Hilda's Homily

This is Christmas

by Hilda Maston

My large living room looks wonderful. The decorated fireplace is blazing and the many candles softly l\ mjuight the Christmas tree whose only adornment is the red-haired angel at the very top.

December 24th always meant a party at 64 Bullitt Park Pl. in Bexley, OH. We welcomed all our neighbors who trekked through the new snow from across the street and down the block, to take part in our Christmas tradition.

After everyone had arrived and had been supplied with the traditional refreshments -- Norwegian meat balls, pickled herring, krum kake, and fatigman -- the tree trimming began. The rule was that each person had to place one ornament on the tree and make a short speech about the events of the past year or their hopes for the coming new year.

I looked around the room. Our next-door neighbors, the Jones, a handsome retired couple sat next to Madam Moore, my elderly (about 80) voice teacher from up the block, who was quietly enjoying her favorite scotch on the rocks. Next to her was Doctor Feilding, a psychiatrist, and his Russian social worker wife, Zenna.

Seated at the spinet piano, son Henry shuffled the music to prepare for the carol sing that always happened. Twelve year old daughter Molly served refreshments wearing her first long dress.

The Canadian couple from across the street shared the sofa with their daughter Anna. The rest of the guests found seats all around the room.

The favorite Christmas song of this group was the Twelve Days of Christmas. Our Jewish neighbor, Sam Starr always claimed the solo for the five golden rings part of the song, which he sang in a lovely tenor voice loud enough to be heard over on the next street.

I looked over the room.  This is Christmas, I thought. The weeks preceding this gathering had nothing to do with the real Christmas. The shopping, the office parties, the cookie baking, the Santa Claus visits, and the card sending, none of these things were about Christmas.  Here in this room was the real Christmas, and all the things that the holiday stands for. Here in this room was love and fun, and hope and beauty, all the things that Christmas is about.