Warm wishes for the holidays from the
12|02|12
A modern twist on an old classic
T
T’was the week before Christmas and all through the house I found little packages, put there by my spouse.
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, and again as I’ve said, I was ready to go.
With overcoat hung on my back in despair, meant a trip to the shops planned with care.
The pencil he held so tight in his teeth, was sure going to cost me in my belief.
The children were nestled all snug next door and off we went to join the poor.
Sure enough as gifts piled up, that pencil flew fast, as all was on cuff. A wink of his eye and a twist of his head, soon gave me to know my credit was not dead.
My wife with her credit cards, and I with little cash had just arrived for that last minute dash. When out in the parking lot there arose such a clatter, I looked out the car window to see what was the matter.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, and completing the sales slips he turned with a jerk.
Some other jerk had grabbed the best spot, forcing me to park at the end of the lot.
And laying the pencil behind his ear, the next thing I heard was, won’t you sign these my dear.
I tore open the door and threw down the winder, giving him choice words, and for bonus a finger. My car buried deep in new fallen snow, made me think of places that Santa could go.
Giving a nod to the credit manager he ran leaving me that feeling like a fish in a pan.
Then what to my wondering eyes should appear but a great big snow plow, adding to my fear. With a little old driver so lively and quick, I knew in a moment I was going to get sick. More rapid than an eagle, his truck it came burying my car clear over the frame. Now Chevy, now Ford, each taking its turn, making trouble for all, as
each driver was to learn. To the top of the hub-caps, to the top of the fenders, now dash away, dash away, and good luck big spenders. As the snow that before the wild plow flies, when it meets an auto mounts up to the skies. So out of their cars the spenders they flew, leaving those things in that frozen dew. And then in a twinkling these thoughts all forgotten, into the stores to get whats to be gotten. The prancing and pawing of each
tiny shoe, means wives are shopping, and mothers too. As I drew in my head and was turning around, down the aisle came the sales clerk with a bound. He dressed real weird from head to toe, and to tell you the truth, I was ready to go.
The papers in order and me loaded down, to the door I stumbled showing a frown. But I heard him exclaim as we went out that night, that poor slobs car is buried clear out of sight. Happy spending to all, and to all a good night.
A bundle of sales slips held tight in his hand, told me he must be selling to beat the band.
My late husband, Gene Newton, wrote this funny poem after we went Christmas shopping. It was published in the NewsHis eyes how they twinkled, his dim- Press in 1970.
ples how merry, his cheeks were like roses, as those sales slips he did carry.
Patty Newton St. Joseph, Mo.
Cat, Christmas tree don’t mix A feeling of peacefulness filled the room after a freshly fallen snow had settled upon the ground that cold December day. The snowflakes glistened like the jewels of a queen. The family had gathered together to place the Christmas decorations about. The nativity figurines were positioned on the same table as they had for many years. The aged 6-foot Christmas tree was unpacked and limbs assembled. The silver and gold garland was carefully hung while a member of the family checked the lights. The decorating was finished when a favorite angel was unpacked from the yellowed newspaper and placed at the top of the tree. While all this activity was going on, there was a dark gray cat named Muffin who kept peering around the doorway of the adjoining room. Muffin was a lonely, dirty kitten roaming the neighborhood. One day when daughter Mary Louise was at her job caring for a group of adults with disabilities, she rescued little Muffin. She had him cleaned up and got him the necessary shots. Muffin was a surprise gift for Mary Louise’s mother. Muffin grew up and got into trouble at Christmastime. The family settled on the divan to enjoy a job well done. All of a sudden, Muffin dashed across the room like a marathon runner, jumped on the piano and leaped to the top of the tree. Limbs were broken, others sagged while ornaments and garland were scattered across the floor. In the meantime, there was a bottle of water sitting on the floor to spritz Muffin in the face if he slapped the ornaments around as he had for years, but after this incident he dashed across the floor so quickly there was no time to spritz him in the face. Years have passed since this happened, but I can still hear daughter Mary Louise shout, “Spritz the cat, mother!”
Susan Walter St. Joseph, Mo.
Muffin the cat.
Wishing you
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A trunk full of memories I was going through my closet and found a trunk that was approximately 85 years old. I opened it up and what did I find but doll furniture from a dollhouse. On top of the furniture were Barbie dolls that I had saved from my children’s Barbie years. As I looked at my doll collection there was a beautiful doll in a homemade dress that my mother had made for her. My thoughts went back to the year that I was 12 years old. We were living in a motel while my father worked on the road with Koss Construction. I had gone in and out of a small grocery store with my mother in Oklahoma City, Okla. I looked lovingly at that doll for three weeks. She suddenly left the store and I wondered where she had gone. Christmas day arrived and what did I find under the small Christmas tree but the doll I had wanted for so long. This was the last doll that I got for Christmas. It marked a turning point in my life. I was going into adolescence. I still got the doll out and
played with it for another year. We left Oklahoma and moved back to Kansas City. I was really glad since I was ready for junior high. I was beginning to get interested in the opposite sex. The Barbie dolls in the old trunk belonged to my children and I take them out and look at them and remember the days when they looked through the catalog and marked what they wanted for Christmas. My grandchildren and other children that come to my house love to get them out and play with them. One other thing I found in this antique suitcase is a piece of flannel that my mother used to put on me when I had a cold after I got greased good with Vicks VapoRub. I can remember the times that that old flannel kept me warm and broke up my cold. I also used that same flannel cloth on my daughters.
Mary Bechtold Kidder, Mo.
A strange Christmas in Montana One Christmas I went to visit my brother in Montana. The weather felt strange; it didn’t have moisture in the air like Missouri weather did. The temperature felt milder. There was snow on the ground. It didn’t melt in two or three days like our snow but stayed and added layer on layer. My brother lived in a small apartment. It had the strangest appliance in it. This thing combined a stove top, oven and refrigerator in one unit. My brother had recently shot and killed a bear. He saved some of the meat for me to taste. It looked like good beef but didn’t have a good beef taste. I used some of the bear fat to make pie crust, and it worked just fine. It was an unusual Christmas. I was 1,500 miles from home.
Carol Puckett Maryville, Mo.
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Jessica, Sarah and Jennifer on Christmas Eve 1988.
This Christmas present was not what I expected Shortly before Christmas a large box with my name on it appeared next to our beautifully decorated tree. I repeatedly told my husband and children that I did not want a microwave (I know ... now I wonder what I was thinking). Anyway, the box was the right size and was fairly heavy. They all teased me and smiled knowingly ... and I remembered the year I received a blender, another appliance I didn’t want, but they all did. So I resigned myself to being at least agreeable and acting surprised and pleased if I could possibly manage that. So the moment came on Christmas Eve when we opened our gifts. The large one was left last and I carefully removed the festive red and
green wrapping. The content was not at all what I had suspected but a lovely white Fenton Hobnail Gone With the Wind Lamp to go with my collection of other small pieces. Tears came to my eyes and I think my husband’s, too, at my pleasure. I was simply overcome. We had admired this lamp at Optican’s fine store at the mall more than once, but it was much too expensive. If I never received another gift I could die happy. The lamp is still glowing brightly, a focal point in my living room after probably 30 years, a wonderful memory of my husband.
Jeannetta Danford St. Joseph
What do you want for Christmas?
What is your favorite Christmas gift ever?
I think what would be nice for Christmas is world peace and health. Bob Ockert
I want a dirt bike. Hunter Bibb
An antique star necklace that matches my tattoo.
What’s your favorite holiday tradition?
What’s the worst gift you’ve ever received? Socks — everybody already has socks! Tim Gossett
Jodi Hines
One year we literally got all of my family together.
Probably underwear. Gage Gossett
Casi Henton
A mini iPad. Lexi Meier
A remotecontrol car. Paul Homa
Everybody getting together and doing traditional holiday stuff and watching movies. Rashad Bolden Pumpkin Pie. Whether my mom or my dad makes it, they do an amazing job. Kay Klay
Fingernail polish. I don’t even paint my fingernails that much. It’s kind of a time-waster.
Our whole family does the Turkey Trot every year. Marilyn Matthews
Bailee Frump All my kids here. Just all my family together. Desiree Chambers
I would have to say a pellet gun I got when I was 10 years old. Randy Collins
s y a d i l o H y p p a t a H s u f o l l a from
“A book. (Reading) is one of those things I’ll only do when I’m really bored.” Madison Marriott
I’ve been coming to St. Joseph to shop for Christmas every year for 65 years. Marjorie Alloway
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Cherished memories of Christmases past
Vivian Huffman on Christmas Eve 1992.
Happy Holidays from
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When you are 57 years old and have so many wonderful memories of Christmas spent with your family it’s difficult to pick just one favorite memory. I’m big on traditions and passing them on to my own children and grandchildren. I have five wonderful sisters, two fantastic brothers, four great children, eight adorable grandchildren and a multitude of nieces, nephews, great and great-great of both. All the Christmases that I can remember have been spent with my family beginning with Christmas at home with my parents. We would have huge family dinners with mom fixing the turkey, chicken and dressing and dad making homemade noodles. Dad would take us to Thomas Market on St. Joe Avenue to pick out our tree. Later mom bought an artificial tree but my last Christmas at home I talked her into getting a real tree. I started the tradition with my children and now my grandchildren of having a real tree every year. If the weather permitted we would go to a tree farm and cut a tree down. One year it was so bitterly cold that the kids stayed in the car. I and their dad walked around looking for the perfect tree. Of course there is no such thing as a perfect tree but we tried to find a good one anyway. If it was too cold or snowy to go to a tree farm we would get one from a store. They don’t seem to last as long though. I treasure those memories of looking for just the right tree. As our family grew and mom got older we had to move Christmas dinners to one of my brothers’ or sisters’ houses. Mom would still fix the turkey, chicken and dressing but my sister, Vena Todd, took over making the noodles. Before dinner we would make the rounds to my brothers’ and sisters’ houses to give them and their kids their gifts and to get our gifts. All of us would be at dinner but as
time has passed and the grandkids have grown up and have families of their own our dinners aren’t as big anymore since they have started traditions of their own. I understand their need to have their own traditions but as long as my brothers and sisters are living I prefer to keep the tradition up of having dinner with them. Another wonderful tradition we have is getting together on Christmas Eve at someone’s home for sandwiches, etc. and Santa comes to hand out gifts to the kids. For several years my brother, Pood Huffman, was Santa Claus but the kids who were little at the time soon figured out that Santa was Uncle Pood so we had to change who was Santa. One year my nephew, Vern Todd, played Santa and a couple of years my nephew, Jeff Huffman, was Santa. We have had the same Santa come for probably 10 or 15 years now. The tradition of getting together for Christmas Eve was started by my brother, Hank Huffman, who like me likes to be with family. Hank is the oldest at 76 and if it hadn’t been for him there would have been years when my older brother and sisters wouldn’t have gotten anything for Christmas or anything in their stockings. This year will be the first year I will not be spending Christmas Eve with my family or Christmas dinner. I will be going to Florida to spend Christmas with my son Todd and grandson Landon whom I have never spent Christmas with. Although I’m excited about seeing Todd and Landon and sharing Christmas with them, my heart will be at home with my family here. I treasure all of the wonderful memories I have of Christmas with them and pray for many more Christmases with them.
Debbie Huffman Larkin St. Joseph
Christmas memories mix with hope for the future
T
he unwrapping of warm Christmas time memories can bring to mind visions of happy gatherings, delightful dishes of holiday cooking and a special kiss under the mistletoe. Oh, how I love the Anthony’s family Christmas! The year was 1994 and Christmas was held at my mother-inlaw’s home. Nellie had just baked a small mince meat pie. It was her and my favorite pie. No one else cared for it but that was OK because the most magical part of this Christmas day was spending time with those we loved. We shared stories, we shared laughter and my husband Larry always shared a kiss with me under the mistletoe! After a fine meal we would open presents. I would take pictures and so would my Motherin-law, Nellie. It just so happened that this Christmas one of the daughters, Robin, gift was a camera with a self timer. She set the camera up, set the timer and quickly joined us who were all bunched together on the couch for a family picture. At that time we didn’t realize that one of us would not be here next Christmas. One May 8, 1995, our nephew Jeremy was killed in a car accident. When Christmas came that year we had a mixture of happiness and sadness. We had lost someone whom we cherished. How special that family picture of the Christmas of 1994 was. Then in June of 1996 my mother-in-law, Nellie, passed away.
Stricken by grief and sadness, I looked at the Christmas picture of 1994 reaching out for the happy memories. The following month, on July 5, my husband and I were blessed with the birth of the first grandchild. As I held that precious little one in my arms, I began to realize that sometimes we have to look for new ways to deal with our sorrows and with the pain of losing our loved ones and celebrate their life just as we celebrated the birth of our new grandchild. So when Christmas of that year, 1996, arrived I was determined to continue with our family holiday with decorating, planning, shopping, cooking, etc.
LABOR OF LOVE as I called it! I chose to celebrate the lives of those we lost with their picture of who they were. It was challenging getting into the Christmas spirit that year without our loved ones but we kept finding ways to keep all smiling and spirits high. I continued to host the family Christmas’s year after year. My husband and I decided to have a little fun with the family and make some of our own memories. Larry dressed up as a hillbilly Santa. What a surprise to all, what fun! Every Christmas thereafter he would dress up differently. One year he was the Coca Cola Santa another year he dressed up as the famous “Cousin Eddie” from the movie “Christmas Vacation” with Chevy Chase. As I stood back, I’d listen to the laughter and watched the family enjoy the moments. Now I am the lucky one spending these special moments every Christmas with those closest to me, my husband, children, grandchildren, other family members, best friends and there are those who crossed my mind throughout the holiday season who are no longer with us yet the memories are rooted in my heart and in my soul. So I take time out to remember them by looking at that special Christmas picture of 1994 feeling so grateful that they had all lived long enough to have had happy times to love and be loved.
Vicki Anthony King City, Mo.
Happy Holidays
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