Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Christmas in February

What is your favorite Christmas memory?

Another one from the Journal Jar.

I'm lucky in that I have a lot of Christmas memories to choose from. One of the things I used to love as a kid was going to get the Christmas tree. My mom and dad and my sister and I would drive up into the Saratoga Hills and go to a tree farm. We'd trudge around the hills and try to find that perfect tree, then watch dad cut it down and drag it back to the truck. Mom usually made us hot chocolate and sometimes we breakfasted on linguica and egg sandwiches. Absolute yummy.

I also remember fondly sitting in the livingroom with only the lights of the Christmas tree lit, listening to Christmas songs, cuddling with my family. There was such a priceless peace in our hearts at that moment. I love that memory.

Then there was the year that I got exactly what I was asking for-- long after I was of the age to receive presents from Santa. I was in 6th grade, and I wanted a cool new jacket with zip off sleeves, like the other cool (and rich) boy in my class had. Actually, his jacket was a lot cooler than he was, but anyway... I knew it was too expensive, but I held out hope for one nonetheless. And my parents came through. Home Run! And a total surprise. There is genuine unrestrained joy in my face in the photo that they captured of me opening it.

Another memory I remember fondly was a song that we laughed and laughed at when we heard it on the radio around Christmas of 1979, I believe. One of the radio stations that we listened to would play it every now and then, and we would listen for hours to find it, and then to try and get the artist and title of the song. We were unsuccessful, even when calling the radio station. No luck. About 30 years later, thanks to the internet, I was able to chase down the song. It's "The Twelve Daze of Christmas" by the Fabulous Fay McKay. Ms. McKay was a Las Vegas lounge singer in the heyday of lounge entertainment. She regularly warmed up crowds between the big name acts. She was quite the entertainer in her own right. The song is now almost as old as I am, so it's not politically correct. But I still laugh. The only downer was that I was the only one that remembered the song-- everybody else in the family forgot all about it. But they liked it anew. Perhaps you will too. That is, if I can figure out how to link it... Christmas in February. Enjoy.

2 comments:

Gerri said...

I love those memories, too!

Deb said...

I have many of the same warm feelings about some of those memories-- especially sitting with the tree and listening to music. I don't remember that jacket, though. One of my favorite gifts was the organ. Everyone needs a new kidney once in awhile. Okay, just kidding. I loved sitting for hours, playing until I couldn't play anymore, annoying the heck out of everyone else. It was the gift that kept on giving.