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 27th 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?
