The Twelve Days of Christmas: Day Two
What Was Your Childhood Like? When I think of my parents, I can fit them into this proverb about love and faithfulness.
"Let love and faithfulness never leave you.; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favour and a good name in the sight of God and man." (Proverbs 3:3)
I know they won favour with man, but I cannot presume to know what kind of favour they had with God.
With me they did, and still do, in my memory of them, find favour. I believe I was blessed with wonderful parents and had a happy childhood.
Christmas was one of many happy childhood memories. I had two sets of aunts and uncles right in Toronto where I grew up. On Christmas Eve we would all get together at church for the evening service. Church was usually a bore to this child but when you are sitting shoulder to shoulder with siblings and cousins, with visions of sugar plums (whatever they are!) dancing in your head, it was kind of fun. I can't tell you anything about the actual service except that maybe there were candles? After church we would go back to my house for goodies and visiting.
The next morning my sister and I (after sleeping for 2-4 hours or less) would wake up my mom and dad at 5 or so, since we could barely contain our excitement. My mom would not deviate from her usual routine of washing her face, brushing her teeth, putting on some lipstick, combing her hair and putting on her pearls! Plus she always wore the most beautiful negligees.... anyways, my mom was a character and a story for another day.
Before we could start opening any presents my mom would make a tray of tea and toast and fruit and bring it into the living room. (maybe she thought that no one should open presents on an empty stomach?) Finally we would open our presents. When this ritual was complete, sometimes my mom and dad would go back to bed for a bit (I figured they were sleeping!) while my sister and I played with our presents.
Later on in the morning we would have another breakfast with our cousins who lived nearby and open presents with them. Whoever made breakfast, did not have to make supper. After this fun time with family once again, home we would go.
Oh my goodness, a lull on Christmas day? Not for long... soon we were packing up to go and visit some step relatives and more gift opening and snacking and then home again to get ready for the evening meal. While waiting for the next event of the day, Christmas dinner, my sister and I would lovingly lay out our stash of goods under the tree and try to think if there was still anyone who hadn't given us their gift yet! Sound familiar?
If there was any undercurrent of anger or jealousy in the family, I was totally unaware of it! So, to this child, Christmas meant relatives, eating, presents and non-stop fun, busy, busy, busy. In the years ahead, as I was to experience some quieter Christmas days I would feel a little let-down....
And that is why Christmas can never be the same once you grow up.... you know too much! Kind of like the Garden of Eden... it wasn't so simple and so beautiful and so magical once Adam and Eve had eaten from the tree of knowledge. It lost its mystery for them.
Parents then, and now, love to create good Christmas memories for their children. I am happy that I had parents who did not emphasize presents. Christmas was mainly about just being together as a family. I am thankful for a mom, who, whenever we got together after we were all grown up with homes of our own, and it wasn't even Christmas would say "It's just like Christmas!"
WHAT ABOUT YOU? How are you feeling today? Did you have some happy childhood Christmases? Can you remember the details? Are they worth recalling or would you rather forget? How about now, are you able to look forward to Christmas - or not?
Don't give up! There is hope for depression.
