Gutoski-James Family Fun: January 2015

In 1914 you got one orange a year, at Christmas. "I already know that!" my son declared with excitement to the woman pretending to run the general store in Doon Heritage village. She was showing us a paltry collection of lemons and oranges that her general store stocked.

Max already knew this fact because we recently read a story about a boy that loved his orange so much he took it with him to the celebration at the church on Christmas eve. Then he lost it. Of course, the boy was heartbroken. His brothers and sisters each cut a wedge from their own orange to make him a new orange. Max recounted the whole story to the woman in the general store, while Darwyn tore around the place attempting to dismantle everything that she was not supposed to touch.

The general store had samples of sweets. The kids tried a piece of fudge and turkish delight, the sort of treats they might have had at Christmas back then. In fact, they got all manner of treats (apple cider, plum pudding, shortbread cookies and a candy stick from Santa). They didn't eat much lunch...

The kids were fascinated by the presents kids would have got. The general store stocked a few such items and we looked at each one. Although, "most kids would not have families rich enough to buy these," we were told. In those days, most families made the presents their kids would get...and you got just one.

For Max and Darwyn this is familiar. They have spent the entire Christmas season making gifts for their relatives. This is not a new thing, but this year Max has taken to it with a new passion. He has made numerous cards and crafts and loves wrapping them and putting them under the tree. Both kids love wandering around the house and putting old junk in Christmas bags, and putting it under the tree. Gus said this was fine, but they needed to give it all to Grandpa Gutoski. (In previous years when we complained about the amount of "junk" our kids got for Christmas Grandpa insisted it was necessary. Christmas is about abundance. Good news Grandpa, your Christmas is about abundance this year.)

Max has shown a great deal of compassion and concern in making his gifts. He noted that I had no gift from him because I helped him make all the gifts and ran off to make me one. When Darwyn was upset because she could not (yet) find a present under the tree for her, Max ran off to make her one. It warmed my heart...and it brought back so many memories. Every Christmas mom gave us a little money to buy presents for our siblings and parents. It wasn't much, so we often made many things. I spent hours squirreled away in my room, working in a mini santa's workshop. One year I drew a picture of my dad's childhood home and framed it. I was so excited to give it to him on Christmas. I sat staring at him with my big eager eyes as he unwrapped it. He said, "Oh! It is a picture of a house. How nice."

"Yes, but can you tell which house dad?"

Panic.....he searches the picture wildly, "Ummm....."

My little face dropped "Dad! It is your house from when you were a kid!"

"Uh, oh yes! I see it now!"

Strangely, I can remember many of the gifts I gave as a child, but few of the ones that I received. Watching my own kids delight in making gifts gets me wondering what is so magical about Christmas?

I told Gus it was abundance. Abundance in 1914 was an orange and one homemade gift. If you were Mennonite it was getting to sleep in while your parents did your chores. Today it is a feast of more food than you could possibly consume and more gifts than you can possible appreciate. But as an adult, remembering Christmas, I don't remember the abundance as much as the tradition. My kids must have mini cereals in their stockings because I had mini cereals. They need to make a present line to pass presents from under the Christmas tree, because we made a present line. And they are starting their own traditions too. Opening 1 present every morning from your Christmas sock the week before Christmas. Visiting the light display at Waterloo park. And making gift after gift for the people that matter to you.

Gus and I reminisced that we always wound up feeling disappointed after we were done opening presents. You spent an entire month building up to the gifts under the tree and then it was finished just like that. But now I think that it is the building up and not the Christmas that is special. It isn't abundance, but anticipation of abundance that brings so much pleasure. As adults we may not remember the gifts themselves, but we sure remember what it felt like to wait for them.

Merry Christmas 2014! Enjoy the photos and videos!