I REMEMBER A CHRISTMAS A LONG TIME AGO, WHEN MY FOLKS HAD JUST BUILT A NEW HOUSE ON 2ND ST. SW JUST NORTH OF OUR OLD HOUSE.

THE ENTIRE HOUSE WASN’T FINISHED, SO WE LIVED IN THE DOWNSTAIRS.

IT WAS GETTING CLOSE TO CHRISTMAS AND WE HAD NO DECORATIONS, AND SINCE I WAS WARCHING MY BROTHERS AJ & RANDY, IT LOOKED AS IF IT WOULD BE A PRETTY BLEAK HOLIDAY.

THE NEXT DAY, MY FOLKS WERE CHRISTMAS SHOPPING, SO I WAS IN CHARGE AND KNEW, I JUST HAD TO DO SOMETHING TO BRIGHTEN UP THE HOLIDAYS.

WE WENT TO MY GRANDMA MENKVELDs AND SCROUNGED UP ALL OF HER POP BOTTLES, TOOK THEM IN OUR WAGON TO HARRY’S DAIRY TO CASH THEM IN, THOSE ALONG WITH THE LITTLE CHANGE I HAD ALLOWED US TO PURCHASE A RUNT TREE, PERFECT  SIZE TO SET ON AN END TABLE IN THE BASEMENT WHERE THERE WAS A WINDOW.

WE HAD SOME POPCORN AND COLORED PAPER, SO WE MADE POPCORN STRANDS AND COLORED PAPER DECORATIONS, HUNG THEM ON THE TREE AND FELT PRETTY GOOD ABOUT OURSELVES FOR PUTTING A LITTLE CHRISTMAS CHEER INTO OUR HOME.

THE FOLLOWING MORNING WHEN WE WENT OUT TO VIEW OUR HANDY WORK, OUR CHRISTMAS TREE WAS NO MORE, JUST A STICK WITH A COUPLE OF BRANCHES ON IT, AS WE’D PLACED THE  TREE RIGHT BELOW THE HEAT VENT CAUSING ALL BUT A FEW OF THE NEEDLES TO FALL OFF.

I WAS HEART BROKEN AND NEEDED ANOTHER IDEA  TO SPICE UP OUR CHRISTMAS.

ON CHRISTMAS EVE AFTER i FIGURED MY BROTHERS WERE IN BED, I PUT ON MY COAT, GRABBED OUR BEAT UP SLED AND SLID OUTSIDE, WALKING ON MY HEELS AS I DRUG THE SLED BEHIND ME, HOPING MY BROTHERS WOULD THINK THAT SANTA HAD LANDED IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE SINCE OUR CHIMNEY WAS TOO SMALL FOR HIM TO GET DOWN.

WHEN THEY WOKE UP, I ANXIOUSLY POINTED OUT THE WINDOW AT THE SLEIGH TRAIL AND MY MAKE BELIEVE HOOFS.

THEY DIDN’T SEEM TO EXCITED ABOUT IT, BUT I WAS PRETTY PROUD OF MYSELF.

CHRISTMAS IS A TIME FOR GIVING, SHARING AND EXPRESSING LOVE!

MAY WE HAVE PEACE  ON EARTH AND GOOD WILL TOWARDS MEN!

HOPEFULLY YOUR CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR WILL BE A WONDERFUL ONE, MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAVE A HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR!