Christmas Memory

            As Christmas approached Jane begun to remember the Christmases when her grandparents on both sides of the family were alive. The trip down memory lane brought a tear to her eyes. Then the memories began to flow. Jane remembered that Grandma and Grandpa Kovacs always had a tree in the corner of the living room just off the TV.  Just above the old fashioned record player was this display shelf that held all kinds of decorations throughout the year. But at Christmas it held Christmas bulbs and little doodads.

            The house was cozy and comfy all year long but especially at Christmas time Grandma Kovacs loved to bake all kinds of Hungarian pastries like kiffles. Her kiffles were always so light and fluffy. Grandma Kovacs would bake for days in advance to make sure everything was ready in time for Christmas Eve dinner.

            Jane then thought about how her family prepared to go church on Christmas Eve. There was the nap in the afternoon. Then they would open one or two Christmas presents with her parents Julie and Robert. Then it upstairs to dress for church.

            The Christmas tree in Jane’s house was usually in between the two couches they had at the time. On the tree were an assortment of ornaments topped with lighted star. One such ornament was a raggedy Ann and Andy baby’s first Christmas for Jane. It was put on the tree every year since 1976.

            Jane’s dad drives them to the church. Once they arrive they sit in the back pew and wait for the candle light service to begin. Just then the church choir marches into the church singing the first Christmas song of the night. As Jane grows she would join her church children’s choir and join the procession. And at age 13 or so Jane would join the adult choir.

            After church it’s dinner at Grandma and Grandpa Kovacs’s house. Dinner usually consisted of Hungarian stuffed cabbage and ham. There was a lot of food to go around. After dinner it’s presents for everyone.

            Jane is the most excited for the presents. But as usual there is some fighting going on. Being the peacemaker that she is Grandma Kovacs steps in. Grandma Kovacs hates any and all fighting.  She must have been upset when her eldest son, Jane’s uncle Paul joined the navy.

            After a goodnight’s rest the next day around noon Jane, her brother Robert Junior, and her parents would drive to Grandma and Grandpa Stewart’s house. The house was decked out in all its Christmas glory. With its tall Christmas tree with all ornaments from through the years. Some of which are handmade.

            To start since dinner is cooking we gather in the living room and talk while the turkey finishes cooking.  As the final preparation goes on in the kitchen, we try to get Grandma Stewart to relax and sit down a bit.

            Then we gather around the dining room table were everyone enjoys a good meal. Aunt Mary is slowest one to eat dinner. While everyone else has moved on to desert Aunt Mary is still eating dinner.

            After dinner we open gifts and chat for a little while longer. Then Jane’s dad makes the drive home before it gets too dark as he doesn’t like to drive in the dark.

            One particular Christmas stands out to Jane. It was the Christmas of 1994. What makes that one different is Jane’s cousin Wendy is pregnant with a child. Uncle Paul and Cousin Wendy fight over who the father of the child is. Wendy insist Chris isn’t the father and Uncle Paul insist Chris should be told that he is a father. Again the ever peacemaker    grandma Kovacs steps in and tries to stop the fighting between father and daughter.  Needless to say it was a tense Christmas for all.

            But as time went on Jane began to dislike Christmas and all its commercialism. It wasn’t about Jesus at all. When did Christmas become more about the getting and giving of gifts then about Jesus Jane began to wonder.

Then one year Jane’s dad introduced her to his co-worker Earl. Who was supposed to be ten years older than her? Jane had just quit her job.  So, after the initial meeting Jane asked earl to join her family at church to hear her sing. Jane was 24 and earl was 35. Earl was going 36 in January. Earl had agreed to that.

By this time grandma Kovacs had died and all that was left Grandpa Kovacs, and grandma, and Grandpa Stewart.  Grandma Kovacs died in February 1995.  Jane still felt she had less and less Christmas spirit as the years went by.

Jane felt so depressed that just going down to open presents with her family left a bad taste in her mouth. But nonetheless she continued the tradition till she was 27. Just after her 27^th birthday in 2003 she started asking her friend a girl named Coffee John about her religion. Jane grew up protestant Presbyterian and Coffee John is a Jehovah’s Witness.

So in 2003 Jane started studying the Bible with a lady named Lisa Donald. So, Lisa helped Jane see the true meaning of Christmas. With a thorough search of the Bible and Bible based publications used back then Jane began to see that Jesus and Christmas didn’t even coincide.

By December 2005 Jane was baptized as one Jehovah’s Witnesses herself. Christmas took on a new meaning for her. Now she was alone in her found faith. However, in 2010 Jane’s mom Julie got baptized as well?

Living with her in religiously divided house is hard on Jane. At times she feels that she has to put up a brave front in order to survive. Even though Jane dearly loves her father and brother something just tugs at her. Jane remembers the joy she had when she celebrated Christmas with her family.  But at the same time as the years went the joy seemed to diminish when you knew what you were getting for Christmas.

As the years went by Jane didn’t regret not celebrating Christmas it saved her money. But she still had mixed emotions when it came to the holiday season. She knew what the Bible said about Christmas and the holidays in general.

Then one September a co-worker a girl named May Cassandra who convinced Jane to buy her a birthday present for her. So, Jane went online and bought May some CD’s for her birthday despite her initial resolve to say no to May.

Then as time went on Jane thought to buy a gift for May but it was in December close to Christmas. Jane then went and bout two more gifts for May.  Jane had idea what was getting into her. Was Jane’s Christmas spirit returning even though it shouldn’t?