Christmas Past: Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the 1930s and 40s
There was always snow for Christmas. We had
seen Santa Clause arrive with his live reindeer, riding atop one of the trolley
cars that crossed the city. We had listened to Billie the Brownie on WTMJ
radio. We had made our wish lists and done our shopping at Schuster’s or Sears
or some other shop. We had wondered at the animated winter scenes in Gimbel’s
big window on Wisconsin Avenue. Now the long anticipated time had arrived. Finally,
it was Christmas Eve.
We walked in the chilled darkness from our
flat on 24th Place a few blocks to Resurrection Evangelical Lutheran
Church to attend the children’s pageant, a one or two act play written and
directed by Pastor Birch. One of the Anderson kids was always in the pageant,
maybe as a lamb or a shepherd in the manger tableau or with a lead role in a
modern dress allegory.
A tall fir tree, lighted and decorated with
angels and crosses and other symbols of the faith stood near the sanctuary, and
bright red poinsettias guarded the altar. The old, familiar hymns were sung—Away in a Manger, Oh Come All Ye Faithful,
and, of course, Silent Night at the
close of service. A thousand Merry Christmases were exchanged as the
parishioners greeted each other outside before hurrying to return to their warm
homes for their own holiday rituals.
Arriving back at our home, by some miracle
of the season, a brightly lighted, decorated tree welcomed the excited and
delighted children as our eyes searched beneath the branches to see which of
the presents from our wish list might be waiting. Most of the gifts from Santa
were of the practical variety—new socks or even a fancy sweater that we could
hardly wait to try on, but always some small toy too.
And the food. Mom’s delicious stollen and fruit cake and
all varieties of cookies covered the dining room table; perhaps some cider or
milk, cold cuts or deviled eggs. A favorite aunt and uncle or some dear friend
of the family might drop in later to share the warmth of Christmas Eve. Joy to
the world. For that night, at least, there was peace and goodwill amongst men.
Christmas Recent: Traditions Continue
Dolly’s family Christmas tradition was similar
to mine, and while our children were growing up, we continued much the same. Get
the kids to bed early on Christmas Eve after mass while Santa worked on the
tree and unloaded presents. They would wait patiently on Christmas morning until
finally allowed to burst into the living room and start ripping the careful wrappings
to shreds. In later years, Dolly still decorated our empty nest with dozens of
elves on shelves and miniature winter scenes on the mantle. Of course, a
ceiling-high, live Frazier Fir crowded our downsized living room when adult
kids, grandkids and great grands visited to share the holiday and partake of
our traditional family Christmas feast.
Christmas Present: The times, they are a-changing
A week or so before December 25th,
I will set up the pre-lit, plastic evergreen I bought last year on sale. Kris
and Matt and their kids may stop in to help decorate it one day or while they
visit us on the day of Christmas Eve. There will be no gaily-wrapped boxes to
litter the floor around it. Dolly can no longer participate in her favorite
contact sport—shopping—so we will give the expedient gift of cash this year. I
will do my best to decorate the mantle with whatever I find in the box labeled
Xmas Décor stored in the basement. Maybe, I can get some of Home Depot’s
99-cent poinsettias to brighten it up too.
Starting this spring, Dolly has become less
and less able to care for herself. She has lost both sensory and motor-control
nerves in her legs. She needs help with all “activities of daily living” as the
long-term-care agencies call those routines that most of us take for granted
every day. This keeps me and a part-time
caregiver, a fine woman from the Comfort Keepers agency, occupied quite full
time. Hence, my blogs have become infrequent and publication of the two or
three new books I planned this year will be delayed to an uncertain future.
Except for Kris and family visiting on the morning
before Christmas and the possible visits of grandchildren with or without
great-grands (we have three now), Dolly and I will share a quiet Christmas
alone together. Dan and Dana will be tying the wedding knot in Las Vegas.
Jennifer will represent the Anderson family at the ceremony and celebration.
Marty will be convalescing for four to six weeks after back surgery in
mid-December and will not be travelling.
Meanwhile, we will be watching for those
annual greetings from friends and family, old and new, that appear in our mail
box at times between the swarms of mail-order catalogs. Hope to hear from you
all.
We hope that 2016 brings many blessings your
way.
Merry Christmas 2015 from Richard and Dolly Anderson
