The Native Iowan

Luvely cool damp morning here. Woke to find a Green Bay Packers game on. I’ll spend as long as I can wrapped up here, watching, writing…

Thinking of Cmas-times past. How far can I go back?

I believe that most of my memories are sensory, and when real young most of my recollections come in the form of sounds and smells. Most definitely the Cmas time smells were overpowering. My Mother was a fantastic cook. Her thing was “cooking” and Cmas was important to her.

I recall being on the farm outside of Knoxville. IA. I was kinda big then, maybe 4 or 5. I have strong memories of the Staff-Party at the local VA Hospital, where my father worked. Before this? I cant pin a particular Cmas down. Nothing solidifies in my mind to give me a single major memory of Cmas before this time.

After the farm there was a single Cmas at Middle Street in Knoxville, then a couple while on Jackson Street. Then its all in Independence.

I commented yesterday that my granddaughter, G.G., now 6, may be living her last magical Cmas. Her last Cmas as a believer. Her last Cmas in that magical world of fantasy and farce.

For me, as the middle of 9kids, I think the magic of Cmas ended early. I distinctly recall my mother explaining to me that Cmas was for the “little ones”, and as a bigger kid I couldn’t expect too much. And that was Ok. I got it at a young age. Socks and underwear were ok.

My youngest sibling is 7years after me. My next, closest sibling is 2years younger. by the time I was 4-5 I had 2 younger sisters and mom was pregnant, preparing to deliver in February. As I talk it through, I look into the fog of the past and see that Cmas on the farm a lot clearer. It was a stressful one for the folks. Two babies, a big family, I recall receiving a plastic, army type, mess kit as a present and being very pleased.

Now, being pedantic, one would think that with only 65 Cmas-times to recall I’d do a better job. Of course I was too young to form cognitive memories the first one, and the next couple I was still building language and understanding. So, the vivid recollections I have from the time we lived on “the farm”, do represent my earliest, complete memories of Cmas.

Good news is that my Mother is enjoying her 95th Cmas.

Just thinking through memorable Cmas-times…

I recall one Cmas, maybe 1977/78. Hosted by my sister Holly, her husband, Ron, in their house on the SW side of Independence. It was a big affair. Ron’s parents and grandparents were there. My Grandmother and parents. A lot of family from both sides, the Dudleys and the Hemmer’s. A big bustling family filled affair.

Somewhere early on, after the presents had been ripped open, someone had picked up a bow with a sticker-label and stuck it on Grandpa Dudley’s bald head. Grandpa Dudley was a good guy and spent most of the day with this bow and name-tag stuck to his bald dome. He sat in a comfy chair and smiled a lot and, like old dudes do, kept his hearing aids turned down.

Somewhere in the proceedings, as things were quieting down, one of the “Dudley-boys” walked up to gramps, in a loud voice said “Who does this present belong to?”, and plucked the tag and ribbon off his head. In a loud, voice, he reads out the name… “To Nana, from Santa”.

Nana was my grandmother. Grandma Dudley did not like this at all. We all fell over ourselves laughing and carrying-on. Grandma Dudley moved closer to “her man”, and gave Nana the evil eye for the rest of the day.

Of course, one can become jaded by the commercialism and avarice involved with the modern holiday of Cmas. Thats why the magic of the little-ones is soo important this time of year.

Little ones, and dogs.

In the Solomons I always tried to throw a big Cmas-Doo… roast pig, fish, all the side dishes. My parents joined us in 1998 for one such party.

An eclectic selection of characters flew in from around the globe. The Makin’s, Pete Wilson, Jenny&Steve, UncleTeddy, my Brother, Roo, and his bride-to-be, plus the normal pickings of the Gizo/ Western/ Solomons extended family.

My mom had prepared 100 Cmas stockings for ‘all the little kids”. 50 for boys, 50 for girls. My ol buddy, Tom Shoen, was Santa. 100 little kids lined up and got to sit on Santa’s lap, and receive a goody-stuffed stocking.

It was a fun, fun day. (week)

And the beat goez on…

Smiles all around…