Grandma Howard prepared Christmas 364 days year. sd Christmas day planning nt year. Ey relative fm Howard clan travel near Grandma Grandpa Howard’s holidays. Grandma dive sewing rm round blanket pillow cd muster. quilt yr round blankets bodies tt wd warmed little house.

About week Christmas, relatives start arriving; se big, small, between. Ty arrive Trailways bus, jalopies, train called Owl, en hitchhiked.

Aunt Mema relative bunch tt me arrival all-Pullman train called Lark. haute tauter bunch. wouldn’t caught dead Owl train tt family rode on. Mh common besides, wd run kinfolk diner. worse, lavatory!

Uncle Jack arrived hitchhiking, bit black sheep family, kids adored him, wild piratical adventures lived hitchhiking California. Grandma Jack kids table Christmas veiled warning grow up, didn’t mind. loved wh nieces nephews, flicking boogers snorting milk th tr noses.

There little Vernie eight. mt beautiful locks hair, wh black tipped hair owing rotten Morton Digger school. Morton dip Vernie’s pigtails inkwell desk, Vernie’s mother, Ruth, ink Vernie’s hair. branded nickname “Paintbrush” school.

Vernie, le girls class, wore dresses material cut feed sacks. Eh month mothers elementary-age schoolgirls wd hurry dn Kramer’s Dime Farm Store designs printed feed sack bags. sported little pink roses we os featured cute little ducks. didn’t happen arrive Kramer’s ft morning, wind dress printed wh cowboys, tt fate worse tn death little princess. bad eh Vernie black patent leather shoes dreamed of, he dress cowboys downright humiliating.

Vernie Uncle Ralph’s favorite Vernie ft se at Ralphie. loved gt smile guitar playing, fourteen ys apart age, Ralph me le Vernie’s brother. wouldn’t able ce Christmas ts fighting war, written stack letters mail soon cd pry postage stamps mom walk letters train depot mail slot se postal car. time letter slot, hand popped wh lollipop, tossing train pulled fm station. Tt exciting, sure, wasn’t main reason wd Uncle Ralph’s letters station. decided wasn’t trust precious letters Mr. Perryman.

Mr. Perryman route, mailman, Mr. Okizawa suddenly left town. couldn’t understand, hard jobs we fd lately, day delivered mail le always, nt day Mr. Perryman rolled wh funny little mail cart. liked Mr. Okizawa nice, course. funny. “Here letttaahh fo-uh Misss Vuuuhhhnnneeee. gooot deh yooo, hey?” day, se thing. day, Mr. Perryman.

Once thirty-four Christmas relatives arrive, preparation fun wd begin. porch overflowed baggage kids’ job sorted.

Grandma kick house days Grandpa’s job entertain. (boys included) pack food days off-a-camping go. Grandpa Howard bt camper hunter San Joaquin valley. Maybe Kern County, too. claims Native American blood; nature talked him. wondered right. time, wn hiking hunting, Uncle Jon separated group. Ee camp Grandpa tracked Uncle Jon creek shivering cold right.

At night, be crawl io tr tents, Grandpa tie cantaloupe bacon hh trees discourage bears fm bothering them. night Grandpa woke sound bear grunts. peered outside tent spied female bear hind legs reaching cantaloupe. paws barely clipping net held sweet, tasty melon tree. sight morning melon bruised tetherball grandpa shades beet red. stormed tent, clad oy underwear, angry, desperate bid rescue ‘lope fm bear. tn broken nets sight te juicy, ripe cantaloupe strewn ground inspired Grandpa run force mangy bear. throwing hard, un-ripened cantaloupe bear’s head, look surprise (as wl camping guys) tt ran off. “NO messes wh cantaloupe.” muttered Grandpa. en mangy ol’ she-bears.

Grandpa pack coffee fl worms fishing. coffee muddy coffee ey morning. coffee tasted slightly dirt worms ud flavor while. gritty thickness coffee tt hardest ud to.

Back house, Grandma women we fiercely cooking food. Aunt Ethel fixed dressing Aunt Mims baked pies. Grandma’s kitchen looked explode bodies bumping tiny space, we chattering gossiping family there.

Grandma Vernie turkey duty. Vernie chase turkey tightest corner yard Grandma wd care quickly painlessly. womenfolk descend feathers flew. Tt turkey kw hit him.

Once food cooking, girls responsible bringing firewood mg ey corner house bed relative. little girls fought sleep wh beautiful family quilt. quilt contained piece family fabric generations attached it. quilt, tt wd luck year. girls wound drawing quilt.

Once little bed together, time sorting presents. gifts homemade treasured nonetheless, wrapped dt way; brown paper, se bright paper, newspaper. cd tell gifts tt Uncle Jack brought, we as wrapped toilet paper.

Once women set; food, presents, beds, Grandma outside whistle. Grandpa cock head tell time home. cd er figure hear Grandma’s whistle as did. fellas little soldiers march path le dwarfs fm Snow White, row grinning fm ear ear singing, “Jingle Bells” huge pine tree dragging them, basket fl trout.

The women folk fawn boys trout beautiful Christmas tree ty brought home. Grandpa Uncle Jack wd tree set children descend trim. hung popcorn cranberry garlands ad tree, white paper angel ornaments stem bright red green ribbons tied tips.

Jack sit brown little rinky-dink piano wh red bow tied head wd sing Jingle Bells. Jack wd start playing song faster faster collapse floor, pretending he fainted. kids jump wd tickle one.

Once little ones bed, grownups hung stockings children. orange tr stocking, tt it. bk tn treat orange yourself. Jack wd stick coal stockings joke Grandma nixed tt hand.

On Christmas morning, awoke smell trout cooking biscuits baking. kids wake house louder louder ul te we blankets bodies ee ag wonderful smell biscuits wh butter hint freshwater fish. Breakfast le standing cafeteria line. didn’t wt person line food ran out.

Once breakfast way, Jack Santa’s elf hand presents, one, everyone’s spotlight. polite exchanges thank you’s rolling eyes wh gifts. Usually eye rolling Jack’s gifts children. painstakingly wrapped eh gifts toilet paper wrapped hand-printed alphabet letter child. told tm figure pt clues, ty alphabet letter town trying unscramble letters learn gift was. Ts kept busy hours straight. kept telling worth wait.

The letters spelled, “Stand line.” kids stood line Jack solemnly instructed tm hold hand, dutifully did. informed California pirates tried treasure treasure wd safer kids. (The true story Jack caught poker game won.) placed dollar bl child’s hand. adults, kids, collective gasp.

None kids er touched dollar owned one. Mothers crying gratitude fathers we patting Jack back. “There rule,” Jack told children. “You spend want?not need.” parents stopped patting Jack’s bk tears dried up. dreams we money gg gone. “This money kids’ money.” cd argue wh that? kids started money plans. Jack promised te mercantile day Christmas.

Christmas dinner ready bowed heads thank heavens bountiful feast, fountiful beast, Jack called it, mh delight children. Eh person ad table wd something. Vernie Uncle Ralph safe.

Everyone nodded feasting began. Cooked yams, dressing, turkey, cranberries honey sauce, butter rolls, salad sight, comfort family food. table cleared, children sit ad radio listen Lone Ranger drama wh Jack, act dt ps radio en dn Lone Ranger’s horse, Silver.

Vernie sat Jack’s lap listened intently. kept hearing faint rhythm grew louder louder ul sounded door. Grandma od fd Uncle Ralph duffle bag playing guitar, brightly wrapped package hand. Vernie couldn’t believe eyes. ran Ralph dropped eg beautiful little princess black-tipped hair. handed package watched box, pulled bk tissue revealed shiniest blackest patent leather shoes seen. squealed delight, kicked oxfords, princess shoes. Santa gotten exactly wt Christmas; Uncle Ralph.

The day ar kids headed mercantile Uncle Jack returned home wh oy wanted. Grandma planning, wh women, year’s feast. packed leave, Aunt Mema ad ee gather around. “I old, I’m tt Little Jacky outdo me.” reached io purse pulled dollar ey family. “Take Jacky!” screamed hollered. Jack slyly grinned Uncle Ralph saying Aunt Mema finally se money needed.

Soon bus, train, jalopy. Except, is, Jack, left thumb. Uncle Ralph, leave fm ship safe bosom family, stayed day leave war day distant. wd Christmas night watch Vernie dance moonlight patent leather shoes, thank providence family, country worth fighting for.

Tags: 1942, Christmas

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