Christmas As I Remember It

I remember Christmas not just as a day, but as an event, a multi day festival of sorts. As I recall memories from 50 years ago, these are my recollections.

It all started with the tree(s) which always went up on the weekend following Thanksgiving...my grandparents always had a huge long needle pine tree made up of multiple small trees which we would harvest from the piney woods of East Texas. My dad, grandfather and uncle would lead the efforts of getting the trees to the house, then my grandmother directed them on where she wanted the tree and how it should look. Once that part was completed, with string lights laced throughout the tree, then came the flocking. The men would curtain off the area around the tree and use a vacuum to apply the flocking. It was quite the sight for a 9 year old inquisitive boy...and I was taking it all in, every step of the way.

After the flocking was dry and stable, then the decorating began and where us kids could participate. Since I was the tallest I felt like I had an advantage over my younger cousins and sibling, as I could place ornaments higher on the tree than they could. I remember the "snow" under the tree being so fluffy. The secret was a pile of wadded of newsprint to create the snow bank look (and really it was a fire hazard) looking back on it. But it worked.

Then as the weeks leading up to Christmas seemed to drag along for me, everyday I would check under the tree to see if there were gifts I could find which were mine...but my parents and grandparents were sneaky, the kids would have to wait until Christmas morning.

As I mentioned earlier, Christmas was like a festival in our family...people began arriving days before Christmas, while there were not enough bedrooms and beds for everyone, we had a place to lay our heads. Either near the fireplace next to the Christmas tree or on one of two large sectional sofas, or maybe in the sunken den complete with a wood stove to keep us warm and comfy. I remember that room specifically because of the real knotted pine wall panels. It was my favorite room in the house and usually where I would sleep for Christmas.

The Food

My grandmother was well known for her cooking exploits and where some of my learning came from. Grandmother would begin preparing days in advance, beginning with the dessert menu. The dessert buffet would rival any high end restaurant...from chocolate meringue pie, triple layer coconut cake, pecan pie, pumpkin pie, husband cake (yes I said husband), the cherry thing (the only name I ever knew for this dessert) and a fruit salad like you have never had before. Sadly, that recipe died along with my grandmother in 1989. The fruitcake took 21 days to cure, the brandy and bourbon she used to pour over the fruitcake to keep it moist, was the ONLY alcohol which was allowed in my grandparents home.

Then there were the entrees, endless selections to choose from, but as a young boy the cornbread dressing and deviled eggs were my favorite. Her bone in ham was exquisite, and we might have been one of few families who also had turkey for Christmas...every year.

Wassal or Spiced Tea

Another great memory for me was the hot spiced beverage my grandmother made every Christmas. I knew it as spiced tea, more commonly known as wassal and something she learned to make as a young girl in the northwest mountains and coal mining area of Alabama where she grew up. Every time I taste wassal I am immediately thrust back to those days and how much she enjoyed watching us enjoy it. She would smile with satisfaction and that let us know she was pleased and happy.

The Music

My family always had music playing when we were together and Christmas was no different. While people would be visiting and catching up all over the house, you could hear the Christmas tunes which always would be led by a selection of Elvis holiday songs coming from the parlor where the turn table was along with my grandparents Wurlitzer organ. It would not take long before someone would sit down and begin pounding on the keys, which would then have my dad and uncle break out their saxophones to play along and the occasional guitar playing by family friends who would be celebrating with our family.

The Late Nights

My Watson family has a history of being somewhat nocturnal...as long as there was a pot of coffee (and there always was) and four people to get a game of 42 going (dominos) the night seemed to go on...and on. As I got older and could hold my own at the domino table I learned to really appreciate the all nighters...but then again I was awful young and had the stamina.

Christmas Day

All this build up over 3 to 4 days culminated with the day itself...first there was what Santa brought the kids. I still don't know how Santa kept everything under wraps, with so many of us in the house. It will remain a mystery. So after several hours of enjoying our new toys and games, then it was time to eat...we always ate before opening gifts. And my grandmother always blessed the bounty she herself had prepared with the help of many. And you can bet we wanted to eat fast because there were gifts under the tree to open.

I have tried to explain to people all my life what the pile of gifts under the tree looked like and the best way I can say it is that it was impossible to touch the tree itself because there were so many gifts under the tree. Even as an adult I remember it being the same as when I was a child. But back then we didn't get gifts and toys all year long...so Christmas was it!

Once all of the gift giving and package opening was complete, we all went back for seconds of that great Christmas meal and desserts.

In Conclusion

My childhood is filled with great memories of the holidays, it was a time our family could come together and just be together. It was a more simple time, when people could take a break and enjoy the season. As a child I had no concept of what it took for my parents and family to make our Christmas special every single year.

Family Legacy

I graduated and left home in 1982, it was another 3 years before I would return for Christmas and by this time I was married...my new wife didn't know what to make of how my family celebrated the holidays, but it did not take long for her to fit in...and she learned to love those experiences, which were too few. In 1989, my grandmother and grandfather both passed away, leaving a vast hole for our family to fill. We were never able do so and since then we have only been together as a complete family one time. I shared all of these memories with our daughters and we have done our best to create our own family holiday traditions. While we cannot go back to those days, Christmas is so important to us so we try to make it special for them every year, even though they are both 30 somethings now they look forward to the surprises we prepare for them and the fun we create for our small family. And now we are building memories and experiences with our granddaughter.

Merry Christmas To All