Christmas Past and Present

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 24^th 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 25^th, 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