A Harrod’s Christmas - 1964

A Harrod’s Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. Oh…..wait a minute…..I’m getting ahead of myself. Let me back up a bit and start my story again. 

It was a very cold December, 1964, but excitement and anticipation filled the air. It is Friday, December 18th, and as soon as the school bell rings, we are out for Christmas. Miss Scaife let us decorate a small Christmas tree last week. It was so much fun! We made popcorn chains and really cool chains out of construction paper. Each child made a personal ornament to put on the tree. I made a Christmas wreath and wrote my mama, daddy, and brother’s name on it. We even got to put colored lights on the tree. In 1964, big colored lights were all we had, but they were so festive and beautiful. Miss Scaife bought silver tinsel and gave each child a hand-full. Then, she gathered us all around the tree, counted 1, 2, 3 and then said, “throw!” Tinsel went everywhere, even on a few students, but it was all gathered-up and put on the tree. We got treat bags with candy and a paddle ball. A few of the parents sent cakes, chips, and Kool-Aid so we could have a small party. We sang Christmas songs and each child told one special gift that they wanted for Christmas from Santa. It was the best school day ever!

With the long Winter days, we will have plenty of time to play, visit family and enjoy our gifts. On warmer days, I enjoy walking to and from school, but today there is ice on the ground so mama will be picking my brother, John, and I up from school. The bell rings, we all give hugs and say our good-byes as we rush out for holiday fun. We won’t have to go back to school until January 4th, 1965. Oh, the stories we will have to share when we return!

Our home is all decorated and ready for Santa. A friend of mine had an aluminum Christmas tree with a light wheel that rotated and changed the colors of the tree. I thought they must be rich to have a special tree like that. I might have even felt a little jealous that my friend, Kay and her family, had this store-bought, fancy aluminum tree. But in reality, they missed out on all the fun family time that we spent searching for just the right trees each year. My daddy, mama, brother, and I would go out and look for Christmas trees on my granddaddy Buck-boy’s land. It was always a fun family adventure. Each year, we put a tree in the den and one on the front porch. Our trees were blanketed with huge colored lights, tinsel, colored ornament balls, homemade garland, and lots of little ornaments…. including some that we made. They were humble trees that expressed the love and spirit of my family. Daddy always hung lights along the eve of the front porch. I can still see everything now just as it was all of those years ago. And, I can smell the smells of Christmas; the strong scents of cinnamon, peppermint, and nutmeg.

We have a great week planned as we prepare for Christmas Eve. I am so happy to have daddy at home with us for a few days. I always know when he is near as I can hear him whistling and singing his favorite Christmas Carols every-where he goes. The house is always filled with Christmas music on the radio, except for when we are watching our favorite holiday movies and tv shows. Since they are all in black and white, we use our imagination to add in all the colors. Although the weather is cold outside, we have space heaters in every room so the house is cozy and toasty warm. I just love this time of year! Our church is having a Christmas meal after the service is over tomorrow. And tomorrow night a group of us are going caroling around Ramer, Grady, and Dublin. Then, afterward, we will go back to the church for hot cocoa, cakes, and cookies. YUM!

Tuesday night, we will go to my Ma-Ma and Buck-boy’s house to eat a Christmas celebration meal and open presents. One of my favorites for Christmas dessert is her Butternut Pound Cake. So delicious…and with vanilla ice-cream on top. John always asks for seconds. After supper, we gather around her small Christmas tree in the living room. They always load us up with gifts. The gifts are not costly, but they are special and well chosen. Ma-Ma usually surprises me with a couple of new dresses that she has handmade for me. I love her pedal singer sewing machine and she even lets me sew on it.

My brother and I are going to ride with my grandmother and granddaddy Harrod Wednesday to pick-up my aunt Betty and my cousins so they can be here with us for Christmas. For some reason, Santa always comes to our grandparent’s house for aunt Betty’s children. He sure is smart to know they are visiting and not in their own home. I think that’s pretty cool! John and I always enjoy spending time at grandmother and grandaddy’s with our cousins. Our Papa Harrod, our great-granddaddy, also lives there and he is the sweetest!

On Christmas Day, our aunts, uncles, and cousins will all gather at grandmother’s and granddaddy’s house for our Christmas family celebration. Every month we have a family member that has a birthday....and every month the whole family comes together to celebrate the birthdays for that month. So, in December we have a double celebration. We celebrate Christmas and Jesus’ birth, plus we celebrate those who have a birthday. When we come together at Thanksgiving, we put all of our names in a bowl, pass it around, and draw a name. The name we draw is who we will buy a Christmas present for. Of course, everyone buys grandmother, granddaddy, and Papa a special gift. And, grandmother and granddaddy gives a present to each of us. Grandmother has a huge dining room table and kitchen table so there is plenty of room for all of us to gather round. Papa sits at the head of the dining room table. The adults eat in the dining room and the children in the kitchen, but it is all open so it is like we are in one big room with a half wall separation between the two areas. We all look forward to grandmother’s delicious German Chocolate Cake and her homemade Ambrosia. We all gather around and hold hands while daddy leads us in a prayer over the meal. The adults clean-up and relax after the meal, but John, our cousins....Debra, Dianne, Jackie, Donna, Janet, Gayle, and Billy, and I all go straight into play mode. We will play with our toys and board games until it is time for supper. Then, we eat and head home. 

But, let's back it up to Christmas Eve. The excitement was overwhelming for John and I as we could not wait to see what Santa would bring us this year. We have a family tradition of riding around Ramer, after dark, to look at the Christmas lights and decorations and this year was no exception. Along our route, we would stop, visit for a few minutes and give special small gifts to Papa Cape and Miss Hudgens, to Mr. Claude and Mrs. Mattie Brooks, and to Miss Corinne and Miss Mabel Cannon. Our mama and daddy were amazing. They did not have much money, but what they had....they freely gave. When we would get back home, mama would make us some warm cookies and yummy hot chocolate with marshmallows. That was always a real treat after being out in the cold. 

When it was time for bed, John and I would pretend to go to sleep; however, we kept our ears open for any sound of Santa in the den. I would also get up and look out my bedroom window to see if I could spot the sleigh and reindeer. After all, WSFA tv Santa tracker told us when he was getting close so we knew to keep a lookout. John slept in my room on Christmas Eve so we would be sure to wake up at the same time and run to see what surprises were left for us. We tried to stay up, but quickly fell asleep. This was a very special year as John and I both got bicycles! We could NOT believe our eyes. We never expected such big gifts, although, that is what we had asked for. We also got candy, fruit, and a board game each. John got an set of cowboys and indians with accessories. And, I got a some awesome paper dolls with paper clothes and accessories. It was a huge Christmas for us! We only had a few minutes to play with our toys before eating breakfast, getting dressed, and heading off to our grandparent's house. 

Oh yeah.....back to where I started. Last night while we enjoyed our cookies and hot chocolate, daddy read to us.....


'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there. 

The children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads. And Mama in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap, had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap. 

When out on the roof there arose such a clatter, I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, tore open the shutter, and threw up the sash. 

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow gave the lustre of midday to objects below, when, what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer. 

With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. More rapid than eagles, his coursers they came, and he whistled and shouted and called them by name: 

"Now Dasher! Now Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen! On, Comet! On, Cupid! On, Donner and Blitzen! To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall! Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!" 

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, when they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky so up to the house-top the coursers they flew, with the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too. 

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof the prancing and pawing of each little hoof. As I drew in my head and was turning around, down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound. 

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, and his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot. A bundle of toys he had flung on his back, and he looked like a peddler just opening his pack. 

 His eyes--how they twinkled! His dimples, how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, and the beard on his chin was as white as the snow. The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, and the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath. He had a broad face and a little round belly, that shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly. 

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, and I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself. A wink of his eye and a twist of his head soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread. 

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, and filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk. And laying his finger aside of his nose, and giving a nod, up the chimney he rose. 

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle. But I heard him exclaim, 'ere he drove out of sight, 

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"

Now traveling through time, 55 years later...I sit here wondering what Santa will bring my 3 grandchildren....John, Jack, and Norah Jane. Christmas is such an exciting time! A time for love, family, and sharing. Thank you Jesus!

Merry Christmas y'all!