“All these things and more … that’s what Christmas means to me.” Steve Wonder sings.
Commercialization aside. Religious significance understood. That said, for anyone who needs it, I’ll move on and talk about why Christmas is my favorite holiday.
When I was a child, the days between Thanksgiving and the Yuletide season seemed endless. As I write this, there are 16 days left until the big day. Most folks barely finished scrubbing the turkey drippings from the roasting pan before they began dusting off ornaments and decorating the tree. Weeks ago, I pulled out my stack of Christmas CDs and began singing along to tunes like Give Love at Christmas by the fabulous Temptations. (Feel free to click the link and enjoy the song while reading this post.) Listening to Christmas oldies starts a mental slideshow that transports me back through time to the days of my youth.
My parents did what they could to ensure that my siblings and I would have beautiful memories of Christmas. They are gone now, but I cherish those memories and remain forever grateful they did not prevent us from enjoying what so many other children our age did: the magic of Santa Claus.
I feel sorry for the children of contemporary parents who refuse to let their children participate in what they consider the “big lie” about Santa. I learned soon enough (too soon for me) that Santa was a myth, and I was no worse off for having spent many preadolescent years believing in him. When I consider the harsh reality that today’s youngsters contend with – school shootings, pedophiles, child trafficking, and other heartbreaking events, I think children deserve a rest from the chaos and insanity of the world. If only for a few days, let them experience the fantasy of Santa Claus. Some folks will disagree with me, and that’s their prerogative.
I found Christmas so enjoyable when my family would take us down south to visit my grandparents on both sides of the family. It was a blissful time, and the joy was enhanced because aunts, uncles, and cousins whom we rarely saw during the year also gathered at grandma’s house during the holidays.
Next to bonding with my cousins, the best thing about visiting grandma’s was the delicious meals prepared during our time there. I can’t talk about it enough, any more than I can stop thinking about it. Even now, I salivate when remembering mouth-watering meals, including baked ham, roasted turkey, and fried chicken with various side dishes. Collard greens seasoned with fatback or some other cured meat, homemade macaroni and cheese, candied yams, corn, string beans, stuffing, yeast rolls, biscuits, and cornbread slathered with butter and splashed with jelly or jam preserves. Desserts might include fruit cake and apple pie. Grandma made practically everything from scratch. You’d be hard-pressed to find anything prepared from a can or box on her table. And the beverage was almost always Lemonade or Kool-Aid.
In addition to Christmas music, the fragrant smell of live pine or fir trees triggers my memory of those wonderful years.
Also resurfacing during the holiday season are other visions of Christmases past, like when my parents would take us downtown to see the holiday window displays. Department storefronts would be illuminated with colorful, animated exhibitions, including dolls, Santa and his elves, and snowy landscapes. My town’s most extravagant festive showings were at Woodward and Lothrop, the Hecht Company, and Lansburgh department stores.
No matter how often I view it, the four-minute video below fascinates me. As I watch it, I imagine I am seven years old again and standing with my family in front of the storefront display, indifferent to the winter cold. My mouth is gaping in awe, and I envision myself traveling like Alice Through the Looking Glass to the fantasyland on the other side. Watch it, readers, and see if your imagination will take you there.
As I share this peaceful, fantasyland vision with you in the spirit of Christmas, I wish you Happy Holidays! Be safe. Be blessed.