Friday, December 16, 2011

Penrose Christmas Chronicles for December 16 2011: The Twenty-Five Cent Christmas Tree

When we were very young, we all continually pestered Mother to get a tree so we could put it up, decorate it, and turn on the magic colored lights a couple of weeks before Christmas.  But Mother never relented, and we always had the tradition of putting our tree up and decorating it on Christmas eve, then all of us sitting in wonder at the magic of the colored lights.  I wondered all my life why we had to wait until Christmas eve.  Then one day, just a few years ago, one of my sisters told me the reason for our late tree.  "Didn't you know," my sister said, "that Mother waited until Christmas eve to get a tree because she could go to town and buy one from the Boy Scouts for 25 cents, and that otherwise she could not have afforded to buy one?"  A tearful recognition set in as I thought about all of those Christmas eves when we finally got our tree and decorated it in time for Santa.  Not to mention my memories of Dad, who, though he could build houses, barns, cabinets, desks, make incredible inlaid wood marquetry works of art, and anything else, struggled each year to nail a couple of strips of wood together for a Christmas tree stand.  But ultimately he succeeded  while we some times worried how we were going to ever get the tree up. And thus, Santa was spared coming each year to our little house on another Penrose frosty Christmas eve without a Christmas tree to greet him.  Or was it her?  We would never know, and still after all these years, Christmas eve remains a mystery to be cherished.

4 comments:

Elizabeth said...

The floodgates of nostalgia have surely been opened. Christmas remains a time when the memories of Christmas pasts are very important. Ah, the letters to Santa Claus - and back to us. I remember, when we lived in Ralston, Dwight trying to determine whether Santa's terrible writing could be achieved by using the left hand. Mysteries abounded forever.

Ann said...

I got to go with Mother one time to get the tree. I was a little older and this time it wasn't on Christmas Eve. Even then, the tree was kept outside until Christmas Eve and then it was put up just like always. I think by that time there had also been an investment in the little metal tree stand that would hold water. The fact that the tree was purchased earlier still didn't take away the magic of putting it up on Christmas Eve.

Steve Blood said...

I have been reading all of these wonderful things for the last few days meaning to comment but to lazy to find the words. I have had a terrible head cold this week and have enjoyed my suffering emmensly, so at this point I will merely say that the stories bring great joy and pride and when Mary Lynn says she can't take it anymore I will be well enough to put my little bit into the mix.

Ann said...

Steve, I am so sorry you have been sick. Did you talk to Elizabeth on the phone? Sounds like the same bug she and Ron have had. I hope you get well soon.