Memories of home -- part 1 - -Christmas, 1954

The Christmas season of 1954 was a crazy time at the Shoemake's in Houston, Texas. My Dad and his cousin, Otis Gayle were re-wallpapering our home at 1710 Elmen, south and a little west of downtown Houston. Mom had gone Christmas shopping and Dad and Otis were working hard. They had a great time together. I remember a lot of unrestrained laughing and telling of jokes. When the two of them got together, they brought the house down with their laughing. They occasionally took a break and had a little eggnog, and they were definitely full of the Spirit of Christmas!

I remember, on that fateful Saturday afternoon, during one of the eggnog breaks, when Dad and Otis took my birthday present from the previous October --- a B-B gun, and they sat in the living room of our home, and took turns shooting the ornaments off of the Christmas tree that Mom had spent hours decorating. I was in awe of the complete disregard for their 'personal safety'--- I knew that Mom would return sometime soon and would not be happy about the mess in the living room. I knew, also, that she would not have approved of the consumption of all that eggnog. I didn't see it, but I later suspected that the eggnog was a little different from the eggnog that Dad poured for me. They were having far too much for for a wallpapering weekend!

Neither Dad nor Otis were normally so raucous, but when they got together, everyone around them got caught up in the laughter and cutting up. They were having a ball together, and everytime one of them scored a direct hit on a Christmas tree ornament, they both laughed so hard I thought they might stroke out!

At the height of their merriment, Mom walked through the front door, with her packages, wearing her winter coat and hat. She was dressed up, as though she had been to church services! Dad and Otis were in their khakis and wife beaters, and had wallpaper paste all over their clothes. When Mom walked in, before she sat the packages down, she saw the broken Christmas ornaments all over her wooden floors---tiny shards of brightly colored ornament glass. She was a little bit miffed at what they had done, and proceeded to tell them about it. Then she cried and the merriment stopped....at once! Dad and Otis then looked like scolded schoolboys and they rushed for the broom and dustpan and Mom's Electrolux vacuum cleaner. They really hustled! Mom's tears made them instantly contrite...like whipped puppies.

Dad and Otis rushed out and bought new Christmas ornaments and when they arrived home, they quickly put the tree back in order. They even made a good time of decorating the tree -- something I had never before seen my Dad get into with gusto!

I don't know why I remembered this event so clearly. Maybe it was the shock of seeing someone kill a fully dressed-out Christmas tree. Even though I was ten years old, I still believed in Santa, and I sort of had the thought that Santa might not be happy about the demise of our tree. I was apprehensive. You just don't violate a Christmas tree -- (at least not until after Santa has made his appearance).

Later that evening, with the Christmas tree all ablaze with lights -- especially the 'bubbly-lights' (my personal favorites), I saw Mom and Dad kissing in the living room, so I went to bed feeling pretty good. Everything was all right...and not long therafter, Santa was sure to visit the Shoemake's home in Houston!...and he did!

All in all, it was a great Christmas!