Every time someone entered my grandmother's house, her old Gordon Setter would bark three or four times and then lie down. If you were to step outside and then re-enter, he would bark again. His name was Choo Choo.
Choo Choo had a busy time the Christmas of 1955. My Grandmother's house was this huge old victorian with a large porch in front with four wooden stairs leading up. On Christmas eve, you could hear people walking up the snowy walkway, the snow squeaking underfoot, stomping their feet on the porch, opening the door (with Choo Choo barking saying MERRY CHRIIIIIIISTMAS!. My father had five brothers who all had families - every came to Gram and Trapper's (my grandfather's nickname) house on Christmas Eve. In the large living room we always had a big tree, however there were so many ornaments on it, you could hardly see the green. Painted milk stoppers, glued together popcycle sticks, tinsel, colored light, angels, stars, painted paper plates...all the creations over the years of the 22 grandchildren. The six Ayres boys and their wives were fun loving hardworking people. They would all have plenty to eat and drink and the kids would get to open one present. The fireplace had all the stockings and the younger cousins would leave out cookies and milk for Santa.
This year, one of the "big presents" was a replica of a hockey game with 5 players and a goalie. The players spun and whacked a marble which you tried to ram past the goalie. The two teams were the Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs. To me, the game was pure magic. A lot of the grandchildren took a turn, but the raucousness soon began when my Dad and his five brothers began to take turns. The were big guys so the scene around this miniature rink of 3 feet was hilarious. They would cheer, accuse eachother of cheating, yell, do a play by play commentary with all the players names.....seeing the grown-up having this much fun was great.
After a chaotic dinner, my grandmother would pass out the old dogged eared carol books and we would sing....and sing loud. "Oh come let us adore Him, oh come let us adore him" and so it went with 30 - 40 people including guests...my grandmother always invited people who didn't have family around at Christmas.
The house smelled of wood smoke,pipe smoke, food,cookies, balsam and pine. There was always someone giving you a hug, asking you questions about how you were doing. Some of my uncles and aunts had travelled a distance to Grams house, so between her house, our house and one other uncle's house, everyone would fit. I always never wanted to see it end it was so much fun.
If it was a clear night, my uncle Bill, an astronomer, would take all the kids out front of the house and point to the stars that Santa used to guide his sleigh. I can remember up at the winter sky and feeling that the stars were different on Christmas Eve.
I was allowed to stay up late because I was in on the Big Secret that the little kids didn't know about.....even though deep down, I still sorta hoped there was some kind of Santa Claus.
I remember those nights like it happened yesterday, I can hear my Dad and Mom singing (her voice was beautiful, his was notoriously loud and slightly off on the higher notes). My grandmother was completely serene and smiling throughout all the chaos and made each grandchild feel they were extra special (although I knew I was really her favorite)
The Ayres brothers are all gone now, but I can still hear them singing on Christmas 1955.
Altair19
p.s. I didn't this at all.... |
