A Christmas Story

Pictures would be a luxury; however, for a family that lives and dies on photo albums and photo sharing, I seem to have none to show for my memories. All I can do is paint a picture for you to see what I see in my mind.



My memories are definitely special; however they are just random, short snippets of heart warming childish cheer. There is nothing too specific to mention, just an all over memory of the way Christmas used to be when I was growing up. So I will write you a story of my Christmas. It will not be non-fictional, but it will all be based on a true story.



It was not yet Christmas in the Halifax home, but the season was upon us. The children were getting anxious and loud as the time came closer. The day had come for the Halifaxs’ to get their tree.



Fresh after watching "The Griswalds Christmas Vacation," the kids piled into there Chevy Chevette, one on top of the other, and started on their way to a mystical land where Christmas trees grew in abundance. These trees were not "ever greens." That word was not in their dictionary. No matter the time of year, if it was a pine tree, it was a Christmas tree. The roads were deep in snow and it was amazing that the small brown car could even make it through. It was most likely the weight of the seven people crammed into a 4 1/2-seat car that really held it to the road.



The windows of the car were frosted and cold, but the kids had no hesitation in pressing there small hands against the glass and drawing shapes of there perfect Christmas trees and stars. Mommy Halifax yelled at her children to stop drawing on the windows, so they would stop until she looked away, and than they would continue on with there works of art.

"There it is!" Exclaimed the children as they pulled into the tree farm. As they piled out one by one, the air bit at their little noses. Daddy Halifax pulled his saw from the trunk of the car and led the way into the maze of trees. Never would they buy a pre-cut tree. The thrill was in cutting it down them selves. Youngest Girl Halifax wished that one day they would cut down their Christmas tree and little chipmunks would jump out of it as in the Micky Mouse Christmas Storys. The kids ran about yelling to their parents, "Look at this one!" "This one is perfect, Pa!" "Ma, can we get this one!" After much debating and wandering around, they would come upon the perfect tree. The Heavans would open and a light would shine down upone this creation of god that stood infront of them. This tree was not too tall but definitely fat and full. The aroma of pine would be just enough to fill there nostrils full of dancing pine needle dwarfs, and in the future this same smell would give them nostalgia.



The children's hearts would beat faster and the corner of there cold blue lips would turn up as their dad would lie on the ground and begin to saw. The smell of the pine was ever so sweet and the sound of the trunk being sliced was like music to their ears. "Stand Back," Dad would say, and the tree would fall. It was theirs! Dad would grasp one end of the tree and one of the children would grab the other as they walked it up to the front of the farm to strap it down to the roof of the car with twine from their farm. With the windows in the car open, they family began to drive home with their hands out holding the tree from sliding back and falling from the car. They had their tree.. now, Christmas had truly began... It was the night before the night before the night before the night before the night before the night before........ ..... ............. Christmas.



The tree would sit lonely outside for a couple of days before they brought it in to decorate it. They had no theme to their tree, just lots of big fat blinking lights and random bulbs and figurines. The top of the tree held a star and the fat belly was glittered in tinsel. The floor beneath was covered in pine needles that about gave Mommy Halifax an anxiety attach. It was the most beautiful of all sights for those 5 young children.



At night, the tree would be the centerpiece of the room. On the base of the fireplace sat Mr. and Mrs. Clause, and the stockings finally had a place to hang off the mantle that Daddy Halifax had just built. In the dining room window were large, colorful Christmas lights the defined beauty and imprinted a permanent memory into Youngest Halifax Girls mind. Outside the home was decorated as well. Two large plastic candles stood out in the cold snowy winter wonderland. It was the night before the night before the night before..... .... ........ Christmas.



Christmas was fast approaching and Mommy Halifax was filling their home with the pleasant aroma of sweet smelling baked goods. Christmas cookies that had been rolled and cut by the children sat on the table as the kids grabbed and smothered them in colorful gooey frosting and sprinkles. The older Halifax boys would take their time to make their cookies look like they should be hung in a fancy Art museum, where the younger children quickly rushed through to get them all decorated so they could eat them. After the sugar cookies, they family would build a gingerbread house with hard frostings and gum drops. It looked delicious, but no one ever ate it. After coloring their cookies, some of the kids would sit at the table and write letters to Santa to place on the fireplace near their stockings. They needed to be sure that Santa new what they wanted for Christmas.



The yard outside begged to be played in. The kids bundled up in their snowsuits and makeshift bread bag boots to go make snow forts and have snowball wars. The youngest Halifax girl would always loose and usually get hurt by her big brothers, but it was still fun. The younger Halifax children would make play "food" with the sheets of ice they pulled from the deck and make snow angles in the yard. When the evening approached and the sky darkened, Daddy Halifax came calling for his children to grab their ice skates and follow him. In the back yard the family would skate on their small frozen swamp.



Daddy Halifax would drill a whole through the ice so to hang a lantern for them to see. Each year, Daddy Halifax would have to teach Little Girl Halifax how to skate again, as each year she would forget and get scared of falling. The older boys would zip around the small skating pond on their hockey skates and Daddy Halifax and Little boy Halifax would show off by skating backwards. When the small pond seemed too small, they would tread through the snow to the larger lake next door to have more room to zip around. After coming in and kicking off their wet snow covered clothes, the kids would gather in the living room with their mom and dad to watch "The Christmas Story," and "Charlie Brown's Christmas.” Hot coco with giant marshmallows warmed their hands and bellies until bed. It was the night before the night before the night before..... .... ... ... .. Christmas.



It was time for presents! The kids had been out shopping all day finding Christmas presents for each others "secret Santa" and for Mommy Halifax. Daddy Halifax always bought Mommy Halifax such big expensive gifts. This year’s gift was a FREEZER! With as much as Mommy Halifax loved to cook things, a freezer seemed perfect! This year Little Girl Halifax had pulled Middle Child Halifax's name as her secret person to shop for. She did not know what to buy him, but her parents helped her pick out the best gift, a GI Joe. She was sure that he would like some firecrackers to go along with the toy, but that would have to wait until the summer. When they all got home, the kids helped Daddy Halifax wrap Mommy Halifax's gifts. He showed them just how to wrap a present so that it looked perfect. They all took their times making sure to make Mommy Halifax's presents look beautiful. After wrapping presents, it was time for The Christmas Claymation Special on tv. "Here we come a waffle-ing, a waffle-ing we come!" The kids clinked around the house after the movie, skipping and smashing fake coconuts together while singing ridiculous songs. Daddy turned on his record player and began blasting "The Chipmunks Christmas" album, among others. This made the kids happier than ever to watch their mom and dad act like little children, singing and dancing together. It was the night before the night before..... Christmas!

There was no calming them now, as Christmas was right around the corner. The family got all dressed up and drove over to Grandma and Grandpa Kintgens house for a Christmas eve party. They were excited because they knew Santa came there every year just to see them and give them gifts. There were many people there. Aunts, uncles, cousins... There was food, laughter, and joy.

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As the night drew on the kids began asking for Santa... and out of nowhere, there he was! Children took their turn sitting on Santa's lap and receiving a present. Little girl Halifax got a Barbie! She loved babies. On their way home, the kids watched the night sky as they knew that it was late and they could always see Santa coming. "There is Rudolph!" Exclaimed the kids!



Just as they were pulling onto their road to home, up in the sky was a red blinking light. It was always at this point every year that they could see that reindeers nose up in the ski. "That means you have to hurry up and get in bed when we get home or he wont stop and give you presents!" said the parents. The kids were nervous and wanted Daddy Halifax to hurry home so they could get to bed. They pulled into drive, ran up the stairs, and laid there too excited to sleep.

1:00am
It was quiet in the house, and the kids laid there unsure whether to get up yet. "Maybe I will lie here just a little longer," they would think to themselves.

1:15am
The night was still quiet, only now you could hear rustling from the bedrooms. The kids new that the others must be awake by now, it had felt like they were waiting forever now.

1:30am
Quietly and slowly, a child would crawl out of their bed and tip toe down the hallway to the other children. Into their bedrooms they would go, shaking the other kids saying "WAKE UP! ITS CHRISTMAS!!!" in a soft tone. The kids all made their way down stairs and stood in silence at the sight of this magical wondrous tree before them. Under, around, and half way up the tree sat what looked to be hundreds and thousands of gifts, glittering and glistening under the twinkling lights. Smiles were not shy and hands could not resist. Each child carefully pawed through the gifts, searching for nametags and than placing the gifts back just as they had found them. They would count and point, "Look! This one is yours!" “ I can't find any of mine!" “ Wow, there are so many!" In their stockings they found oranges, apples, and lots of sticky candy that had glued itself to the inside fuzz of the hanging socks. They would grab a piece or two and pop them in their mouths while they waited and anticipated. Middle Child Halifax boy thought to himself, "I would love to put a pile of poop behind Youngest Halifax Girls back so when she laid back she would roll around in it," But, he was NICER than that and decided not to...



2:00am
It was early, but the kids could not stand to wait any longer. The youngest Halifax girl thought to herself, "Gosh, if I was older I would start coffee and sticky buns to wake my parents." But she was too young at this point to do so. So instead, the kids began to raise their voices just a little to try to raise their parents. This did not work. So it was on to harsher measures. They carried some fruit and headed up the stairs. Youngest Halifax girl took aim, and hurled a large Orange towards her parent’s bedroom door. "Crash!" it shook the hinges when it hit. The kids waited and listened. They heard nothing yet. Again, "Crash!" another orange hit the door. This time, they heard stirring!

3:00am
The Halifax household was a mess. There was wrapping paper everywhere and children sitting by piles of toys and trinkets across the room, laughing and smiling. Mommy and Daddy Halifax were helping the children open their boxes and put in batteries as they shared loving looks with one another. Youngest Halifax Girl wondered what a "thong" was, as that was what mommy had just said Daddy had given her. Daddy took many pictures.



6:00am
Daddy Halifax and Little Girl Halifax had just finished watching Beauty and the Beast, a movie she had gotten for Christmas, and Mommy Halifax was in the kitchen cooking.

7:00am
Middle Child Halifax was playing his new keyboard and Youngest Halifax girl was watching and admiring.

8:00am
Everyone was asleep

..........................posted by Amanda R.