Memories and traditions were so very different when I was a young child. Due to the fact, I am remembering the memories from a child’s eyes.Â
Memories and Traditions
I felt like I was one of the luckiest girls in the world, to say I lived on a mountain. In the winter from my back yard when the trees were bare, you could see cars driving on Mine Hill, which is about four to five miles away. At night it was such a beautiful sight as the taillights from the cars twinkled like stars as they climbed the hill.
Back then, there were only two girls and five boys living on my side of the mountain. In the summertime we had many challenging adventures climbing in the woods including swinging on vines.
My Fondest Memories During the Holidays
As the seasons changed it would always snow from Thanksgiving to the end of winter. We would take our sleds and start in one neighbor’s back yard then down over my backyard to the next neighbor’s back yard when no one was looking. Sometimes there were two or three kids on a sled. We did not care how cold or wet it was outside. We just wanted to play. Our caring parents would call us inside to take the chill off by giving us something warm to fill our little bellies. One of my favorites was a glass of milk, grilled cheese and tomato soup.
On Christmas day when I would look out the window there would be snow coming down, not just small flakes but large, beautiful flakes. Being so young it seemed like mountains of snow, but the snow accumulations would probably only have been six inches to a foot. I would daydream that later in the day I would go outside to build an igloo or romp in the snow.
Irreplaceable Memories of Traditions
My mother believed in traditions and never let a Christmas go by without taking me to the city to make sure I had the prettiest dress, white lacey ankle sock and black patent leather shoes. We would drive to the train station, get on the train and head for the city.
I remember back in those days they would have a Porter who would have a board balanced across the top of two seats. He would be dressed in a white top and black pants. The porter I remember would be selling candy and such.Â
An Amazing Train Arrival
One Christmas, every time I would try to follow my dad to the basement. He would march me right back upstairs. My dad was trying to hide what he was making for me. As a hobby craftsman, my dad made a train platform to go under the Christmas tree.
I am not sure how old I was but when I woke up in the morning and raced to see what Santa left.
To my surprise there it was under the tree. It was all decorated and the Lionel train running on the track.
Within my sight, there were so many presents stack all around the Christmas tree.
In fact, the platform looked amazing with a green underground for grass, round circle track, little snowcapped trees, and little buildings with people.
My dad took so much pride in his design train project. As an adult thinking back. I can not believe the long hard hours he must have put in to build it for me. In addition to being such a loving and caring dad to make my morning one of the merriest Christmas’ ever that a little girl could imagine.
Missing Those Wonderful Family Times
I remember another Christmas that is so vivid in my memory. Again, I ran to the livingroom to opened my gifts from Santa.
So many presents, that I felt like a princess. I scrambled to open two fairly large gifts. To my surprise, when I opened them, there was Chatty Cathy and Miss Ideal.
I was just too excited. I did not even really care about the other presents. All I really wanted to do was play with my new dolls.
But, I do remember Mom getting a sweater and umbrella. Daddy got socks and a scarf.Â
Holiday Tradions and Respectful Greeting
There is no going back to the times when everyone knew everyone else, people would respectfully greet each other with a hug or shake each other’s hand when seeing each other out and about town.
The wonderful smell in the air of wood burning, the kids ice skating at the pond, all the homes full of decorations with colorful lights and the church bells ringing.
“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart.”
Quoted by Helen Keller
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