Seniors love to reminisce and I think this must be especially true during the Christmas season because there are so many memories attached to this special time. I am no exception, and, like the people in Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol (published in 1843, a hundred years before I was born), the ghosts of Christmas past come to visit me. In Dickens' novel, kindness, generosity and compassion embody the spirit of Christmas.
It was late November 1984. Our family had returned to Canada from Congo, and we were looking forward to the first Christmas we would experience in the land of ice and snow! We had settled in Ontario so Hardy could continue with Bible translation work (with the translations team of the Canadian Bible Society), but for Christmas we planned to be in Winnipeg where our extended family lived.
Before we could plan for those days, a church in Port Rowan asked us to come for a visit and tell them about our work in the Congo. We always did this together as a family, our three daughters providing the music. Until now, that had worked out well, but not this time. Our older two were teenagers and they had a laughing fit as they were eyeballed by the teenagers of the congregation! Heidi, age five, saved the day by singing her little part with gusto: "My God is so BIG, so BIG and so MIGHTY, there's nothing my God cannot do, for you" (at which point she pointed to the people in the pews). She was wonderful!
Following the service, a member of the congregation asked us if we would like to have a Christmas tree as he was cutting down several large trees on his property. We happily accepted and went home with the tree attached to the top of our car. Even though it was only mid-November, we put the tree up immediately because we wanted to enjoy it before we left to spend Christmas in Manitoba. One morning we had an early snowfall and when I looked out the window I saw that the boy who delivered our newspaper had written these words in the snow:
"I LOVE YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE !"
This has been a rather difficult year for us as Hardy has been dealing with some medical issues, However, we have felt the kindness, generosity and compassion Dickens writes about in his Christmas story. Some things that have already touched our hearts with joy this Christmas season:
My youngest sister Marge brought supper and a beautiful ice candle while Hardy was in hospital. She also came with me to bring him home.
Our nieces Andrea and Miriam in Calgary decided to make the Christmas cookies my mom (their Oma) always made and sent around at Christmastime. They contacted their great-aunt who is an expert at making these cookies and then made them together with her. Then they sent a package of these cookies to their five aunts (my sisters and me) in Winnipeg! We look forward to eating them together and reminiscing about past Christmases!
With a five-year-old granddaughter living near us, we will be experiencing joy through the Christmas pageant at church where she is an angel and her dance recital the next week. Then we hope to be witnessing the Christmas love feast at the Moravian Church on Christmas eve with our family from Tulsa. On Christmas morning all nine of us will be together. "Joy, bliss, rapture unconfined," as I used to chant with my teenage friends. Merry Christmas to you and yours, Elfrieda!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a wonderful Christmas season, Shirley! We hope for “joy bliss, rapture unconfined” for ourselves and for you as well. I think that’s what the shepherds experienced when the angels appeared to them, announcing Jesus’ birth!
DeleteThank you Elfrieda!! My Ice Lantern survived the melt. My best memories of past Christmas seasons are always about the feeling of love. I’m a lover of giving gifts and nothing makes me happier than finding that “perfect” gift, whether it be food, time, love or something material. So the fact that I was able to help you and Hardy when you needed it was as much of a gift to me as it was to you. ❤️❤️
ReplyDeleteI put my ice lantern in the freezer for a bit. I had room since Hardy couldn’t go grocery shopping LOL! Now it’s out there doing its job, and reminding me of you and your generosity!
ReplyDeleteComment from my sister Ruth presently in Australia:
ReplyDeleteHi Elfrieda…just reading your BLOG and it feels strange to think of Christmas when you are sitting in warm sunshine with no snow on the ground. The Australian custom for Christmas is to have a barbeque on the beach. I would miss the snow and am happy we will be back for Christmas to enjoy that. So happy you are surrounded by love and support especially from your family. We are certainly feeling that here too❤️So grateful Hardy is feeling better.
My favourite memories of Christmas are of past Christmases when we were children…standing in line waiting for the blanket over the door to come off when we would see the tree for the first time. Finding a special plate of goodies & a gift just for me. Sitting around the little advent house with the candle in the middle and watching for the star on the ceiling as we sang German Christmas carols. Then off to our Oma’s to spend time with our cousins.
Those were magical times for me and am so grateful to our parents for giving us these experiences.
I share those wonderful memories with you, Ruth! Looking forward to hearing about Australia and brother Bernie and family when you return
ReplyDeleteJoy and generosity flow through your entire Christmas post. I love all the references to giving--to one another, to the birds and the bunnies, and, by extension, to the ChristChild.
ReplyDeleteIan was our Ivan this year, helping his grand-dad set up the Balsam tree. Our decorations are selected from the same ones every year, some over 50 years old. Ten of us will gather for brunch and gift-giving on Christmas morning. In the meantime, we'll enjoy the lighting of Advent candles at church. Merry Christmas, Elfrieda and Hardy. And good health in the new year! :-D
Marian, it sounds like you will have a lovely Christmas celebration and we wish you a healthy and happy New Year as well! Gotta love those grandkids, so young and strong!
ReplyDeleteWe wish you health & happiness. We have moved up in life-to the top of the Buhler Active Living Centre in Winkler, MB. Great for ageing bones; a little too much time for reminiscing. Lovely view & good food.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Shirley. We heard about your move and are hoping you have settled in comfortably! Wishing you a joyous Christmas!
ReplyDeleteI have many fond memories of visiting my Oma in Didsbury on Christmas Eve. Such a feast of special German cookies and treats. She would always pack us a 'lunch' for the drive back to Calgary that same night. We would attend the candle light Christmas Eve service at the church near her house and all the kids would be given a little brown bag of sweets and an orange as we left. We were thrilled to get to old a lit candle that came with a little wax catcher.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the happy reminder, Elfrieda. I'm grateful to have connected with you.
Robbie
Thanks for sharing your memory here, Robbie. I know that church, and have many fond memories of it as well. The young people usually did a drama for the Christmas Eve program when I was there and I enjoyed being a part of that. Your time there would probably have been after I left for Winnipeg, as I don’t remember you being there. I remember your Aunt Esther playing the piano for the services.
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