Little’s Ella’s Christmas
https://amazon.com/author/anitadixonthomas
Happy Holidays Everyone! Christmas is upon us and everyone is busy with chiristmas shopping. A good book as a gift to a friend or loved one who likes to read is a great gift this holiday season! I recommend my latest novel, Leaving Henry. It’s available on Amazon by clicking on the link above.
In the meantime , I would like to share an excerpt from Leaving Henry about Little Ella’s Christmas morning in the 1930s.
Christmas morning was filled with excitement, laughter, and anticipation.
Everyone gathered around the Christmas tree except for
Pappy, who was in the smokehouse grilling the last bit of the meat.
Momma and I were already dressed because we had to cook breakfast
for the Harrises later that morning.
With a full day ahead, opening gifts was the priority, and our
grandparents had already arrived to celebrate with us. Grandmother
Clem, dressed in her green flowery smock, sat in Momma’s rocking chair.
Card Board Christmas Gift
“Let’s get this show on the road,” she said, chewing on snuff.
“We have to wait for Pappy,” Escelle reminded her.
Grandfather raised an eyebrow. “What’s he burning out there?”
“That coon he killed yesterday,” Grandmother Clem answered
with a straight face.
My heart sank. The delectable pork aroma I had smelled was a raccoon
grilling in the smokehouse. With misty eyes, I laid my head on
my bent knees, and Momma rushed over and kneeled in front of me.
“Baby, what’s the matter?” She lifted my chin.
“Pappy cooked that raccoon. I can’t eat that!” I cried.
Momma rubbed my cheek with her thumb. It felt like rough paper.
“You don’t have to. You can eat Grandmother’s baked ham
instead.”
“Okay,” I sniffled. I wiped my eyes, looking at the Christmas tree.
It was beautiful, splendidly decorated with homemade paper ornaments
and gifts underneath. I wondered if I got new shoes, a baby
doll, or both.
Grandmother Ella strolled to the sofa, smoothed the back of her
dress, and sat.
“Chillum, come over here. I need to tell you a story.”
We gathered around her. I sat on her left side, and Irene sat on her
right. Clarence and Lucian sat on the floor cross-legged while Escelle
propped herself on the arm of the sofa.
“Christmas is not all about getting gifts from Santa. There’s a reason
we celebrate Christmas.” She searched our faces. “Does anyone
want to tell me why we celebrate this day?”
“It’s Jesus’ birthday,” Escelle replied.
“That’s right, “Grandmother smiled. “So, let me tell you Jesus’s
story.”
The Christmas Story.
The First Christmas
Grandmother held us spellbound with a vivid description of Jesus’s
birth. She told us about the three kings who brought gifts to celebrate
his arrival and the shepherds who saw the bright shining star in the
sky.
“Grandmother, why does Santa bring us presents if it’s Jesus’s
birthday?” I asked.
Grandmother gently squeezed my shoulder. “Well, Little Ella,
that is a good question. Santa Claus is based on the life of Saint Nicholas,
a Christian man who gave generously to children in need. He
was a man who believed in Jesus’ commandment to love thy neighbor
as thyself. We should try to live like Jesus and do the same.”
“Will Jesus be mad if we keep our presents?” Lucian asked.
Everyone cracked up laughing. “I don’t think so, son,” Grandmother
said.
The front door opened, and Pappy strolled in with a big iron pot.
“Merry Christmas, everybody!” his gruff voice boomed. Lucian
hopped up and wrapped his arms around Pappy’s legs.
“Merry Christmas, Pappy!” He gazed up at him. “I want to open
the presents!”
“Move, boy! I’ve got to get this to the stove first.” Lucian hung on
while Pappy waddled to the stove.
“Lucian, go and sit down!” Momma demanded. He ran and sat in
front of the couch.
Pappy put the pot on the stove, which smelled like tobacco smoke.
I cringed when I thought about what was in it.
“Are we ready to open gifts?” Pappy brushed his palms together.
“Yes!” everyone shouted at once.
Grandmother Ella went to the stove. “I’ll get breakfast ready and
open my gift last.”
“You heard her, son.” Grandmother Clem fell back in her chair.
“Let’s get this show on the road.”
Pappy laughed as he shook off his coat, flung it over the kitchen
chair, and strolled to the tree. Lucian wiggled out of Momma’s lap,
and he and Clarence ran to the tree and stood by Pappy, who reached
under the tree and gave each of them a wrapped gift. They dropped
to the floor and tore off the paper.
“Look, I got a red truck!” Lucian happily squealed as he held the
toy up in front of him.
“I got a truck, too!” Clarence beamed. “Mine’s black!”
They both growled as they rolled their trucks along the wood floor.
Pappy reached under the tree and handed gifts to Escelle and Irene.
While they tore into their presents, he strolled to the other side of the
tree and brought out another gift.
“Merry Christmas, Little Ella,” he smiled. “Santa hopes you like it.”
I grinned. “Thank you, Pappy.” I hesitated, waiting to see what my
sisters got first.
“So soft and cuddly,” Escelle smiled, stroking her beautiful huge
blue blanket with kitties all over it.
“Just what I wanted!” Irene giggled joyfully holding a fluffy brown teddy
Bear close to her cheek.
Momma patted my shoulder. “What are you waiting for, Little
Ella? Open your gift.”
My gift was wrapped so beautifully in green paper that I didn’t
want to destroy it. I took my time, carefully unraveling each corner
until all the paper had separated from the cardboard box. I tore the
box open and peeped inside.
“Wow!” I gasped. “Look what Santa brought me!” I took the beauty
out of the box and held it up. The caramel-brown baby doll had expressive
brown eyes and slightly parted ruby-red lips. My fingers
grazed the painted brown hair on her smooth rubber head. She had
stiff arms and legs and a green dress, which I loved.
“This is the best gift ever!”
Momma opened her present, and her face brightened. “What a hat! It’s perfect for Easter.”
She adjusted the floppy blue hat
trimmed in white on her head as she sashayed to the mirror by the
closet. “So snazzy! Very nice!”
“Pappy, open your present!” Escelle urged as Pappy stood holding
his gift under one arm.
“I might as well,” Pappy laughed as he moved to the sofa and sat.
He took his time unwrapping the box, then lifted the lid and took out
a black fedora hat. “Well, isn’t this something!” He stood on his feet,
strolled to the mirror, and adjusted the fedora on his head. He glanced
back at Momma. “You must have saved some serious cabbage for
this.”
“Santa got that for you,” Momma winked, laughing.
“All I got to say, Mae, is these hats will look good with our church
rags.”
Momma laughed, tilting her hat again. “Yes, indeed! Yes, indeed!”
Pappy returned to the tree and handed Grandfather his gift, a pair
of brown suspenders. He smiled and gently pulled on the stretchy
straps. “Very nice! Very nice, indeed.”
Pappy gave Grandmother Clem and Grandmother Ella gifts, and
both tore the wrapping off without hesitation. They each received
pair of wool gloves in their favorite color, purple for Grandmother
Ella and black for Grandmother Clem.
Then Pappy reached under the tree, brought out five paper bags,
and gave one to each child. We tore off the ribbons, ripped open the
bags, and found an orange, a small sack of hard candy, and a few walnuts
still in the shell. Each of us received a new pair of shoes, which
we appreciated. I quickly put mine on and pranced around the house,
smiling, thrilled to have shoes that didn’t hurt my feet. anitasbooknook.com
Christmas Breakfast
Butter and cinnamon scents drew us to the table which was set
with Momma’s best dishes. Grandmother Ella placed a bowl of fried
apples, a basket of piping hot biscuits, and a platter of eggs and bacon
in the middle of the table. We all gathered around the table, Papa said
grace, and we enjoyed our Christmas breakfast together. Anita’s Contact Station
As Always Thank You for Reading! Merry Christmas!
