Traditions

With Christmas approaching fast I think of my childhood. This morning on my walk with the pooch, it was cold, (it has been in the 40's lately...) and there was frost on the ground. It felt like Christmas was near, and it made me remember.

When I was very young, our family would dress in our Sunday best on Christmas eve, and venture to nearby Amherstburg to visit with my mom's friend's parents, (she spent some of her highschool years living next door to this couple and became great friends with their daughter - my sister's Godmother).

On the way there I would be in so happy to see all the Christmas lights and decorations. Sometimes I would count them. I also remember the decorations hung from light poles in the town of Amherstburg, (I was there on the week-end and I think that they use the same decorations as nearly 30 years ago...).

The Watson's home had a great view of the Detroit River, I always liked looking at the ice crammed up against the shore. Inside was always bright and cosy. The colours were very warm: burnt orange, yellow and brown. They had a fireplace that was always lit, and sometimes they would let me throw 'special' crystals into the fire that would make it burn red or purple.

The kids would sit quietly, (I think... although it is hard to believe...) while the adults had coffee and conversation. We would eat cookies that were either stale, tasted like rum (no kids like that!) or seemed okay at first only to discover a nasty marinated cherry in the centre. There was a crystal bowl in the hallway that had peppermints in it, and I always snuck some extras.

After a short visit we would go to my grandparents' house, also in Amherstburg, also on the Detroit River. I can't remember if we ate dinner there, but I do remember huge platters of cookies. I liked the chocolate ones that I called 'mudpies'.

They had the largest, fakest tree I had ever seen. Very 70's. I always tried to find and count all the Winnie the Pooh ornaments, (I am lucky to have 2 of the same ornaments on our tree today). They had a fire burning in the living room, and occasionally my grandfather would play a Christmas song on the piano. I recall being enthralled.

My 2 cousins from Ancaster would be there, (if they weren't skiing...) and I loved my Uncle Newman so much! He always paid special attention to me, maybe because I was the youngest, and they didn't have any daughters. My Aunt Mary was stern and I was scared of her. Still am... haha!

My Aunt Joan, (and later her husband Gino) was larger than life. She was loud, opinionated, yet classy in a big city way. She and my dad would get into serious political discussions and I knew not to interrupt.

I couldn't wait until we opened gifts, although I knew there would only be a couple. I'm pretty sure that whomever was opening a gift had to sit on a stool beside the tree and in front of the fireplace. I was probably going crazy with anticipation... The best thing I remember receiving was a Winnie the Pooh bag that was in the shape of the bear. It looked like a big flimsy stuffed animal.

I remember once going to Midnight Mass, (although I'm sure it wasn't midnight, and we're not Catholic...) it was snowing, cold and I looked in the sky for Santa on the way home, as the personality on the radio, and my Dad told me he was nearby.

Things change fast. My Grandfather died when I was 10, and Mr. Watson passed before him. My grandmother moved to a seniors condo a couple of years later, and Mrs. Watson eventually died as well. Now my Aunt, Grandmother, and Dad are gone (12, 10 and 7 years now), and we are estranged from the family in Ancaster. Our traditions are not nearly as formal or structured, but they are great. They involve family, friends and of course food. I hope that everyone can look back on years gone by and find warm memories. Sometimes nostalgia brings sadness and longing for the past, so be kind and considerate of other people's traditions, because you are part of their memories!