Do you want to build a Snowman?

 

          Do you ever think about it? When the night is still, your breath dancing on the light frosty covered breeze gliding from star to star. Do you ever crave it? When you feel like hope is but a word that someone who was a little to happy just might have made up. In the middle of Summer when there seems no end in sight to the day after day 90* heat strokes. Do you look for  it? Do you look for Christmas and wonder where it is?

    Growing up in The Redmond House, Christmas was always a guaranteed happy place for me. The very moment the last piece of turkey was made into a final sandwich & the last bite of pumpkin pie crumbs were consumed - Christmas started at home. Home. What a blessing it was. I lived in a huge house or at the time it was huge to me. I loved it. Every moment of it. Every memory left behind from it. Though it was "only" a three bedroom it seemed like the eating area went on forever. We lived in a reversed rambler with the kitchen staring at one end of the house & stretching to the other end. On November 27th of each year or the day closest to it, where I live transformed into a Candy Shoppe. Not just any Candy Shoppe though. It was Nana's Candy Shoppe. I was the head tester IN charge of every sweet confection your mind could concoct. I never knew fudge could come in so many forms or peanut butter could be mixed into so many things. Nana  of course would recruit me to help bring in 6 picnic tables, lining each end to end the entire length of the space reserved for "Santa" and her one little elf. The cookie sheets would then be placed in just the right spots to make sure there was never any light peeking through where another one might be able to fit. After the crinkling of wax paper, the tearing of aluminum foil had finished, the rest work, if you could call it that started. Nana's hands would grip a small square shaped tin box. A box that had rusted somewhat over the 60+ years it had been pulled out and gone through. A box that would bringing joy and happiness to each persons path when those little scribbled on pieces of paper came to life.
 * Just a "diet" plug here: I can not believe I didn't gain 700 pounds during the holidays growing up. The melt in your mouth chocolate and whipped rainbow colors of divinity always left me wanting more.
 * Note: I did not like all the stirring of the yumminess that would soon turn into what tasted like a sin on a Saturday night. (I literally had to run back to Bay City Rollers days, performing Saturday Night in my head as to remember how to spell Saturday. Wow!) 

     What am I doing? This writing was planned on being one of Christmas Memories past, hopefully present. Memories of strolling along City Sidewalks, flurries kissing my cheeks while sipping on Hot Chocolate from a near by Starbucks. Looking in each store front window at how it was precisely decorated to reflect what was behind a closed door and how I would change it to make it look better if it was my doing. It was going to be about the scent of Cinnamon in the air, sugar cookies at The Pike Place Market - 8am on a Tuesday morning. The multi colored lights that soon caped me in warmth as dusk would begin to fall, my arms hurting from so many boxes, bags, bows, ribbons, tags. Still needing just a few more gifts to slip under the silver tinseled pine at home that was never allowed to be put up until 5 days before Christmas Eve. Even though the rest of the house was like a Holly Jolly explosion that took place on December 1st. The sound of music through the air was more comforting then just about anything else I could ever imagine. Bells would ring bringing Peace on Earth in a time when all seemed right in The World. 

    I miss it. I miss those days of laughter and peed on snowmen. Of goodies for breakfast and lists of Christmas wishes. I miss hoping to catch a glimpse of Reindeer or Santa's cherry nose. Not the Ho Ho Hos though because, well, I live in Everett now. Enough said.

    It seems like this is a time that has been well forgotten. A time that like of Christmas Snow that would eventually melt away being out of mind until the next Season. I can't say that I feel the same. When the Summer's sun gives me its little hell dance each July & August, all my memories flood to a Last Christmas where I still listen to the nights wind while grasping my pillow, throwing wishes towards stars that the bell will ring again for you. Because for me, it always rings. I always hear it. I will always Believe because without Believing there would never be Magic found.

                                           
                                           Kazz 💋