Introduction
Yesterday at 5:14 PM, a rainy late afternoon, I started to write the following:
Well, good evenin’, y'all! Three weeks have passed since my first and second articles on 11/22/2020. My goal is to publish an article weekly. “Life, such as it is,” however, does happen. Depending on the rain, I may write and publish more tomorrow. Otherwise, House Mountain will call me for my 175th hike tomorrow afternoon!
On 12/10/2020, a friend posted on social media a Christmas photograph from 1970. As a child, she was sitting on Santa’s lap in a department store photograph. The post was about her childhood memories at Christmastime. Those times were happier and simpler. The photograph and her comments inspired me to write. I have been writing in my mind off and on since that day. I now take pen in hand to bring my mental thoughts to paper.
My friend stated in the caption to her photograph that it was a different time, certainly. My initial comment was, “Heritage reminds us of pleasant days in hope of a better-than-now future. I may write on this topic by your inspiration.” We continued to share pleasant comments on the topic. The following is a continuation of her inspiration for my writing.
Today, at 2:42 PM, I am continuing to write. (Last evening’s supper followed by Molly, our “old puppy,” being inside with us postponed this article.) The weather turned from cloudy to sunny early enough today for my 175th hike on House Mountain. It would have been a muddy hike. So, I decided to catch up on writing. I expect to get in my 175th hike later this month. I have at least two more articles in mind, but not on paper yet.
Side Point of Humor
As a humorous side point, I searched online for a “1970 department store photograph of a 10-year-old boy on Santa's lap.” I was ten years old at Christmas in 1970. The search result didn't show any particularly interesting photographs. It did, however, present the one below!
That's an “outstanding” search result! I see a cow “out standing” in her field. It certainly looks like a “1970 department store photograph of a 10-year-old boy on Santa's lap.” I thought that y’all would enjoy my satiric and punny humor!
Christmas Heritage
My friend, however, shared vivid words that matched her photograph. She was reminiscing about her childhood Christmas in 1970. At Christmas, we remember Christmas times from years or decades ago if we are old enough.
I remember Christmas in 1970 fairly well. Three of us boys were born. I was ten. My next-to-eldest brother was seven. Our youngest brother at the time was one year old. Our youngest brother would be born about three years later. Our mother (11/24/1932–12/27/2000) and father (9/17/1927–1/25/2008) were younger.
Papaw Ferrell (born on 4/13/1880) had passed away about a month before, on 11/21/1970, at age 90. Granny Ferrell (born 11/30/1892) was still alive. She passed away on 6/11/1971. So, 1970 was her last Christmas. Dad had taken my next-to-eldest brother and me to visit Granny Ferrell on Christmas Eve in 1970. She was living alone in the furnished basement apartment at the home of one of my father's sisters and family. Granny Ferrell always had fresh homemade cake for us! I hugged her neck, as always.
We lived at the old Livesay place in east Hawkins County. We would have three more Christmases there. We moved into our new home, also in Hawkins County, in the summer of 1974.
About two weeks before Christmas, I had hiked about on the Livesay farm and ridge lands to find a good Christmas tree to bring home for decoration. We still have some of the original decorations that our mother kept through the years.
Granny Wood (6/16/1901–8/12/1991) and Papaw Wood (9/4/1901–3/14/1983) had driven up from their home in Bean Station on Christmas Eve to spend the night and be with us on Christmas Day, as they always did then.
On Christmas Eve, Papaw and I, along with everyone, enjoyed the eggnog. Further, we enjoyed listening to his stories about family life in the past. Granny was always bright-eyed with joy. She helped our mother with all the Christmas fixins. We enjoyed the simple time of family and heritage. We three boys went to bed early, of course. Papaw Wood once said, perhaps on that Christmas Eve, that we might hear sleigh bells if we didn’t get to sleep early enough.
On Christmas Day, possibly that year, I could have sworn, and told Papaw Wood, that I knew that I heard sleigh bells the night before! I still think that I did!
I don’t remember the gifts that my brothers and I received from Santa and family. I do remember the Christmas joy of getting up early, smelling the breakfast aroma from the kitchen, and seeing what Santa had brought! After the gift opening and sharing wonder, we enjoyed family conversation and the busy dinner (12 PM) preparations. I always “snuck” some turkey!
Depending on the weather, my next-to-eldest brother and I may have spent time outside with our dogs (Bandit and Blacky, at the time). Our dogs enjoyed the leftovers, the few that Mom saved for them.
Granny and Papaw always left about mid-afternoon, “before the sun started going down too much,” as Papaw would say. He didn’t like to drive into the setting sun, as most of us don’t.
Conclusion
Christmastime comes and goes, often with good memories and sometimes with bad ones. Bad memories were in 1982, 1999, 2000, 2002, and 2007. The heritage continues, or at least it should.
On Christmas Eve 2019, before “Corona Myopia Psychosis” and “Vote Early and Often” drove this once great nation to its knees, Mrs. Appalachian Irishman and I enjoyed a warm (not due to man-made global climate change) Christmas Eve at my youngest brother’s home in Hawkins County.
My youngest brother, his wife, their two daughters, Mrs. Appalachian Irishman, and I had a fine Christmas Eve dinner (12 PM). Afterward, we enjoyed the warm weather at a nearby park. My youngest brother and family were behind the shelter. In the above photograph, my youngest brother is visible. My wife photographed me. I was “hiking on the monkey bars!”
Despite “these challenging times” and the so-called “new normal,” my friend, who inspired this article by her 12/10/2020 social media photograph and comments, and I, along with many others in the “we won't be silent much longer” majority, continue to stand for Appalachian family heritage! We will not back down! Will you join us, if you haven’t done so already? Please stand!
Don’t try to drive into the setting sun, y’all!
Okay, at 5:45 PM, I’ll stop before 6 PM supper. I plan another couple of articles in a few days. Please wait for them! You are welcome to sign up to receive emails once I publish an article if you wish.
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