Dear Readers,
A couple of years ago my husband and I were checking out some model homes in Rancho Mirage, CA. It was a sunny, Sunday afternoon in early December and the piped-in vice of Frank Sinatra singing “Silent Night” filled the air. Tears started welling up in my eyes and my husband wondered what was wrong. I answered that the strains of the hymn carried me back to my childhood and Christmases past. You see “Silent Night” was a major part of our family tree-decorating tradition.
As a child, I couldn’t wait until we decorated the Christmas tree. Mom carried a big box of ornaments out of the attic, while Dad secured the tree to the stand. The next step was positioning the multi-color lights on the tree, while everyone had an opinion about the placement of these lights. Then my Dad would give us a look and we knew it was time to shut up. My sisters and I loved selecting the ornaments and hanging them on the tree.
My older sister’s job was to decorate the creche. Our nativity scene consisted of a stable constructed with cherry tree branches and designed to look like a log cabin. It was hand-crafted by Dad’s deceased youngest brother. Martha would carefully apply cotton batting to the roof to simulate snow. Real straw from our neighbor’s stable of horses, rested on the floor and in the crib. Mary, Joseph and the Baby Jesus were arranged along with the shepherd boy, the Three Wise Men, and various stable animals. An angel with flowing robes and a banner that read “Peace on Earth” was anchored atop the stable door with a white tree light that shone down upon the scene.
Trimming the tree took a lot of time but when we were finished, we were so proud of our handiwork. It was at this time that Mom turned off all the lights in the house and Dad turned on the lit tree. Then we all held hands and Dad, with his strong tenor voice, led us in singing “Silent Night, Holy Night”. This was the magical Christmas moment awaited by all of us. Here I was standing in the soft glow of the tree with the people I loved most in the world, and all of us singing a song that truly represented the meaning of Christmas. What a beautiful memory my Dad created with that tradition. It will remain with me and my sisters always!
Keep smilin’!
Leave a Reply