YULETIDE GREETINGS!

YULETIDE
Well. Christmas is now a memory, but a very nice one.. While there is also sadness, and family tensions, during this Season, all in all, it is a very rewarding experience for most people. I know that I have enjoyed the past few days. Most people that I know, express lots of love and goodwill during this Season.
I always reflect on past Christmases at this time of year. I can recall many nice memories. When our daughters and grandkids were younger, Anne suggested that I “play Santa Claus.” For many years, Anne rented me my red, white and black costume, and without any training, I tried to play the part. If you really want to experience Christmas, don the red suit. I can’t explain my feeling, but I received an emotional boost from the reactions of those that I greeted.
Anne received her moneys worth for the week that I had use
of my Santa suit. I appeared at our grandkids’ second grade classroom, at my Mother’s assisted living facility, and her skilled nursing residence - in succeeding years. I also appeared at Rick’s Christmas -Office Parties. The exchanges with the different ones were very interesting to me. I talked with my Mother, and she didn’t have a clue I was her son. I talked to our grandkids and they looked at me in awe, not recognizing me. Mrs. Brinkman’s class seemed thrilled to have me in their midst. It was interesting when Marie was driving me to my many appearances. People would see me in the car, and wave, or honk their horns - pretty flattering.
Through all of these interactions, I started to get the “Spirit,” and I believed in myself - Santa! I hesitated when Anne first suggested that I “dress up”, but then I realized that I would be experiencing a new role, and I heartily agreed. I am glad that I did. All of us need to get out of our comfortable skin, and try something new and different. (There was the time that I paraded as a female model in a fashion show, but that is another story, for another time!)
It is so rewarding to have family, or friends, to share in celebrating the Holiday Season. Because of them, I didn’t experience the loneliness, or depression, this time of year, that some feel.

Joan and Manny invited me to their Christmas Eve Party. It was very nice, with about 25 family and friends enjoying their festive house - each others’ company - and all the various tasty- dishes of food that people brought. The men did most of the cooking, and their creations were delicious. Melissa and Ryan brought a poker board and shuffleboard game with them from San Diego, along with their dog, Bodie. Jason brought his beagle, Buddy. The dogs kept everyone wide awake as they raced through the living room playing tag! (It used to be the grand kids!). We watched an old DVD, on the big screen, of our grandkids’ “Plays”. It not only was humorous, but well done.
The gift exchange was very interesting and entertaining.
Our instructions were to bring a gift costing less than $25. This open-ended instruction brings out the creativity of people - from the conservative like me to the creative like our host, Manny! There were seventeen “exchangers”. We each drew a number from the paper bag that our hostess Joan passed around. The number we selected was the order in which we picked out our gift. My number was “4”. You could pick from the pile on the floor, or “steal” someone else’s gift. The choosing sounds simple, but it becomes quite intriguing with al of the scheming and “stealing” going on. It seemed like the exchanging would never end. But, after two “steals”, that gift is “dead”, and unavailable for any further “stealing”. When everyone is satisfied with their gift, end of “gifting.” I never was involved in this process before, but it was very interesting, entertaining and enjoyable. When my turn to select came, I went for the smallest package. Initially, this was a good strategy. But, after I opened it, and the participants saw that I had gotten a gift card from Macy’s and a small box of See’s candies, it was a prime stealable.
Sue and Tom gave me a ride home. While we were about the first ones to leave, I didn’t get home until about midnight. I enjoyed Christmas Eve very much.
I arranged to join Marie for Christmas Day-Lunch, at Laurel Creek. I was looking forward to sharing the time and lunch with her. When I entered her room, she was lying down. I wished her a Merry Christmas, and I sat down next to her bed. She reached for my hand, and said “Your hand is cold”. Her hands are always warm, and mine are always cold. (I had just come in from outside). Soon, she let go, and said, “Your hand is heavy”. She never used to complain when we were younger!
I asked Marie if she could remember her nicest Christmas. She thought for a minute, and said they were all nice. Then, I thought, how would I answer, if she had asked me that very same question. I have to say that I would answer the same way. It’s strange though, I remember my two ‘saddest” ones very clearly.
The first of these sad Christmases, away from home, was in 1942. I was stationed in Cut Bank, Montana - 2,000 miles away from Ypsilanti. I was coping quite well with my homesickness, until I heard the choir sing “White Christmas” at Midnight Mass.
My second sad Christmas was after my Dad died on December 21, 1963 (at the age of 73). President Kennedy had been assassinated just a month before my Dad died. My Dad’s funeral was on Christmas Eve. To add to my sadness, it was the first (and only) Christmas that our family didn’t share. Marie and our five daughters, remained in Vallejo, while I flew back to Detroit.
We had just gotten out of the door to Marie’s room, heading for the dining room, and she said “I don’t think I can make it.” So, we returned to her room. I explained the situation to the CNA, and asked if they could bring our meals to her room. This is the first time that I hadn’t eaten with her in the dining room. (I just had lunch with her in the dining room, two days previously, on our Anniversary). So, we made the best of it, and ate together in her room At this stage of life, for your peace of mind, you had better be flexible.
Christmas evening, Mary and Greg invited me to have dinner with them and Daniel. Of course, I accepted. They picked me up, and delivered me back here, at the end of the evening. The dinner, and dessert, were very good (as per usual). The four of us played Scrabble after dinner. I can’t remember the last time that I played that board game. I know that it was a long time ago. The game was stimulating, and I enjoyed it.
Next, on the agenda, is formulating my resolutions for next year.



Ray L’Amoreaux 12/27/09.