Christmas Traditions by T.R. McClure

We're coming down to the wire. Christmas is less than two weeks away and I, like you, have a lot to get ready. So in the interest of saving time, I'm going to share a story I wrote my senior year in high school for the local paper.
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Every Christmas the tree stood in the back room of the old farmhouse, slightly removed from the threatening traffic of energetic and curious grandchildren perhaps, but still an ever-present reminder of the season.

As a child, I often marveled at the immensity of the tree. As seen from the perspective of a  six year old, my grandparents' tree had all the majesty of any carefully decorated tree on the White House lawn.

The task of finding that particular tree fell to whomever was struck by the sudden desire to search for that Tree of all Trees - or to whomever had the most children pleading with him to go traipsing through the woods in foot deep snow. In whatever way the search began, it did eventually begin.

One might be led to think that with an entire ridge full of beautiful pines, it wouldn't take long to find a suitable tree. Well, that's not quite right. As a matter of fact, that's dead wrong. Trees that were below six feet were passed by without a second glance. Trees were rejected for any number and variety of reasons. One was too thick, one wasn't thick enough, one was too fat, one was too skinny, one had a cluster of sticks and grass nestled close to the trunk. That tree was already taken.



But before the season was over we did finally decide on a tree. It may have been a bit sparse in some places, but in the eyes of the grandchildren who had been in on the big decision, it was beautiful. The tree was felled and dutifully dragged over the snow back to the farmhouse, leaving a feathery trail in its wake.

Boxes of Christmas ornaments that had been used for years were once more dragged down from the attic. Popcorn was popped and strung, a tradition reminiscent of days long past. Delicate glass Santa's that had witnessed the change from the old-fashioned past to the modern future took their places among the branches as did, of course, the star. The Nativity display at the foot of the tree had seen better days, but the faded and chipped figures continued to serve their purpose.

Tradition. Lovely, heartwarming, old-fashioned tradition. That's what my childhood Christmases were made of.

But in the face of time and progress, traditions change. The old farmhouse is closed up now for the holiday. Potential Christmas trees grow tall on the ridge, having lost out to the ease of picking out an already cut, well-trimmed pine. The family is separated into smaller groups now to have their own special kind of Christmas, to start their own traditions.

Yet the tradition of an old-fashioned Christmas is ingrained in each one of us no matter where or how we grew up. It's an integral part of all the Christmases we are involved in, because the recipe for Christmas is composed of the basic ingredients of the past, with the present thrown in for flavor and perhaps just a touch of the future for added spice.
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I ended my article there with no thought that someday I would be preparing for my own grandchild to come to our house. This year we welcome a three-month-old, first granddaughter, her parents and her aunt and uncle. I wrote that article as a grandchild and rewrote it as a grandmother!

Traditions.

Merry Christmas!
T.R. McClure www.trmcclure.com



Comments

  1. What a lovely story, T.R., and a clear sign of the professional writer you became. I especially loved the ending - perfect! Congratulations on your recent grandmother-hood and enjoy your extended family gathering.

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  2. Love how the circle was completed and the story continues. Have a lovely family get-together!

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  3. Thanks, Janice and M.K. Same to you as well.

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  4. What a touching post! And Christmas with grandbabies rocks! This year my only grandchild is two and a half so I'm hoping for lots of fun. Last year she was too young to understand what was happening. I'm giddy with excitement!
    I just love your story and how neat that you kept it from high school!

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    1. Actually my stepmother told me that at the time my father asked her to save that article. He passed on about 7 years later. She gave it to me at the book party for my first heartwarming book so the story has extra special meaning to me.

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  5. Your story has me remembering the days when in Oregon where I grew up, we always went on a tree excursion and hunted for that perfect tree. Ours were fir, and we loved the Douglas fir as they were so well shaped. I still love the old-fashioned ornaments. And I hate that allergies made me give up having a real tree, fir boughs, or real wreaths in the house quite some years ago. But the memories stay. Thanks for your peek back in time.

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  6. What a lovely story. I remember searching the farm down the road for Christmas trees, although we were always so late that there was never much choice. Good memories!

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  7. What a sweet and warm post! Enjoy that grandbaby...I have one due maybe Christmas Day. :-)

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    1. Wow! You'll have an exciting Christmas! Congratulations!

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  8. What a wonderful story and if the re-write was light, you were a great writer in high school.

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  9. I love the thought of you and the other children searching for the perfect tree. No wonder you loved it. Your granddaughter will love hearing that story as she grows up.

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  10. Oh, TR, I so remember looking for that perfect tree. Now my trees are easy to put up, scraggly artificial things, that you can barely see the tree for all the glass Christopher Radko ornaments I've been collecting for 30 years. Yes, you read that right. I bought his ornaments before he was famous. Anyway, I now put lights on a huge, huge spruce in my back yard and think to myself...maybe THAT should be my real Christmas tree...all covered in snow and treats for the birds... Great, great post! Merry Christmas!

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