| I remember one special Christmas morning, when dad | | | | wonder why the terminology changed; must have |
| and mother yawningly turned the Christmas tree | | | | been Yankee influence. |
| lights on in the corner of the living room, illuminating all | | | | Even though Thanksgiving's feast had only been a |
| the wonders that Santa had brought the night | | | | month before, Christmas dinner always was a little |
| before. This was before television and computers | | | | more spectacular, if only in the sweets department. |
| and well before video games. | | | | There were no counting calories when I was a kid, |
| As though it was yesterday, just as the morning light | | | | especially on Christmas day. In addition to my |
| was seeping through the windows, I saw a red | | | | mother's contribution of sweets, my Aunts always |
| cowboy hat and a Roy Roger's gun and holster set | | | | came over and brought with them ridiculous amounts |
| under the tree. On the other side of the tree there | | | | of sugary delights, all of which would be eaten. |
| was a tan cowboy hat and pistol set. This one was | | | | By dinner time the house was full of the fragrances |
| for my younger brother. | | | | of ham, turkey, sweet potatoes and every kind of |
| As I recall, that was the extent of my Christmas | | | | side dish you can imagine. Thanksgiving dinner had |
| gifts. By today's standards it was sort of skimpy, but | | | | been just a warm up for the main event. Christmas |
| our family couldn't have enjoyed the day more. In | | | | was the when relatives you hadn't seen since Aunt |
| addition to our genuine cowboy outfits, Santa Claus | | | | Bertha's funeral showed up for dinner. That year was |
| brought mom a new hand bag while dad got another | | | | no exception! |
| tie. It was a wonderful Christmas morning! | | | | Mom always made the coconut cake and fruitcake. It |
| The day however, was just beginning. After my | | | | was her specialty and no one would even try to |
| brother and I had chased off any outlaw or | | | | match her on either one of those. I'm not sure of |
| renegades that might have sneaked into our house | | | | the recipe, but she made her cake with real |
| during the night, we greedily ate some of the apples, | | | | coconuts. I recall her cracking the hard shell with a |
| oranges and nuts that Santa had scattered under the | | | | hammer, draining the milk into a glass and then prying |
| tree. Back then these fruits were a delicacy we only | | | | out the coconut, which she shredded. No packaged |
| enjoyed on Christmas morning and rarely were there | | | | pre-shredded coconut for her! An hour before the |
| any left for the next day. | | | | table was set, Aunt Vida arrived with two of her |
| Bob Alexander is well experienced in outdoor cooking, | | | | chocolate pies and enough fudge to feed Rhode |
| fishing and leisure living. Bob is also the author and | | | | Island. Aunt Helen balanced a real German Chocolate |
| owner of this article. Visit his sites at: It may seem as | | | | cake in one hand and a gallon of boiled custard in the |
| if I'm painting a picture of a poverty stricken | | | | other. These were in the center ring of our |
| household, but on the contrary, we were somewhat | | | | Christmas dinner circus. |
| more affluent than most of our neighbors. It was | | | | While other folks brought food items, none were in |
| just a simpler and more innocent time with each gift | | | | the same class as my mother's Coconut cake and |
| important to us. Receiving only a few items at | | | | my two aunts' chocolate pie and German chocolate |
| Christmas seemed to give make those gifts more | | | | cake. Sometimes there was a little controversy as to |
| precious, if you can call a Roy Rogers genuine cap | | | | whose boiled custard was the best. No one ever |
| gun and holster set precious. | | | | really won that argument! |
| When things began to settle down a little and the | | | | While none of us can turn back the clock, this is a |
| wrapping paper was packed up and stowed in trash | | | | time for remembering special moments of the past. |
| cans, the ribbons carefully save in a box for next | | | | Maybe this year's Christmas will be a great memory |
| year, mom began Christmas dinner. In the south back | | | | for one of our kids. It's nice to think so. |
| then, lunch was dinner and dinner was supper. I still | | | | |