Bah Humbug
For a truthful look at life, how about the most disappointing Christmases I experienced as a young girl?
CAST OF CHARACTERS | Kathy Kimmel and Ed Weyand | For several years, these two cousins on the Weyand side and I went to school and played together. Kathy and I were best friends.
One Christmas, I informed Mom and Dad that I really wanted a doll house with all of the furniture and the doll family that came with it. Mom explained that our house just wasn't big enough to have a doll house displayed which she felt was the only way it could be enjoyed. I didn't agree but then I rarely agreed with anything that went against what I wanted.
I anticipated Christmas with visions of the new doll house dancing around in my head. In those days, we would spend Christmas Eve at the Weyand grandparents and Santa Clause would come while we were gone. As usual, my cousins and I had a great time unwrapping the presents from all of the aunts and uncles. When we returned home, I could hardly wait to get in the house and see what Santa Clause had brought. As you have already surmised, it wasn't the doll house. Guess who did get a doll house? Cousin Kathy. And they didn't even live in their own home. They lived in the upstairs apartment at Grandpa and Grandma Weyands.
There's More
Another year in my letter to Santa, I requested a train set. I was fascinated by the displays in the toy departments of the stores and just knew I had to have one. Mom explained that we just didn't have room for a train set and they were for boys anyway. Right there, I knew I wasn't getting a train set. Guess who got a train set? Cousin Ed. He had even less room for a train set as he and his mother lived with my Grandmother and Grandfather Weyand.
The third bah humbug was the ice skates. Kathy and Ed both had ice skates on their list for this particular Christmas so I wanted them too. I loved to roller skate and figured ice skating would be fun. Mom explained that I was too young to get a pair of ice skates. I was still growing and my shoe size changed regularly. Any skates I got this year wouldn't fit next year. I informed her we could trade them in.
When the wrapped packages appeared under the tree, I couldn't stand the suspense. One box looked exactly the right size to be ice skates. When I was home alone, I couldn't resist and opened the box. Way down deep inside was a very nice watch. At least this time I was prepared for the disappointment when we opened our gifts Christmas Eve. Guess who got ice skates? Ed and Kathy and they were still growing!
Epilogue
My fascination for the doll house and the train set helps me understand why as an adult I enjoy setting up the Nativity and My Wonderful Life Village. The village also has a train set. It runs on batteries and is not as complete as the electric train set I had always envisioned but it has the tracks and the engine with two other cars.
When I reached the age of 14, I did get a pair of ice skates. My friend Mary Jo and I plus various boy friends had a lot of fun ice skating at Oak Lake and the manmade pond at Woods Park located at 33rd and N Streets which is long gone now.
Many Christmases have passed since these childhood disappointments occurred. We soon learn that Christmas is not always the wonderful time of year depicted in so many stories and movies. There have been many Christmases with memories I would describe as disappointing and many that bring me great joy as I travel down memory lane. However, there is one absolute truth we must always hold in our heart regardless of life's circumstances. Christmas is always a time of great joy because of the most wonderful gift of all--the Savior Jesus Christ.
