Christmas Joys

Today we were going to celebrate Christmas, I remembered as I laid in bed. I knew that it wouldn’t be like last year without my oldest brother. War was announced and he joined the army in patriotism. WWII was beginning. I remembered the day he left, he called back “Good-bye sugar-plum!”  I quickly got dressed as if to forget that, and walked downstairs. Mama had lit all the candles and set them around so that they cast eerie shadows on the wall. I knew that the festivities had started because Mama had started singing in the kitchen. Our stairs came down to the dining room and right across the dining room was the door that went into the kitchen. So I couldn’t see Mama but I knew that she was happy because her sisters were coming to celebrate Christmas with us. It was the tradition to go over the story of the birth of Christ so mama had her bible at the table. I started to the kitchen door when I heard boots clamping outside and papa burst in the door with snow clinging to his jacket. The boys were trying to get their jackets off but were having a very hard time.  “Can you help me, Arana?” asked Sandy. “Sure,” I said. After everybody got their things off and got settled down Sam asked mama when company would get here. “Oh, I suppose around lunch time.” she said. She was looking out the window and she had a lonely look in her eyes. I thought Christmas was a time of joy but sometimes for Mama it wasn’t quite that way. She always had this kind of melancholy sadness above her. I wasn’t all together sure why but she told me it was also a time of memories both good and sad. Then mama stood up as if she had just come out of a dream of some sort. “Well, there’s no reason to be so still. Let’s get the table set for breakfast!” Mama said. I knew something was wrong because mama didn’t seem truly happy. I wanted to ask papa what was wrong but I didn’t have a chance since Sam tugged on me and said, “Arana, we’re going to get the tree today!” “Oh, really!” I tried to sound excited but I wasn’t really listening. Then we sat down at the table and started eating. It seemed so quiet. If my brother was there he would have been laughing and joking around, but none of us felt like doing that. After breakfast I helped Mama do the dishes and she didn’t seem as sad as she was in the dining room but she still had a lonely look in her eyes that told me that she was missing someone or something. She told who was coming but she said that my brother would not be able to leave for Christmas. Maybe that was what she was sad about. I don’t know, but it was Christmas and we needed to be happy so I started to hum Joy to the World. Mama didn’t join in like I thought she would so when we were done I left the kitchen to find Papa and the boys. They were sitting by the fire-place wondering what Santa would bring them. I sat down on the sofa next to Sam and tousled his hair. He was unlike Sandy in that he had brown hair instead of a light color. Sam’s was shorter than Sandy’s and was usually brushed better then Sandy’s was because he was only 4.  

At around one o’clock  the company started to come and I felt so happy that we could all be together like old times…. Except my brother. Mama started to cry and Sam asked me why mothers always cried.  I told him that it was because they had more emotions than we did. Mama had put on a record of Christmas songs and it felt like the perfect Christmas and then I remembered about my brother. Here we are in this warm house with our relatives but what was he doing? Where was he? And why couldn’t he be here? It seemed mean that the army commanders should keep him from coming home for Christmas. After all Christmas was to share the story of Christ. How would they show that in their camp? He belonged here. Then Mama called to me to get the hymn books so that we could sing while Auntie played our piano. We all gathered in the family room and began to sing. Auntie could play beautifully and I treasured each moment she played. Then I heard something in the distance. It sounded like someone crunching snow outside the door. Nobody noticed that I had left the room so I walked to the door and opened it. I heard a muffled voice but I couldn’t detect what it said. Then into the light walked a full grown boy with some packages in his hand and a cap on his head. “Hey! It’s good to see you little sugar – plum!” He said. I couldn’t believe it! That was my brother! “Oh! You did come for Christmas.” I reached out my arms and felt his strong arms around me. That was the best Christmas ever. I remember going to sleep thinking of him.   Joseph.  

Unfortunately he couldn’t stay longer than two days but I will always remember the way he looked when he left. His face was radiant as he hugged me and gave me a kiss.  “I will come back!” he shouted as he left. Would he? As we turned back to the house Mama put her arm around me and Sam. She knew how much we would miss him. I wished there was a way that I could comfort her. She looked to sad yet she always was so held back. She never said anything to us about her sadness. In one way I thought it was her fault that she felt so sad. If she just told us her trouble we would help her. I hoped that papa would comfort her tonight and help her. I knew though that he would take care of her. Anyway we had a good time with him and I had this feeling that we would see him again. I knew he belonged here with us. As I laid in bed that night I turned the necklace over my hands. The one that he made for me.  Just for me.

                                                                                   

                                                                                                                       The End