Minnie's back...

On my way back to Swamp-east Missouri from a lovely weekend in St. Louis with Sean...‪oh, I mean "dear friends," I had to ponder some questions that were discussed between Sean‪...I mean dear friends and myself. (I keep forgetting how his publicist feels about his private business)‪Anyway, upon visiting the fine Gateway to the West city, we quickly discovered within its walls that the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are right around the proverbial corner. While ghosts and goblins and pumpkins and pirates were expected to be amply displayed, we little expected lighted trees and electronic reindeer to be greeting us around each and every corner. Joy, Noel, Good Cheer and Merriment seemed to be anxiously awaiting the Ka-ching Ka-ching of the registers all over the fair city. Sean and I agreed‪uh‪my friends and I agreed that the season was upon us, as hard as we might try to deny the fact, which led to a conversation regarding not just the commerciality of the upcoming season, but the traditions that we each knew ions ago.

I recall being gently shaken from my slumber on the morning of the 25th of December to be told that Santa had paid a visit sometime deep in the night. While St. Nick had paid a visit on December 6 in the school setting, liberally passing out his striped peppermint candy canes, he took a second seat to the big man himself (much to the disappointment of the parish priests) on Christmas morn. There were many of us gathered round the tree each year (which was always a live evergreen that had been decked with glass bulbs and silver "tinsel"). As hard as the parents in charge would try to have everyone peacefully await while one at a time opened his/her gifts, it never quite seemed to work. Patience was not in ample supply on Christmas morn when there were eight eager urchins awaiting to tear open the carefully wrapped packages. Each of the eight of us always bought presents not only for our parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles, but for each of our siblings as well. That meant there were at least 100 items under the tree. There was not a lot of money among us, so many of the gifts were "refurbished" or now put more politically correct, "re-gifted." And in the spirit of giving, a map of Illinois wrapped up and topped off with a red ribbon that had been curled by the sharp edge of a scissors took on a whole new meaning! At least you knew someone was thinking of you. I don't ever recall thinking that I had ever been slighted. On the contrary, I recall a year when I was ecstatic over receiving a new blanket for my bed. An old photo with an ear-to-ear toothless grin, proudly displaying the bed cover, bears witness. Plastic holsters and silver pistols were the delight of younger male siblings and stocking of nuts and oranges were met with delight. Looking back, I'd say that not more than around $8 was spent on each of us, and that probably required numerous sacrifices that began around September 1.

Quite a different picture from the expectations of today's youth, who await the arrival of a much more monetarily-endowed Santa than the one I knew in the 50's. To request an electronic toy device that ranges in the $400 range is not at all uncommon, and that's for a first grader! Where exactly did we lost control of the season and its meaning? I'm all for the spirit of giving, but not at the risk of bankruptcy!!!

The weekend's visit to the city brought back a wealth of memories and long-gone traditions of the holiday season‪.the whole family attending midnight Mass, fuzzy pink slippers that endured years of frigid winters, and relatives arriving before noon and remaining not only for Christmas dinner, but for a second meal of leftovers during the late evening hours. I recall tales of my Irish grandmother's tree with actual candles lit and displayed on branches of a fresh pine‪don't recall ever seeing it, but it was apparently a common practice for many years. But then, that was in the days of cutting down the tree on Christmas Eve and so it was so green that fire apparently was not a risk, I suppose.

Just wondering how many other traditions have gone by the wayside and more importantly, which ones have been kept alive‪

Minnie o'

P.S. Thank you, Cake, for the pre-season treat. Sean and I‪..I mean my friends and I, enjoyed it immensely. As I was departing I heard him, ‪uh... them, ‪utter, "Mmmmmmmmm,good"...‪and then I thought I heard a faint whisper‪.. and to all a good night."