Sunday, December 17, 2017

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.

8 comments:

Ur-spo said...

That is sad.
Christmas is purposely put right at the darkest time of the year, to light lights to welcome back the light when things seem darkest.
I suggest you light a candle this evening and watch the glow, and think on gratitude

John Going Gently said...

Painful and honest x

Old Lurker said...

Clearly you have not watched enough Pixar/Disney movies and/or Xmas specials. This is the point when the vanquishing hero returns home to discover everything in disarray. Closeup of Brave Steven's face falling as he realizes that his little town really needed him after all. Cut to montage of Brave Steven, clad in an apron and high heels, baking Christmas cookies, shoveling snow, wrapping presents, stringing up lights all over the neighbourhood, using his fine axe skills to chop down spruces from the forest. Little by little, the other villagers start smiling and helping, and soon Brave Steven has rejuvenated his community, reminding us all of the real meaning of Christmas (namely, consumerism).

Mistress Maddie said...

Well around here, many decorate and it is just enough. But I can't believe how many people don't decorate any more. Society has gotten so fast paced, people don't have the time or I hear their to tired to decorate.

Christmas is such a beautiful, shimmering holiday.....I miss it when it's over. I was in New York over the weekend....it was decked out.

Sooo-this-is-me said...

I had stopped putting up lights, but a different type of darkness crept in, so now I light up the night, doing my part. I have even been told how reassuring it is to see my lights by neighbours passing by.

Sooo-this-is-me said...

John, painful is a good way to describe how I felt passing through the village.

Sooo-this-is-me said...

Mr Lurker, you're a brat with horns! Lol, no high heels here, rubber boots more likely. I already try to help out my community but that is a different village from the one I was raised in. It's up to those people to regenerate the town. You obviously watch my beloved movies as well, I think you need six hours of South Park cartoons to cure you. That's the other thing that is missing, back then we received only two or three gifts and they weren't $300 video games, it was about family and it was very much about spirituality. Now however.....

Sooo-this-is-me said...

Mistress Steven, you're back! Hope you had fun. I totally agree with you. I have to confess that I never decorated when I lived in the city, I lived alone and didn't see the point, I would however come home on weekends to help my mom decorate.