.  She was weary from working at the A&P, baking and decorating gingerbread men, other assorted cookies, breads, pies, canning, preserving, giving gifts to the needy and the neighbors, shopping and trying to find hiding places where I couldn't locate my gifts for a sneak peak.  She did such a good job hiding our presents that sometimes weeks after Christmas she would find some stored under or behind things tucked way in the back of the closets. 

One Christmas as I came down the stairs, my eyes couldn't believe it when they saw a girl's bicycle leaning on a kickstand near the tree.   I never noticed any other presents under the tree nor did I care.  My heart exploded with excitement.  Luckily for me, that Christmas there was no snow on the ground and I was able to jump on that second-hand beauty and learn how to ride.  Another year a gift that I remember was a small toy sewing machine that really did do some very simple stitching.  I treasured that sewing machine and made dozens of little pocketbooks little pillows. 

My Christmas nostalgia........ Wonderful memories of family Christmases together.  Back when times were simpler and uncomplicated. When the amount of money spent was not the issue but the family connection was.  Blessings and warm wishes of an old-fashioned Christmas to all. 

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