DECEMBER 2013
SUNRAYS | 37
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It’s Grandpa Christmas!
Back in the ’80s when our kids
were small, my father dressed up
in a Santa costume each Christmas.
He magically appeared amidst the
chaos of four families packed into a
tiny house for the holiday gathering.
With a sack slung over his shoulder,
he herded everyone around the tree,
then handed out goodies to all his
grandchildren.
There were several Doubting Thoma-
ses the winter of 1989, most notably
our son, who was seven at the time.
David stared at the man in red and
finally said, “His voice sounds so fa-
miliar. And look at those shoes―I’ve
seen those somewhere before.”
Still David couldn’t quite let go of
the tradition. So he gave Santa a hug
and ushered him to the front door
after all the presents were opened.
Santa looked out into the blizzard,
winked at the adults, and walked
through snowdrifts down the street
waving until David finally closed the
front door.
My husband quickly gathered the
kids around the tree for a game,
while I kept watch at the front door.
My father snuck back in, covered in
snow, and headed to the bedroom
to change.
Ten minutes later he came out yawn-
ing and said, “I sure enjoyed my nap.
Did I miss anything?”
Thankfully, he had remembered to
change his footwear. And David was
none the wiser.
―Eileen Clark, N45
Christmas Eve Gift
W
e’ve had a family tradition of “Christmas Eve Gift” for
more than 50 years. It began when we were young. Who-
ever said “Christmas Eve Gift” first on Christmas Eve got to
open one present early. Our mother won it every year until my
sister and I were in high school. We would try to remember,
but Mother would manage to win.
Once we married and moved away, we would call long distance
trying to win (in those days, there was no “Caller ID,” but if
the telephone rang too early on Christmas Eve―
you knew
!).
So, if I didn’t remember to call, I would answer the telephone
with “Christmas Eve Gift!!” More than once, the voice would
say “What?” as it would be a friend, not my sister!
As the years have passed, we’ve gone to many extremes to
win. We’ve stayed awake until midnight and called, gone by
each other’s homes, etc., to try to win.
I might add that I am quite ahead in the “winning” numbers.
I’ve found her in a restaurant on Christmas Eve morning
having breakfast―sneaked up behind her and said the magic
words; put signs in her yard right after midnight on the 24th;
even gone to her home early on the 24th when she was in bed
with the flu and said the words and left!
We’ve lived in separate towns for the past 11 years; so, I’ve
resorted to emailing, texting, etc., at one second after midnight.
Obviously, it’s been lots of fun just to see who can get whom,
and we haven’t “outgrown” it yet!
―Pat Blankenship, N10
Quite a turkey!
A
wonderfully funny event occurred in our family
about 26 Christmases ago, and always brings a
laugh whenever we gather all these years later. Our
son, David, and his wife, Susan, were living in Groton,
Connecticut, where David was stationed as a Judge
Advocate (JAG) in the Navy after receiving his law
degree. Our first granddaughter, Jenny, had been born
the preceding September, and my husband, Bill, and I
went to spend Christmas and meet her for the first time.
Early the morning of Christmas Eve, David prepared a
turkey and put it in his smoker on the carport. He then
left for work, assured that we would keep an eye on the
bird’s progress.
Later that morning, Bill, Susan and I needed to do some
last-minute shopping. Baby Jenny in tow, we piled into
the car, talking and making plans. Perhaps we were
enjoying ourselves a little too much, because rather than
putting the car into Reverse, Susan put it in Drive. The
car lurched forward, hit the smoker, and that old bird fell
out and rolled down the hill behind the carport! Being a
resourceful threesome, we ran down the hill, retrieved
the turkey, washed off the grass and dirt, and put it
back on the smoker. Then, we partners in crime made
a pact not to tell David about our misdeed, and later sat
down to a lovely Christmas Eve dinner. However, as we
complimented David on the wonderful smoked turkey,
we all burst out laughing and confessed our dirty deed!
― Kay Stauss, N13
NOEL
Gather ‘round the Christmas tree
To celebrate in unity
This special day of love and peace
A time of hope as we release
Our inner light to shine on all
The gifts from us both great and small
Expressing joy as we receive
Fantastic reasons to believe!
― Lenaire Grigsby, N41
