WRITER WONDERLAND
  • Blog
  • Romance Rocks
  • Goddess Fish Tour
  • About

Christmas Love Delivered

12/10/2022

1 Comment

 
Picture
Christmases Remembered
 
The Christmas I remembered best was when my father had just hired on as a welder at Jeff Boat. A fall at work caused him to break his arm and miss work when a strike happened. Despite being part of the union, he was on sick leave when they chose to strike and was denied strike pay. This was the death knell for our Christmas. Living on a farm provided us with staples such as chicken, eggs, milk, and everything my mother had canned. My mother tried to prepare us telling us Santa might not be able to bring us much this year. I’m not sure if this made much of an impression because everyone knew Santa was magical.

Our old dolls vanished and my mother became very interested in creating tiny doll clothes she insisted were for my cousin’s doll. My father took advantage of scrap lumber and hammered together tiny doll cradles and dollhouses when he wasn’t helping neighbors who repaid my father with livestock feed, dog food, and occasionally, venison. The dog food came in handy because we had four large Germans Shepherds, the result of my mother’s attempt to get into the dog breeding business without success.

That Christmas Eve we could stay up late and watch It’s A Wonderful Life and munch on an oversized box of cheap chocolates a neighbor passed on. Could be my parents knew this was the most they could offer us. We trooped off to bed sleepy, but hopeful that Santa would come through for us. 

I remember standing at the window and peering outside at the moonlit snow hoping to spot in the distance a sleigh and reindeer without luck. Eventually cold drove us under the covers dreaming of what might be. Sometime later, a cacophony of dogs barking mingled with a woman’s shriek had us kids sprintng to the window only to see a car reversing down our driveway chaperoned by German Shepherds, who raced the unknown driver back to the road.

​My father ran outside barefoot, clutching his rifle. From our second-floor window, we watched him pick up a stocking out of the snow. Mother joined him and carried in wrapped packages that had been abandoned in the driveway when the dogs came charging out of the barn. Without saying a word, the three of us knew not to mention what we had seen.
​

The next day we were pleasantly surprised with stockings and gifts. Even my mother and father received a gift and the dogs got a large can of dog bones. For years, we never knew who our generous visitors were and in some ways, that served us. Anyone we met, from neighbors to church members, could be our secret givers. Believing anyone was capable of this kindness made my world a better place.
Picture

Those familiar with The Christmas Story might recognize the lamp.
​

1 Comment

    ​

    Picture

    Only .99 Pre-order

    Christmas Cozies

    BOOK THREE

    Archives

    March 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    July 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    February 2021
    December 2020
    September 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    June 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    November 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    July 2012

    Categories

    All
    Abraham Menard
    Atty Eve
    Bitten By Romance
    Cathy Maxwell
    Celebrate Freedom Blog Hop
    David Caruso
    Dorien Kelley
    Emergency Call Series
    Emergency Calls Series
    Free Book Sites
    Fun Summer Reads
    Harry Potter
    Historical Romance Blog Hop
    Historical Trivia
    Incognito
    Interracial Romance
    Joan Stewart
    Johnny Depp
    J.R.R. Tolkien
    LaNora Mangano
    Lindsay Downs
    Marcus Aronson Interview
    Mature Romance
    Michael A. Rothman
    Perfect Stranger
    PJ Fiala
    Prizes
    Realistic Characters
    Reciprocity
    Scarlett O'Hara
    Secret Cravings
    S.E. Hinton
    Street Team
    Sylvia Hubbard
    Teresa Gallagher
    The Fault Is In Our Stars
    The Hunger Games

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.