With Thanksgiving turkey leftovers gone, is Christmas ham far behind? There will always be the Good, the Not so Good, and the Downright Undesired associated with the holiday season.
Who can deny the Good? All can enjoy the fellowship, gift-giving, family gatherings, Christmas carolers, and parades. Personal woes are put aside and good cheer is the order of the day. The close of the season brings hope and optimism to most as we approach the New Year. Florida offers a special treat: sunshine and warm weather.
That said, my favorite Yuletide breaks were visits to my aunt and uncle in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, circa 1950. The four of us would motor in our Kaiser-Frazier auto to their mountain community, often battling snow and ice as we moved westward from Philadelphia. It proved a magical trip for a small boy and his younger sister. I loved the turnpike tunnels and the winding mountain roads.
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We faced hazardous weather when heavy snow fell and ice and sleet made for a difficult trip. However, I saw enchantment at every turn in the road with iced barren trees and a snow-packed roadside. It beat the slush and dirt of the city along with shoveling snow and slipping and sliding on icy Philadelphia pavements.
Aunt Sue and Uncle Johnny had a large turn-of-the-century home. I remembered chandeliers and big rooms. As I remember it, we drove from our small row home in Philadelphia to their mansion in the mountains.
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I fell in love with my aunt the first time I set eyes on her. With long blond hair, Aunt Sue was a beauty. She seemed forever happy with a warm smile and lovely blue eyes. Seeing her decades later chronically ill, bloated and dying haunts me yet.
Uncle Johnny could best be described as a New York slicker, right out of a Damon Runyon story. Funny, alive, a true jokester; I loved the guy.
They had a small belt factory in Johnstown with one large customer. All that would end many years later when the factory went bust and they moved to Florida. Johnny’s character remained unchanged with Sue’s death. He became somewhat of a ladies’ man of the condo crowd.
As for the Not so Good: the lack of a White Christmas could fall into either category. I miss snowball fights, sledding, and ice-skating. Even those cold days with whirling snow flurries leave a void. Memories of the icy automobile rides to Johnstown still bring cheer to this old man. Philadelphia is not missed.
As for the Downright Undesired: whatever will go wrong will occur between Christmas and New Year’s. It may be the refrigerator going on the blink, a fender bender, or the washing machine spilling suds all over the floor.
Relatives calling during the holidays may bring Yule tidings but also bad news. Heating systems break down as do dishwashers, stoves and dryers. I await the New Year with trepidation and feel fortunate if the Yule brings no unhappy surprises.
This has been a good year and although many I knew and loved are gone and the ride to Johnstown is a fading memory, my smile returns at the thoughts of my married children and grand-daughter.
Yes, life’s been good to me. Oh darn, there goes the dishwasher!
Accept my best wishes for a Merry Christmas, Joyous Kwanzaa, Happy Chanukah, and a prosperous New Year.