christmas past 1947

 

when I was young

christmas was special

for a boy in a small home

that  could not afford

a big christmas

 

my brother and I walked

through the woods

looking for an evergreen

to cut for our tree

 

we finally found one

but it was spindly

few branches flowing from

its skinny trunk

 

we cut it and dragged

it home through the woods

as snow started to fall

 

we used an old bucket of dirt

to make a stand to hold it upright

 

mama popped corn

and we made strings

of it into pretty roping

 

we wrapped it round and round

the tree from top to bottom

 

mama went to the attic to get

the old glass Christmas ornaments

that were so magical to me

 

then the homemade tin foil star

was added to the tip of the tree

to top things off

 

mama made home made cookies

fudge

white divinity candy

and hot chocolate

 

but the wonderful surprise was

when she brought out the

store bought ribbon candy

of beautiful colors

 

she had been saving to

buy the special treat

it was so pretty that

I hesitated to eat it

 

she and daddy also

bought nuts in the shell

and a few apples and oranges

 

these we shared on christmas eve

 

was santa going to come during

the night to bring more presents

 

I did not know

I was happy

with what we already had

 

he should save the presents

for poorer kids who do not get

ribbon candy or apples and oranges

 

or a skinny tree with roping and

beautiful glass ornaments

 

 

Merry Christmas

2020