Haunted by past Christmases.

Yesterday I was running errands and didn't get finished until after dark. On my way home I had to pass through the small village where my mother grew up. I have a lot of good Christmas memories regarding that place, my maternal grandparents lived in the same house until the day they died. As is often the case, we were very close to our mother's parents, every Sunday was spent visiting and of course Christmas day was spent there eating, opening gifts and running around with the cousins. Across the street was an outdoor skating rink, where we would play all evening with other kids from the area, it was like a scene from an old movie that was about Christmas. Every house would be decorated for Christmas, not over the top like some houses can be nowadays but there would be a large tree in every living room shining out and there would also be outdoor trees all in lights as well. ............................................. I was thinking about past Christmases spent in this little village as I was approaching the entry point. I was greatly saddened by what I saw next. The town was in almost complete darkness. No lights, no decorations and no sight of any Christmas trees. I was looking at the houses as I past through and in my mind realized that most of the people there are in their seventies or older, too feeble to be hoisting up lights, some of the other houses were bought by single men who travel to the city for work, not likely they have time or the desire to put up decorations. Also a lot of the houses are empty, the owners long gone now, leaving the properties to middle aged children who only use the houses in summer. Then came the most disappointing, my grandparents house, in total darkness, it has been that way for over two years now. The house has changed ownership many times since they died, seems no one is interested in living there. I couldn't help thinking, this must be the town that Christmas forgot. Sad the way things can change so much and not always for better.