PRESENTS, FINALLY!

I didn't think Gramma would ever finish cooking breakfast. Who had breakfast on Christmas morning anyway? It had obviously some time since the Leachman's had young children around on Christmas morning.

We sat in the dinning room rushing through breakfast. I was rushing everyone else was lolly gagging. HURRY. Santa has been here, the tree is just on the other side of that door. The swinging french door with the sheer panel curtain on it. I could make out stuff under the tree but not enough to make out what was what. No Patty Playpal. I could tell that. She was huge, almost my size. Pretty sure I would see a box that big. This was Christmas though. My parents never disappointed men on Christmas. Mother always said I would be happy with an empty box if it was wrapped. True.

Finally, we were allowed in to the sitting room with the tree. Gramma suggested brother and I check the mantel in the parlor. There were stockings there! We didn't have stockings at home. We got paper sacks on Christmas Eve that we could color and write messages to Santa on. Christmas morning our sacks were full of candy. YAY! No toys or cool stuff, candy.

I couldn't believe it! Santa brought us stocking full of stuff. An orange in the toe. Delicious beautifully wrapped special chocolates, better than yeast. Little toys and do dads. It was the most amazing moment. SANTA IS REAL!

To the tree! There she was. Patty Playpal standing behind the tree. OH, too much. I was happy. Stocking full of cool stuff and the best doll in the world. PLUS, I had the puzzle from last night!. This was too much. I must have been so good. There were other gifts. Clothes and socks and little things, a couple of board games.

Then Miss Forrest handed me a square box. Couldn't figure out what could be in this very light, perfectly square box. Too big for grown up jewelry, too small for any kind of game. I opened the box and there was an entire, handmade wardrobe for my Barbies. Gramma and the ladies of her church guild and made Barbie clothes for all their kids and grand kids. There must have been 10 outfits. I was speechless. This is why Gramma was amazing. She knew that would be special and show how much she loved me all in one little box.

I don't remember our trip home. It must have been very uneventful. I remember that Christmas was the last time I saw Gramma while she was healthy. She already had cancer. We didn't know. I don't think she knew either.

I treasure the memory of that Christmas. The snow, the church, the continuing belief in Santa. But mostly I remember being with her. Watching her cook the Christmas feast. I remember how amazing it felt to sit in the kitchen with her. Warm from the stove and oven. Snow everywhere. It was my best Christmas. The one I think of when I go to the childhood memory bank.

Thanks mom and dad for going. Forging through the blizzard so I can hold this memory forever.

Miss Forrest, you rocked.