A Christmas long ago

It was 1963. My husband, Eddie, died on November 18th. It wasn’t an expected death, He dropped dead in the high school where he served as Superintendent. My three kids and I got through Thanksgiving pretty well, mostly because my friend from the southern part of our state left her family and came to celebrate the holiday with us. She said, ” You needed me more than my family. Besides, we will have our dinner when I get home.” She was wonderful!

Christmas was another thing. The two older children were often found crying in their rooms. They wanted the Christmas season to be the same as it’s always been. Little Ronnie was just the same though, perhaps that’s what kept me going! I didn’t stop teaching my two church choirs their Christmas anthems, but I  didn’t feel the joy I usually did at this season of the year.

Christmas came as it always does. The stores looked festive and the folks were smiling and saying “Merry Christmas” to everyone, even the folks they didn’t know. I just couldn’t get into the mood. I gave some money to Jim, my oldest, and told him to give some of it to JoAnne and they could buy each other and Ronnie a gift.

“Don’t worry, we will have a nice Christmas. Remember, it’s Jesus’ birthday.” I said  Just as they left for shopping. Elaine, the friend I had met in just the short time we had lived in that town, would go with them. While they were gone, Bob, Elaine’s husband, brought into our home a beautiful Christmas tree! I hadn’t planned on having one because we were going to visit Grandma and Grandpa Thompson, Eddie’s folks, after Christmas and they would have a tree.

“You’ve got lights and stuff somewhere, don’t you?” Bob asked as he placed the tree near an electrical plugin. “You and the kids will have fun making it look great!”

We did too. In fact, I almost forgot that I would have to find work soon, watching my children laughing as they pranced around, feeling the Christmas spirit, and the tree looked beautiful, I was glad Bob had thought we should have one!

I decided we would have a good dinner on Christmas Eve, and still have time to open the presents before the late evening service at the church. So I baked a whole chicken and had everything that goes with it, even a pumpkin pie!

After enjoying that, we sat down on the floor by the tree, to open our gifts. I watched my kid’s smiles and cries of glee as they opened what I had given them, and thanked God that I had given them Christmas and that Bob and Elaine had opened my eyes.

“There’s one more,” Jim said. JoAnne chimed in too. The two of them ran laughing into their bedroom. They came out with a wrapped gift and handed it to me. “We knew you would give us presents so we used the money you gave us to buy you this,” said JoAnne.

All three of them jumped up on me wanting to help me open it. They did! And, sitting on the floor, I started to cry. There, in my hands was the beautiful Norwegian painted coffee pot I had always wanted! The kids had used all their money to purchase it. I am sure Elaine put in what the kids didn’t have. I didn’t have any words to say to them, but I am sure the words came along with the cries and kisses.

I made coffee in it right away and for years more. I still have that coffee pot, a little battered but it sits in honor where everyone can see it. What better could my children do to celebrate the birth of Jesus? They gave what they had. Didn’t Jesus say that if we give a cup of water in His name, we will be rewarded?