Red things,
things that sparkle with memory,
Christmas mugs ~
the porcelain one with a Santa or
the big bellied one for hot chocolate,
satiny slippers and fuzzy pyjamas
snowmen with red scarfs
and holly tucked in the hat band
shiny red balls with gold trim
candles, squat and round
a delicate glass reindeer on the tree
a cheerful gnome in long winter cap!
“Remembrance, like a candle, burns brightest at Christmastime.”
~ Charles Dickens
for a sombre setting,
brought a smile to my face.
“The nature of a Flower is to bloom.”
~ Alice Walker
Everyone had been told the cookies were Christmas presents. Annabelle really hated it when her brother didn’t pay attention to her. He was a really good brother at school, but at home it was like he couldn’t stand her. Twins, they would be 10 years old on Christmas Day. When they were really little, they always had fun together. Annabelle didn’t remember it, but they had shared a crib when they were babies. Then they shared a room with separate beds, but the year before they had to start school, Rusty got his own room. Ever since then, he’d been bossy. A sign on his door said: Girls Keep Out (except mom). Annabelle couldn’t tell anyone, but she missed her good brother at home. At school, she wished he wasn’t so protective of her. She sighed. “I guess he just has to do more growing up.”
“Hey, Annabelle. Are we still decorating the Christmas tree tonight? I came home early so we could get the decorations out.”
“Rusty?! You’re home! I didn’t think you’d want to do the decorating.”Annabelle had been certain it would just be her mom and herself. She was so happy. The twins went down to the basement to get all the decorations. Their mom or their dad would help them get out all the Christmas things when they were little. When they were big enough, they were allowed to get the big box by themselves. Now, their parents did more supervising than doing any of the work ~ just what the twins wanted. They both loved Christmas carols, Christmas dinner, opening presents but decorating the tree was an extra special start to the season.
“Christmas works like glue, it keeps us all sticking together.”
~ Rosie Thomas, Iris & Ruby
This cheeky fellow stood quietly by as I packed up all the bits, bobs and trinkets from the holidays. When I took them all down to storage, he still was quiet. Only when I returned, ready for a fresh cup of coffee, did I notice I had forgotten his little Christmas red scarf! Never said a thing, just grinned at me and telegraphed a big hug my way.
“Just because I’m cheeky, doesn’t mean I’m not serious.”
~ David Hockney
Slowly, slowly over the past week,
decorations have been taken down,
stacked haphazardly awaiting proper packing ~ a long good night til next Christmas; breakables in separate boxes.
pretty Christmas balls in cellophane tubes; books on the bottom shelves of book cases; embroidered linens folded and put away; lights unplugged, wedged into aging boxes; Christmas tree taken apart, stowed in a box.
Christmas music faded in the distance
but my living room returns!
a bitter sweet return because
all the magic of Christmas is a joy
welcomed in my home again next year.
“Christmas magic is silent. You don’t hear it -
You feel it. You know it. You believe it.”
~ Kevin Alan Milne
Almost lost amid the clutter and glow of Christmas, so fragile yet its delicacy would be missed. 25 or maybe 35 years old, my precious red reindeer is carefully wrapped in tissue at season’s end ~ tucked away with all the others.
Where did it come from?
Which store?
Which city?
Was it a gift?
Details lost in the clutter and rush of time.
’til my little glass reindeer has become its own memory.
“When you look at a piece of delicately spun glass you think of two things: how beautiful it is and how easily it can be broken.”
~ Tennessee Williams, The Glass Menagerie
The mall was packed with shoppers thronging into the mall all the old and young blocked my mission and destination; Santa photo shoots with kids, moms and dads, photographer, director; Christmas music barely heard above the noise.
I was not to be deterred!
Bundled with all things winter,
I dared to stop and regroup
Toque and mitts stashed in my cart
I navigated toward my treasures
for just a few more decorations
so I followed my list ~ almost ~
then retraced my steps
past the milling crowds,
and Santa posed and posing
til I approached my welcome escape.
Coat, toques and mitts back on
the noise and bustle of the mall behind me,
the frosty breath of bracing, cold air
revived me for the short bus ride home.
“Xmas Trivia: Before it became a major shopping holiday,
Christmas is believed to have had a “religious” meaning.”
~ Andy Borowitz
Old St. Nick and James Taylor,
a crocheted bell and quilted Christmas tree, with garlands green in disarray like
our memories of near and far,
tiny bits of joy to hold each year;
to set in place until New Year comes
and all is carefully tucked away in
containers, heart and soul.
”I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year,”
~ Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
In Time for Christmas
Dez was good to her word about getting to the boxes the next day, and planned to get to the workbench toward lunchtime. But work had been halted. When she got out to the old garage the next morning, she saw Samuel talking with someone. She skirted around them, excusing herself and was about to busy herself in the garage when he called to her. “Miss Dez, don’t get started.” He introduced her to Mr. Johnson, from Pest Control. “When we saw all those mouse droppings yesterday, and the holes where they get in, I called him as soon as I got back to my place. Known him for years. We got into a couple of scrapes when we were brainless teenagers.” Both men laughed. Keeping their distance from each other, masks on, Dez and Mr. Johnson said hello. “I did see your van and guessed why you were here.” It still felt odd not to shake hands but the pandemic still threatened outside the Estate, making introductions awkward.
That was a week ago. Dez had been all ready to roll up her sleeves and get to work. Back at the house, she found her sister in the kitchen having tea with Cook and Martha. “Well, ladies, I need to think on my feet and find out what I can do for the next while.” Cook set her mug down. “So Samuel’s stopped work on the garage, did he? I knew he’d called Ed Johnson out here. Pretty sure that old place was full of vermin.” Her sister, dressed in her sky blue jogging outfit and looking ready to take the day off, said. “We can still walk everyday, starting with today and check on progress. We could even start clearing away some of the debris that’s collected in that old hedge.” They were to stay out of the old garage while the Pest Control people were disinfecting and clearing the place of any nests and dead rodents. Hopefully, there weren’t that many. “Excuse me, I need to talk with Digby before I sit down for tea.” She wanted to know if he knew about the kind of Christmas things there may be. At first, he didn’t think he knew, but recalled an old file labelled Christmas. It had been in the bottom drawer of the filing cabinet with several older files. When he opened it there was a list of things “Stored in the Garage”. Most of it was just things like wrapping paper, bows, and ribbons. 'Christmas tree ornaments and handmade Christmas ornaments’ was scribbled in at the bottom in red. “I don’t know if this will do you any good, Miss Dez but at least it’s a start. If I remember correctly, Michael Beaufort’s grandfather made some of those handmade Christmas ornaments.” He had given her the file. She brought it out to share with the three women. “Oh, I remember some of these!” Martha, after looking through the file, sat back and smiled. “It was when you and I first came here, Elizabeth. Old Mr. Beaufort was here one Christmas. He was always carving little animals. The one I remember ~ you remember, Elizabeth ~ was a little horse. No saddle, just a rope bridle. Mr. Michael wanted to hang it on the tree, but it didn’t have a place for a string. So his grandfather just set it up on the mantle piece. The very mantle piece that’s in the living room upstairs.” She stood and, rather dreamily, poured herself more tea from the earthenware pot sitting on the counter. “Those were good days, weren’t they, Elizabeth. It was long before you came here, Miss Emelina - did Mr. Michael ever show it too you?”
“All I know about any decorations is that I got rid of them. I wasn’t on my best behaviour or in the best of moods then. I didn’t know where any of them went, I just wanted things my way. I think I told Michael I wanted them destroyed? I am so ashamed of myself for much of that time.”
Quiet settled over the kitchen table. Emelina sat with head down, a tissue prevented her mascara from smearing. Dez put her arm around her sister. Cook just changed the subject. “I’ll take more tea, please Martha. When is Brigitte moving to the University? We’ll have to get your place cleaned and fixed up for Miss Dez.” Dez’s attention was pulled away from her sister. “I’m ok, Dez. Just a few old memories. I’ll get us more tea.” Emelina stood, picked up their tea mugs, and went to the counter. “Cook, I haven’t even talked with Martha yet!” Dez was almost taken aback when she heard about her move into Martha’s duplex. “Well, Martha and I got to talking one day and I let it slip that you might be moving into her place. I suppose I overstepped my bounds, Miss Dez ~ I’m sorry.”
“You’re all right, Cook. No need to apologize, but thanks. I’m glad it’s been dealt with. Martha, you’re probably ready to get your office back!” Dez laughed. “I’ll be sure to take my bed with me. But on a serious note, just getting that old garage taken care of will take longer than I thought it would. For now, I’ll concentrate on what needs doing out there. I’ll sent Brigitte an text to see when she’ll be out here again. We can get together and see when she’s moving out and I’m moving in.”
~~~~~
“I’m glad we got out here, Dez.” The sisters had finished lunch, the afternoon was clearing and warm. Even the birds were settled for the afternoon. Just an occasional calling gull, or twitter of junco’s. The morning’s wind had calmed to just a breeze warmed by the sun. Any puddles had dried up, leaving the ground still soft and a bit muddy. “We’ll retrieve those decorations, Em. Don’t know how many, but we’ll clean them all up. Maybe even in time for Christmas.”
“Christmas is the day that holds all time together.”
~ Alexander Smith
nor a large one,
nor even a Charlie Brown One
But bright Christmas balls
and treasured decorations to
brighten any corner of home.
“Love Christmas, not just because of the presents but because of all
the decorations and lights and the warmth of the season”
~ Ashley Tisdale
Author's note: When I first posted my 'not a Christmas tree' I had not finished decorating it. Today, I filled the greenery with some of my treasured ornaments.
Feeling rather Grinch-y tonight, I really needed to begin releasing Christmas magic for this season of fun. My sun-tea jar had sat on the porch covered in snow and was to be tucked down in the basement til summer’s back. But I just couldn’t do it. What about decorating the inside? I do like decorations. I have wanted to fill the jar with a little desert scene, but that’s for summer. So I brought it in the house, washed it and dried it. Once it was polished and shining my vision had changed. And so my beautiful tea jar is now filled with holiday sparkles and glow - and one Rudolf. All that’s left is to watch syrupy Christmas movies!
“Holiday who-be-what-ee?”
~ Dr. Seuss, the Grinch
(It still needs more Christmas balls - not quite full yet.)
Hallowe’en haunts
the streets of Regina
over here and over there
a great tall white ghost
as tall as the trees
waves and floats in the air
farther down another street
a long nosed witch flies about
around a curve a giant pumpkin with silken skin squats,
his wide mouth grinning black and fierce
down another street and
around the bend
on a manicured corner lawn
oddly tall thin pumpkins stand carved and stern
wisps of spider web drift in the wind
in from the fields where the pumpkins grow
Hallowe’en haunts have begun.
“I love Halloween, and I love that feeling: the cold air,
the spooky dangers lurking around the corner.”
~ Evan Peters
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| February, 2017 but the same as today! Maybe not the ducks. |
