A Christmas Invitation©

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It’s that time of year again. Christmas, and I know there will be the usual expectation for me to spend it with the family.

Don’t misunderstand me, I really do love Christmas, but it isn’t the calm and peaceful time that everyone reminisces about. The poor wife spends her weeks beforehand frantically shopping, wrapping presents and most of Christmas Day cooking in a kitchen resembling a sauna. The children seem to have higher demands for expensive presents each festive season and the television adverts for toys and impressive electrical gadgets seem to appear earlier every year shouting;

“Buy me, buy me!”

I suppose in the Dickens Victorian era it was the street vendors doing much the same thing but a wooden soldier hardly compares with an MP4 player or games console.

The Supermarkets and food stores are just as bad. They exhibit vast arrays of party fare for the endless family get-togethers and parties that everyone seems to attend. Why don’t they advertise fruit and nuts rather than the fat, salt and sugar laden junk that seems to be so popular? Once it was just an orange and a few walnuts that were ever found in a Christmas stocking or maybe a brussel sprout should a child have been naughty in the preceding 12 months!

Every retailer both real and online promises cheaper prices, better value or higher quality products that you really can’t afford to miss. Many reel you in with promises of “Sale” bargains to help you buy something that is apparently the must have present of the year. But the credit card is there for that very reason isn’t it?

The ritual of shopping is over and the fridge is groaning with the weight of food, beers and soft drinks, the turkey is on order from the Butcher and the cocktail cabinet is full of sherry for Grandma, whisky for Grandad, Advocat for Auntie Fern plus of course wine for the turkey and brandy for the pudding!

How well I remember last year, we were all there. The real log fire was crackling in the background with stockings hanging from the edges of the mantelpiece (so as not to be a fire hazard) the room was festooned with the usual decorations and numerous Christmas cards.

Following the search for Grandma’s teeth - which were finally found in the dog’s basket (someone would be finding a sprout in their stocking!) Dinner was devoured in little under an hour. Then, after the washing up and the Queens speech it was time for the presents.

For Grandad it had to be a bottle of whisky and of course some socks and slippers. Grandma got some luxurious hand cream, lavender water and some slippers too. Uncle Bob was thrilled with his digital camera and became the official photographer for the day – snapping everyone at every opportunity. Poor Grandad, after a few post dinner tipples he was sound asleep whilst his ruddy features were enhanced using the children’s new art materials, by the addition of a moustache and a pair of Harry Potter style glasses. He was blissfully unaware until he saw the photo displayed on the computer screen three hours later. Fortunately he did see the funny side as did Grandma.

The children (Matthew and Lucy) loved the new games console and Mark had to retune the television so that everyone could take a turn and join in the fun. How different to the days of charades and music around the piano of Christmases past. Katie at last managed to sit down and enjoy some of the chocolates that the kids had given her, whilst Mark gave her a well deserved foot rub with some of the reflexology oil he had thoughtfully chosen as a small gift for her.

It was a beautiful sight, the whole family enjoying this time together. The three generations shared laughter and love as they joined in a board game, with maybe just a little competitiveness between Mark and his brother Bob. I stood in the corner watching and all seemed well in this little corner of the world. A warm glow emanated from the scene before me, and Peace on Earth seemed so possible.

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How different things were this year. I was dressed for the occasion as every year but something was so wrong. It was Christmas Eve and as the fire embers died down the mantel clock ticked loudly as I stood to attention in the corner. The tinsel, baubles and lights that covered my limbs sparkled in the dim light of the living room and the presents wrapped and resting at my feet seemed to be less magical than usual. Mark and Katie were crying and cuddling each other on the sofa. This wasn’t what I wanted to see at the happiest time of the year and I couldn’t understand it. I was here and all dressed up but being ignored, whatever could be causing such sadness? I looked again at the Mantelpiece, the stockings were there as usual along with the clock and Christmas cards – there seemed to be more cards than previous years but something was missing. Ah, I know, it was a photograph – the one of Bob that was taken with the digital camera he received the previous year. The picture was of a smiling young man - a son, an uncle a brother and a soldier. It was then that I noticed that Lucy was holding it in her hand as her tears fell...

“Mum”

A small voice came from the stairs

“We haven’t put anything out for Santa and Rudolph”

Two little pairs of feet tiptoed across the hall and into the living room, they stopped and looked up at me.

“Ooooh, the tree looks lovely,” they paused, “but you haven’t put the Star or Angel on the top yet”

They looked confused as they turned to their parents who through tear filled eyes managed a slight smile.

“Sorry guys, I haven’t got around to it yet” said Katie “Do you want to help?”

“Yes please” Lucy jumped up and down excitedly.

“Which is it to be then kids?” their Mum asked

Lucy looked at the tears in her parents eyes and then at the photo of their Uncle Bob, she picked up the crumpled little Angel that had topped my form for many years. Mark picked up the four year old so she could reach my top branches.

“Wait a minute Daddy” her twin brother stopped them in their tracks

“Can you put this in the Angels hand please?”

Matthew passed his Father a small red Poppy which he had spotted beneath me amongst all the presents.

“That way Uncle Bob will know that we remember him and are thinking of him too now he is with the Angels”

“Of course” Mark looked puzzled, “Where did that come from?”

My lights twinkled a little brighter.

“It was a present from the tree” replied the youngster.

And so it was – a small gift of remembrance for all the families missing their own Uncle Bob this Christmas.

Merry Christmas to you all and a Peaceful and Happy New Year.