Christmas 2015

Christmas, by Any Other Memory …

by

B.D. Adams ©2015

   Seriously – let me think. Christmas. This has been my 66^th Christmas. 66^th!! Wow – have I really managed to live this long? Amazing.

   This 2015 Christmas has reminded me of the Christmas’ in southern Texas. Victoria, TX. A warm Christmas. Actually, rather cool by southern Texas standards. I believe yesterday – Christmas Day – the temp here in Alton, NH, was 54° on the thermometer on the north side of our house. My, my … mid-fifties in Alton, NH. On Christmas Day!!! And no snow, at all covering our roof and yards.

   I remember when I got my first bicycle on Christmas. Such a thrill that was! Of course, it was warm. Rode my new bicycle all day with the other kids in the neighborhood. Ah, memories.

   Do I remember EVERY Christmas? Heck no! My memory is still pretty good for my age and condition, but it is not a computer with storage chips.

   As already mentioned, I remember when I got my first bicycle. I remember my first puppy, a Dachshund, a few years later. Another one was my first Christmas in Ohio. Mt. Sterling, OH.

   Talk about an environmental shock!! My first husband and I went to Ohio (where he was from) just before Thanksgiving in 1969. It was cold, but I thought boastfully that I could handle that -- tough Texas girl I was. Then, just before Christmas, it snowed!!! Well, this Texas girl wasn’t prepared for two feet … 2 bleeping FEET … of snow! I honestly thought I would die!! I wasn’t an Eskimo, nor a Viking. Well, I survived that Christmas and many other after that one in Ohio.

   After experiencing several winters in the north, I began to appreciate the change of the seasons. That was what kept me in the northern, colder climate zones.

   Also, my Christmas memories encompass much of the times when I was rather financially poor, especially around Christmas. One year, I couldn’t afford a tree or many gifts. So, inventive me, I had straightened some metal coat-hangers to create a “fake” tree of an antique coat rack. I had a string of colorful lights and I hung the string from the top of the coat-rack which thrilled Jacob, my then very young son. Actually, I surprised myself with how nice this tree was.

   I was able to get a few gifts for Jacob, which would be from me and Santa, but nothing for my mother, grandmothers or aunts and uncles. Well, Jacob and I got creative again. I would shop at the second-hand-stores in Columbus. In one of these stores, I found some rather nice, small wicker baskets. We decided to bake cookies and put them in the baskets and mail to the families in Texas. Jacob learned that “giving” can be fun and tasty. Was I surprised when our small Christmas gifts were so praised by the family recipients. I was afraid, though, that my mother would begin to send “care packages” again. But, she was cool.

   Then there was the Christmas that almost was not! Not as poor, actually was fairly flush! Busy, very busy with doing advertising photography that one year.

   Tom Etter, my boss and long-time friend, me and all of the other people in the studio were swamped with work for Lazarus Department Store. We had tons of decorations that cluttered the studio, but were necessary to keep stored -- all the trappings for Christmas. The store began their Christmas advertising – doing the photography for that season – in august. Close to the holiday, we would work until very late each day and on every weekend. We were shooting (cameras, not guns) up until the week of Christmas.

   One evening, three days before Christmas, I was hit with the realization that I hadn’t done MY Christmas shopping! I think that was the very first panic attack I ever had!

   Frantically, I called Tom. I wanted to borrow his car – I had no car. I needed to go to a mall. As I remember, he was hesitant about letting me borrow his car because he and Joan (his wife to be) needed to go somewhere. I promised I would book two more weddings to photograph this upcoming spring wedding season. Well, I got the car, speedily did my shopping, called my Texas families that their gifts would be a little late this year and was able to wrap Jacob’s gifts to go under the real tree … that year.

   After that year, Tom and I decided we would be better about taking care of our important personal needs. Like Christmas. Even after I wasn’t working with Tom, I have maintained the idea to be more pragmatic about schedules – all schedules.

   There are other Christmas’ I remember, mostly happy, grateful and surprised by some gifts, but the ones shared here were the ones that I immediately think of if asked.

   However, this year I will remember because of how unseasonably warm it was and that Daniel and I gave Patriots shirts to all the grandkids.

   I truly hope everyone remembers this Christmas or any

other one that specially comes to mind. Christmas can be demanding and stressful. It can be pleasing and very happy. Mostly, it is the time to remember that family is important.

   And to just smile because it is that time of year. 

            Footnote -- December 26, 2015, the Sun Bowl came on the TV after the the Loiisville v. Kentucky basketball game. That in itself is not important, however, the Sun Bowl is in El Paso, Texas, and it was snowing. I guess Global Warming is not happening there today.