REFLECTIONS ON CHRISTMAS

       One hears much at Christmas about "a good old fashioned Christmas" "Traditional Christmas" "family Christmas" . It feels like people are searching for something . It's easy to look back and see something that was pleasant. They don't get the same buzz from Christmas these days.

       I started to think about my past and Christmas celebrations. I was born in 1939 on the Saskatchewan prairie. Times were tough, very tough. In this area they hadn't really pulled out of the depression and then WW II started and there were more hard times. 

     So, of course, I don't remember much about my first four or five Christmases. We were still hard up in the late forties but I remember Christmases. Schools and churches had concerts which were exciting. For these we received a bag of candy and nuts and best of all a Japanese orange. 

     Our Christmas presents were meager but we didn't know that. 

     We went to our cousins for Christmas  and New Years . We harnessed the team and headed a mile across the fields to our cousins. The next year they came to our house. 

     Economic conditions were better in the fifties and we were older. We received more as it could be afforded. We played games all day with the cousins. This time flew by quickly and we spent more time with our friends at Christmas rather than our families. We still attended the dinner and gift giving.

    Then suddenly I was not able to be home for Christmas and that was another way to spend Christmas. 

    Marriage and we went back to family celebrations.

   My children came and we had a family Christmas with the gifts and big dinner but we were away from family so just the nuclear family participated.

   When my children left they went other ways and did not come home for Christmas.

    As a couple without family we kept up traditions with the big meal and gifts. We attended the Christmas eve church service. 

    Gradually we did less and less. Gifts were omitted. We had too much already. Decorations became less until this year it's only lights outside. Less baking was done until this year there was none which is good because it's too physically challenging for the micro manager. The Christmas dinner was missing some of the trimmings.

     Next year we will eat our Christmas dinner out at a restaurant.

    So, this gets me back to the traditional Christmas. Would it be possible to go back. Never. Would we like the traditional Christmas celebration? Probably not. I don't think I'd like to be riding in an open  sleigh box behind two old farm horses. 

    So the traditional Christmas is the one we celebrate right now. This year , I enjoyed my Christmas as much as ever but there wasn't any razzle dazzle. 

CHRISTMAS PAST

        When I was a child in the 40's our Christmas Day  was a major celebration. It was very different from  what happens today.

        What I remember is after the war. The economy was better and there were no more ration restrictions. So we were able to enjoy things that were not available in the recent past. 

        There were many preparations and these were entirely my mother's efforts. There was a tremendous amount of baking done pre Christmas. Christmas cakes took the biggest effort. Many other things were baked: shortbread, ginger bread cookies, Chinese chews. matrimonial cake, mince meat pies, Christmas puddings , fudge and other things that my brothers will have to remind me about.  As you can see my Mom did a tremendous amount of Christmas baking.

      The merchandise in our local stores was quite limited. Clothes and many other items were ordered from the Eaton's catalog. There was usually one big parcel that came from Eatons and we were not allowed to see any of it so this is where she got our Christmas presents. 

      Before the economy picked up the three of us received a tricycle for Christmas. Another Christmas we got a dog. After the war they were able to afford individual gifts for us. We usually got a book, a toy , a game. or some clothes. We also got some small gifts from grandparents and Aunts and uncles.  There was much excitement over these gifts. So much excitement that we were sometimes awake and out before 5:00 AM. We were sent back to bed but were still up early to open gifts. It was bedlam with 4 little kids. 

     Our Christmas day activities were huge. We celebrated with Mom's cousin. There were 12 people altogether. If Mom had Christmas , her cousin Margaret did the same on New year's day. The next year it would be reversed.

     I grew up in a rural community. Our roads were blocked with snow in the winter and we had very old cars. As a result winter travel was with horses. Our cousins would arrive just before noon and the horses were put in the barn.

     The big meal took place at noon. 

     Preparing the Christmas meal took tremendous effort. Turkey was the main item on the menu. They only grew 25 lb turkeys at that time! So we had stuffing , gravy, mashed potato, creamed corn and another vegetable. We were not able to get cranberries . Lettuce and other produce was not sold in our local stores so we didn't have salads. The country stores didn't have coolers and no electricity so they didn't sell produce. We sometimes had a jellied salad. These meals were prepared with wood stoves. There was no refrigeration or coolers and no running water. But these meals were some of the best that I remember eating. 

     We all sat down together to eat. Food was passed around in large bowls. Generous second helpings were common. 

     And then there was dessert! Christmas pudding and mince meat pie. Yes both of them at the same meal. 

    So our Christmas day was so huge that I have to describe it in two posts. 

PEACE

      The time leading up to Christmas is always very busy, hectic, and chaotic as we prepare to celebrate Christmas. 

       As a child , at school we were busy preparing for the school Christmas concert. Mother was baking endlessly and we were quality testing what she baked. Huge mail order parcels arrived and we were not allowed to see them opened. Christmas excitement for kids is over the top.

      As a young adult there was always a rush to make it home for Christmas. Remember the Christmas exams in university?

     Marriage and small children brought busy changes to my Christmas celebration again. Being a teacher, finishing school before Christmas was wild. Kids were pumped for Christmas.

    As a family we had shopping, greeting cards, kid's concerts  and sometimes travel to prepare for.

    So when Christmas Eve arrived all the frenetic activity ended.

     Peace!

     No matter what part in my life it was , Christmas eve always turned quiet and peaceful. I always went outdoors Christmas Eve to experience the stillness and quietness. I just breathed some of it in.

     Peace! What a wonderful feeling!

    At this time on earth we need peace more than ever. 

    To all my followers and readers I wish you peace at this time and for 2018.

THE OLD LIST ON THE WALL

    I keep a list taped to the desk of possible topics for blog posts. I found that if I didn't write them down I would forget all my great ideas.

    Well, my list doesn't have any topics on it at this time. I've been too busy lately to think of things and write them down. I have a series of posts I will do after Christmas. 

    Christmas is a busy time and activities crowd out times to contemplate blog posts. So in the next few days: Friday I volunteer from 1 -5 looking after the Nature center book store stall in the mall. It's fun to meet people and sell a few books. People like to drop by and talk about things they see outdoors. 

    Saturday I have a coffee and cake do with the birders I lead every Saturday afternoon. We enjoy our Saturday outings and everybody looks forward to sitting down and remembering the fun we had. Saturday evening I see a performance of the Christmas Carol put on by one of the local high schools.

    Sunday is the Christmas bird count. I'm out from 9:30 to 11:30 and then come home for lunch. In the afternoon I'm out from 1:30 -3:30 . I have two areas that I cover and have covered the same areas for about 40 years. 

    Sunday evening we have a potluck supper with all the bird counters. It's a fun time to share bird count activities.

    We've also had a lot of running around to do at this busy time. One example is that the sieve the Micro manager uses in baking came apart so since there was still more baking to do we had to find a sieve. So you know that finding a sieve with the micro manager will be a marathon. She wanted a sieve like the old one. Well boo hoo! They don't  make them like that anymore.

    Today we did find a sieve so there will be more baking.

    So being busy is part of the season and makes for an enjoyable time. But I will enjoy peace and quiet once Dec.  25 arrives. 

    Christmas bird count territory.

Christmases Past

       My friend Willis, who I finished high school with, posted on face book the other day that his tree was decorated and things in the house were fixed up for Christmas. So, Willis was sitting back in his easy chair thinking about friends and "Christmases past".

       So even though we are elderly we still act like high school students and never miss a chance for a friendly dig. My comment on his face book post was "Ya, that's a lot of Christmases!" Like, you're old!!

       Well, I got thinking about Willis's comment. Yes, it's many Christmases. In my case 76 of them. The first ones I don't remember. However, I do remember the Christmases when I was a child and safe in the care of my parents.  They made Christmas interesting with baking, decorations, gifts and very festive meals. We also had community and church festivities. Christmas day was a long day of good food and visiting with neighbors and friends.

       In my late teens I was not tied as closely to family and spent more time in the holidays with friends. Once I left home the time for Christmas with family was shortened. You raced home just in time for Christmas. You missed all the Christmas preparations. Some of the excitement was gone as now you were an adult.

       Then came the first time I was not able to be home for Christmas. I was in the Arctic with many other young single people who were away from family. The 30 of us in the residence, got together and prepared a very festive meal. I'm sure many of us were thinking about home, but we had a very good time.

       Next, a new pattern was formed when I married. Problem! You can't get to both parents for the holidays so what do you do?  A couple of those dilemmas were solved when my wife had to work.

      When you have children of your own you start making your own traditions for the holidays. There's excitement about decorations, gifts, stories, songs and a special meal. Many of the things I did were what I learned from my parents.

       My kids live far away from me and they don't get home for Christmas. They have their own kids to make traditions.

      So , yes, we do have great memories and friends formed around Christmas. As we age the celebration of Christmas changes. Celebrations change with the times. 

     Now matter what, Christmas is a joyful time of the year.

     

Olie Bolie: A Christmas Story

      I was a Middle School teacher for 37 years. At times my classroom was somewhat chaotic. Group work was sometimes messy. During some of those disorganized times quiet individual conversations occurred. 

      One thirteen year old boy told me that at Christmas he made "olie bolie" with his Grandpa. He told me that "Olie bolie" was really good.  A few days later I would hear about "olie bolie" again and how good it was. He was waiting for his Grandpa to get ready to make "olie bolie". A few days later I would hear about "olie bolie" again. He wasn't sure if he had the right words but it was something like "Olie bolie". Since I'd heard so much about "olie bolie" I began to ask about it. He wasn't sure but it was really good. I asked what it was like. It was dough with raisins . He wasn't sure how it was cooked , but it was really good and he liked it. After it was cooked it was rolled in icing sugar or sprinkled with icing sugar and it was really good.

    I never did get out of this boy exactly what "olie bolie" was . He never brought any of it to school so that I could try it. I even asked him if he could spell it and I would put it on the weekly spelling list. "Olie bolie" was all I could get out of him.

    I've often though about the Christmas experience this boy had with his Grandpa and Grandpa must have enjoyed this too. It's not very many thirteen year old boys who would enjoy Christmas baking. This must have been a highlight of his Christmas. It impressed me and I've never forgotten his story.

    I did a little research after this experience. As near as I can tell what he was talking about was oliebollen which is a Dutch pastry similar to a doughnut. A lump of dough about as big as small orange is cooked in a deep fryer. It sounds great and someday I'm going to have to find some oliebollen to discover what this kid really liked.

    have you heard of this before? I'm sure some of my dutch followers will give me much more information about "olie bolie."

     So I wish that all my readers who celebrate Christmas have a wonderful time.