Christmas eve. I can close my eyes and remember. The preparation of traditional Swedish and Norwegian foods, aunts and uncles and my cousins gathering, the anticipation of Santa’s arrival. Normal Rockwell painted my childhood. We didn’t have a lot of money, but we had a surplus of everything else. How lucky I am to have lived this life. There are only four events on December 24th. Last Minute Shoppers Day, National Regifting Day, Christmas Eve and National Eggnog Day. Now to the history of this date: In 1818, “Silent Night” composed is first sung at St Nicholas parish church in Oberndorf, Austria. In 1865, several Confederate veterans form Ku Klux Klan in Pulaski, Tennessee. In 1877, Thomas Edison files a patent for the phonograph. In 1948, the first completely solar heated house is occupied in Dover, Mass. And, in 1964 shooting begins on “The Cage” which is the pilot for Star Trek. That is an excellent trivia question. I’ll end this post with some quotes about Christmas: “Christmas is a season not only of rejoicing but of reflection.” Winston Churchill. “Christmas is doing a little something extra for someone.” Charles M. Schulz. “Christmas, children, is not a date. It is a state of mind.” Mary Ellen Chase. I do agree with Ms. Chase that it’s a state of mind. We make the Christmas we want to experience. I know that Christmas 2020 will be different. But, it’s still Christmas. Abide.
