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T'was the eve of Christmas
...in our house when we were little when everyone prepared to go to my grandparents house.
We would get all bundled up in our winter leggings and jackets, hat, mitts and scarves and walk to the bus stop some four blocks away. We would be sheltered by our parents standing behind us to break he chill of the wind. Sometimes it was so cold that we would jump around just to keep warm till the bus came. Once on the bus we would warm up and then it would be time to stand out in the cold again till the next bus connection would come along. I remember standing outside the entrance to the drugstore which had a receded doorway so that we could have some shelter from the bitter cold.
Once our bus arrived we were in need of the warmth and the long ride till we would again have to take yet another connection but this time it would be a streetcar.
The old tram would finally come around the corner and we would be the first usually to get on board. We would sit up front and watch the blowing snow beating against the window and freeze while the wipers tried to keep the window clear. There wasn?uch heat in those old trams and you were either boiling if you sat above the heaters or freezing it you sat anywhere else. We didn?ave that far to travel on the tram but the swaying back and forth could rock you to sleep. Being as we were still very young my brother and I we sometimes caught a few minutes of shut eye before arriving at our destination.
Arriving at our grandparents house was always magical and exciting, the tree was brightly lit, music played Christmas songs and carols and the aroma from the kitchen was a delight to anyone who came in from the bitter cold outside. A few hours passed when we would all again get ready to tackle the outdoors, this time is was because we always went to Midnight mass as a whole family. It was nothing to have thirty of us all going to Midnight Mass together. I remember the choir singing and all the lighted candles and the Nativity scene where my grandmother would take us up to the alter and we would kneel in prayer and then light a candle. Sometimes we would be so mesmerized by the soft glow of the candles and the choir singing that we would fall asleep. Midnight Mass over we would make the trip back to the house where an aunt may have stayed behind to make sure everything was ready for the feast.
It was a French Canadian tradition that is called ? R?illon??od is served with all the trimmings as I recall and afterwards the cleanup.
Santa came to our grandparents house only to leave their gifts for being so nice, but we had to wait till we got home later on. The magic we had all waited for so long now began with the handing out of the presents that were under the Christmas tree. Everyone was gather around in the living and dining room where we would received our presents from the aunts, uncles, godparents, and grandparents.
When we were small Santa always came to leave gifts at our house while we were at our grandparent?ouse. We would return home when the buses starting rolling again about 5:30 in the morning and by the time we arrived home we were full of life.
Our parents watch as we revelled at the sight of our presents under the tree . We would be allowed to play with our gifts, but they always tried to get us to go to bed and have a rest. We would be to excited to go to sleep and beside we had several naps both going and coming from our grandparents so we would promise to play quietly while my parents headed off to bed for a few hours shut eye before beginning to prepare for our company that evening. I think that maybe more often than not we fell asleep just a short time after my parents because I can still recall awakening to that good aroma of our turkey cooking and the hustle and bustle going on at our house.
Christmas has always been and will continue to be a Special Day to remember our Saviour Birthday and the gathering of my family together in Peace, Love and Joy.
Wishing You All Peace Love & Joy
Merry Christmas Everyone......
copyright Sylvia C / 99
 
 
KEEPING CHRISTMAS
Is Christmas the smell of evergreen,
The jingle of bells on a sleigh;
Is Christmas the laughter of children,
The greeting of friends in the way?
Is Christmas the lighting of candles,
The hanging of wreaths on the door;
Is Christmas the welcome of loved ones?
Yes, Christmas is this, and more.
For Christmas echoes from angels
Its message of peace, good will;
And Christmas tells of a manger
On a calm Judean hill,
Where shepherds bowed and worshipped
As God incarnate slept,
And it's only as we kneel with them
That our Christmas is truly kept.
~Verna S. Teeuwissen~ Joy to the World 
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Remeber it is better to give than to receive. Please remember the poor and needy this Christmas. |  | 
 A DIFFERENT NIGHT BEFORE XMAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, HE LIVED ALL ALONE, IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE.
I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE, AND TO SEE JUST WHO IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.
I LOOKED ALL ABOUT, A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE, NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS, NOT EVEN A TREE.
NO STOCKING BY MANTLE, JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND, ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.
WITH MEDALS AND BADGES, AWARDS OF ALL KINDS, A SOBER THOUGHT CAME THROUGH MY MIND.
FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT, IT WAS DARK AND DREARY, I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER, ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.
THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING, SILENT, ALONE, CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.
THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE, HIS ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER, NOT HOW I PICTURED A CANADIAN SOLDIER.
WAS THIS THE HERO OF WHOM I'D JUST READ? CURLED UP ON A PONCHO, THE FLOOR FOR A BED?
I REALIZED THE FAMILIES THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT, OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.
SOON ROUND THE WORLD, THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY, AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.
THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR, BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS, LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.
I COULDN'T HELP WONDER HOW MANY LAY ALONE, ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.
THE VERY THOUGHT BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE, I DROPPED TO MY KNEES AND STARTED TO CRY.
THE SOLDIER AWAKENED AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE, "SANTA DON'T CRY, THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;
I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, I DON'T ASK FOR MORE, MY LIFE IS MY GOD, MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."
THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP, I COULDN'T CONTROL IT, I CONTINUED TO WEEP.
I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS, SO SILENT AND STILL AND WE BOTH SHIVERED FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.
I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT, THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR SO WILLING TO FIGHT.
THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER, WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE, WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA, IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."
ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH, AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT. "MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."
This poem was written by a Peace keeping soldier stationed over seas. The following is his request. I think it is reasonable . . PLEASE. Would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our Canadian service men and women for our being able to celebrate these festivities. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us. Please, do your small part to plant this small seed. Thank you. |
