Dinner was always spaghetti. As a child, I never questioned why we had spaghetti for Christmas Eve dinner - I guess I just assumed that everyone did. As I got older, I must have imagined the reality that we ate spaghetti because it was a long-standing family tradition that harkened back to the Depression meals of my mother's childhood. When I eventually asked her about it as an adult she seemed surprised and said, "No, Linda, we always had spaghetti because it was an easy meal to fix and clean up because you kids were always anxious to get to the presents!" Well, that's how traditions are born, though, because we still have spaghetti on Christmas Eve and my grown children are carrying that tradition into their own homes now.
After dinner was finished and the kitchen was hurriedly cleaned up by my mom and my aunts, it was time for the cousins to dive into the gifts sprawling out from beneath the white flocked tree.
Included in this group was my cousin, Joanie. She was two years older than me and we had a very complicated relationship. On one hand, when no one else was around, she was a lot of fun and gave me a lot of her nice hand-me-downs. I remember sitting in the bedroom she shared with her sister, my older cousin Karen, listening to records and playing board games and having a great time. On the other hand, if anyone else was around, she treated my sister and I as if we were little children to be scorned and ignored. I also felt like Joanie had a charmed life and got whatever she wanted at Christmas. The Christmas that I was eleven was the year we both asked for transistor radios. It was really the only thing I wanted that year and I was fairly confident that my parents would oblige - after all, transistor radios weren't too expensive or difficult to obtain.
One by one I opened my gifts, smiling gamely at the new sweaters, mittens, knee socks, and books. No transistor radio. Where could it be? Had I missed a package somewhere in the confusion of wrapping paper and bows flying everywhere? But no. No transistor radio. I tried very hard to mask my disappointment, but I'm sure my parents knew I was devastated. To an eleven year old, nice navy blue knee socks are all fine and good, but really... no comparison at all to a transistor radio!
Suddenly, I hear Joanie shrieking with joy! A new transistor radio! She is delirious with happiness! She makes her way across the room to show me as she inserts the 9 volt battery and turns it on. Just in time to hear the WLS Silver Dollar Survey! Having Joanie get a transistor is almost worse than the private disappointment I'd been experiencing a few minutes earlier, but I'm determined not to let her see how I feel.
Soon, my parents begin gathering up all of our gifts and my sister and I to head back home. The shock of cold air as we hurry to the car has me awake and alert, but within a few miles of my aunt and uncle's house a combination of the overheated car and the lateness of the hour lulls us to sleep in the back seat.
When we get home, I get my second wind. We quickly unpack the gifts and head to church for the 11:00 service. Our church seems so different at night, but is festive and beautiful with poinsettias everywhere and the scent of fresh pine. As the choir processes in to the sanctuary singing, I am caught up in the joy of Christ's birth and forget all about my disappointment at not receiving the radio. We sing my favorite Christmas hymns and hear the minister read the Christmas story from the Bible. My sister, who is nearly two years younger than I, is starting to nod off, but I'm completely taken with the moment.
Back home and tucked into bed, my sister and I fall quickly asleep. We have been well fed, surrounded by family who loves us, and reminded of the reason for our celebration.
Meanwhile, downstairs, the lights and tinsel glow beautifully in the darkened living room. My parents sit on the floor, spreading our "Santa" gifts artfully beneath the tree. For Kim there is an Etch-A-Sketch and a chemistry set. For me, there are the books that I crave, and tucked back, behind a giant bow, is a transistor radio.
