Christmas eve was always the most
important time of the Christmas season. Gifts.
Mom and grandmother would decorate the
tree and my brother and I were only allowed to see it at 6 o’clock on Christmas
eve. An enchanting sight when the door opened and we were allowed to walk into
the room, to stand in front of the tree who's lit candles twinkled at us as if
to say 'say your prayer quickly, sing your song and then you can turn around
and begin the long awaited ceremony of lifting the tablecloth'. For
everybody’s gift was laid out on a table and covered with a tablecloth. We
were each led to our spot at the table although it was easy to spot which
were boys gifts and which were girls gifts. On the side of our gifts we each
also found cardboard Christmas plates filled with Marzipan,candy,fruit and
cookies.
The very first Christmas I remember is
one in Greece. I must have been 6 because it was a 1st Grade
Christmas. All I can remember is that at the end of whatever event in some
hall, Santa got up onto the stage and emptied out a huge bag of oranges. They
were all rolling around on the stage floor and we children sitting in the
audience were asked to go up and get some. Chairs were flying, kids where
running and falling all over each other with loud joyful screams and all wanted
to be first up there to get an orange. Already then, I was whomever I still am.
I still remember the feeling of shyness and the not wanting to go and fight for
something that someone else wanted. I just sat there and watched them grab the
oranges. I don’t remember whom I was there with nor anything else that
happened.
The next Christmas is the first one in
Berlin at grandparent’s house after we came back from Greece when I was seven
years old. Again only a fleeting vision of my brother and I being led from one
room into another where a beautifully decorated tree was standing with real
candles all lit up. We were asked to stand in front of it and say a prayer. No
idea what present we got nor anything else but it is a warm memory.
Another Christmas is two or three years
later in this little hamlet Hallwangen that we had moved to. Mom and grandma
were sewing me a coat. That I knew, but each time I had to try it on I was
blindfolded not to see it. Don’t remember the actual Christmas eve day when I
got it. It was a very dark blue with an imitation fur collar. I loved it. I
wore it the next day and was sent to fetch a can of milk (can with handle and
lid ). I was not pleased about that. Had other things I wanted to do such
as visiting my friend Rosa. I went to get the milk. As I was coming back with
it, I saw grandmother standing at the window. In front of that window was a big
pile of logs. Why should I loose time and walk all the way around the
house to where the door was? I asked grandmother to open the window and I would
climb up the wood and hand her the can of milk. She said I should not because I
might slip and fall. No I won’t. Yes I did. The milk gone and the dark blue
coat soaked in white. Don’t remember what happened next but could not have been
to gentle but also not to harsh otherwise I would remember. Only the chock of
the event remains engraved in my memory.
