The other night my pseudo-book club was just discussing memory, embellishment, fabrication; how when we're reading a memoir we want to know it's all REAL, or at least, that the author tried their best. I love that in your memory, every Christmas in Wilmington was white.
My friend asked me what my family ate on Christmas Eve and all I could remember was the crystal candy bowl with the lid that Aunt Pat would have out at Christmas. I can't even remember what kind of candy! Only the sound of the lid being gently replaced...
So many shared memories! --even though your childhood memories are from Delaware and mine from Wisconsin. Definitely had many more for-real White Christmases in Milwaukee than you had in Wilmington. Of that we can be sure!
And I do love the Christmas Eve tradition of listening to our somehow-well-preserved LP of Dylan Thomas's reading of "A Child's Christmas in Wales."
So wonderful, Stew, and I love the old photos. I've run through the exercise of querying my brothers about one memory or another. The finer details rarely align perfectly, but since I have taken up the mantle of the family story keeper, now that mom is gone, I get to tell it like I think I saw it. :)
Like you, I remember very little about my little girl Christmases. Santa existed, certainly, but was downplayed; we never left a note or treats. My earliest holidays were very likely white, as they were in Kansas. I still treasure my oldest ornaments, especially a box of Shiny Brite pinecones, many of which are missing their little metal hooks, so they get placed on tabletops rather than hung on the tree.
I started listening to the audio recording of Thomas but stopped partway along so I could play it for Jim, too. Thank you!
The other night my pseudo-book club was just discussing memory, embellishment, fabrication; how when we're reading a memoir we want to know it's all REAL, or at least, that the author tried their best. I love that in your memory, every Christmas in Wilmington was white.
My friend asked me what my family ate on Christmas Eve and all I could remember was the crystal candy bowl with the lid that Aunt Pat would have out at Christmas. I can't even remember what kind of candy! Only the sound of the lid being gently replaced...
So many shared memories! --even though your childhood memories are from Delaware and mine from Wisconsin. Definitely had many more for-real White Christmases in Milwaukee than you had in Wilmington. Of that we can be sure!
And I do love the Christmas Eve tradition of listening to our somehow-well-preserved LP of Dylan Thomas's reading of "A Child's Christmas in Wales."
So wonderful, Stew, and I love the old photos. I've run through the exercise of querying my brothers about one memory or another. The finer details rarely align perfectly, but since I have taken up the mantle of the family story keeper, now that mom is gone, I get to tell it like I think I saw it. :)
Like you, I remember very little about my little girl Christmases. Santa existed, certainly, but was downplayed; we never left a note or treats. My earliest holidays were very likely white, as they were in Kansas. I still treasure my oldest ornaments, especially a box of Shiny Brite pinecones, many of which are missing their little metal hooks, so they get placed on tabletops rather than hung on the tree.
I started listening to the audio recording of Thomas but stopped partway along so I could play it for Jim, too. Thank you!