My memories of Christmas at Herman Junction will live with me forever I hope. I honestly do not remember having a bad Christmas or one that failed my expectations except once when I was disappointed that I did not get a bicycle and instead got a scooter. Do you know what a scooter is? It was certainly not a motorized vehicle. It was a little deal where you put one foot on it and used the other foot to push yourself and you had a handle bar sticking up to guide yourself. We don't see them much anymore.
Preparing for Christmas was a joy. We went to the woods and found a cedar tree that looked just right, cut it down and pulled it to the house. Our tree was always decorated beautifully. We had popcorn that we had strung, red berries that we found in the woods and strung them, painted gum balls that were all over the place and we painted them different colors, a few icicles, and other home made decorations. We may have had a few other things and an angel on top but I really do not remember electric lights and many other decorations that we have today. It was always a joy to behold. Dad always provided for us more than I can now believe that he could have done. We had nuts, apples, oranges, candy, etc. all over the place. The one time that I remember being so sick that I could hardly move was when I ate about five pounds of that old hard Christmas candy. They had to hold a dish pan under me when I threw up because a normal bowl would not hold it. I can't stand that stuff to this day and haven't had it in our house for years.
Christmas morning was the time for opening presents. We would not have considered giving out gifts before that at all. Well, maybe I would have thought it but I knew better than to ask. It sure was fun anticipating the coming of Christmas morning, gathered around that tree and a good fire going in the old king heater, and Mom preparing a feast for breakfast. As soon as we finished we had acres and acres of places to go outside and play with the things that we got. I couldn't imagine how many times we got roller skates and we eagerly waited for them each time.
Later there was the Christmas dinner. I don't know how Mom did it. She had already fixed that huge breakfast and then must have just washed the dishes and started over for preparing dinner. There was always that chicken and dressing, her specialty and everything that went with it. She had pecan pies and several others, and a Jam cake. Mom made Jam cakes for other people too. They would pay her enough for the stuff to make it and then a little extra and they were really good. There wasn't anyone in the country that had a better Christmas than we had at Herman Junction.
I loved to sing Christmas carols and I still do today. I remember walking all over Bay with the other young people at church and singing Christmas carols. One time we went to Nettleton and met with other young people from around the area and we walked all over town singing Christmas carols and then came back to the building where the ladies had hot chocolate and cookies for us. I would love to do that today!
I do not believe that Jesus was born on December 25. I do not celebrate this day as a religious holiday. However, it is a great time at our house even now and part of the reason is because of the Christmases that we enjoyed at Herman Junction.
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