Holidays to Remember

This article will be published the day before St. Patrick’s Day, 2022, my favorite non-religious holiday – my absolute favorite.  Time was, I made sure that on St. Pat’s Day, I always wore something of green.  Children love to catch someone without green – pinching becomes the art of the day, and school kids are no exception.  Today, I sometimes forget that it is the 17th of March.

Today, the retired teachers group for which I am the secretary met at our usual, fine Perkins Restaurant.  The president of the group brought a couple of shamrock plants to give away to the membership.  Shamrocks are such gentle plants.  They go to sleep at dark and wake up with the sun.  Both the three leaves on their stems and the small, white flowers follow this sleep/wake process.  The flowers have no smell, but are such exquisite little flowers.

And, someone (who knows?) paid for everyone’s lunch.  It was a great surprise to the members who attended, but we couldn’t guess who had been so kind.  The attending members all wished to know the gifter to say thank you; however, Jessica (our waitress) would only say that the bill was “cashed out.”  That, apparently, means that the bill was paid by someone.  So, thank you, whoever you are!

One spring, many years ago, I worked part time for a balloon company.  I filled balloons with helium, put ribbons on them¸ turned them into bouquets, and delivered them to a person or persons as requested by the buyer.  New Years Day.  Valentine’s Day.  St. Patrick’s Day.  Birthdays.  Weddings.  Anniversaries.  Any special day for celebration.

I remember a time when my assignment was to deliver a balloon bouquet from a wife to her husband; it was Valentine’s Day.  To be delivered to him at the men’s club in the downtown area.  Men only.  Women not allowed.  However, when I arrived, in costume with the balloons, I was ushered into the room where the recipient was – through rooms of men in various stages of dress and undress.  In, to the room with the hot tub holding the husband and three women.  I delivered the balloons and left wondering – men only?

As involved as I have been with many holidays, I find New Year celebrations less than fulfilling.  Other people stay up to watch the new year come in.  Staying up until midnight is nothing new for me.  That is the time I go to bed¸ every night.  I don’t understand the excitement of watching the New York ball drop.  I don’t understand the excitement that comes for some of the difference that occurs from 11:59 pm and 12:01 am of those dates.  And, the making of resolutions that often dissolve in the first twenty-four hours puzzles me.  That doesn’t mean that I don’t make plans.  I do.  But, ditching an ill-planned resolution seems so defeating to me.  So, when I plan I call it my “reinvention project” for that new year.  I even determine the intended completion dates, the things that I need to accomplish the goal, etc.  Of course, I don’t meet all of the goals I’ve set for the “reinvention,” but I do have a record of the attempts to meet them.  And, if the goal isn’t met by year’s end, it will work for next year.  Or, the half year.  Or, the 1/4 or 3/4 part of the year.

The sacred religious holidays are important to me.  Church, gifts when appropriate, and fun.  Always fun.  Years ago, Larry, his sister, her husband, and I would hide Easter eggs throughout the house and yard.  After the adults hid the eggs that were found by the girls, the children hid them.  And, they were very good at hiding eggs; better in a lot of ways than the adults.  One time, we (adults) looked for an hour for the eggs.  No eggs.  Not a single one.  The girls had to tell us where they were – all together in the stove’s oven.  That upped the game, considerably!

July fourth was always fun.  We have a relatively large back yard, so we would invite friends and relatives (about fifty or sixty) for a 4 pm dinner.  Everyone shared a family-favorite dish.  I always prepared the meat – usually, “Rita Rubin’s Chicken Legs.”*  It was a great time to have a meal and talk with people about what the last year had brought.  By dusk, the revelers disappeared to watch fire works, and I had a much appreciated time for coffee and another piece of cake or pie or whatever before clean up.  I love to have given a party.

Then came the day that Daughter #3 decided her wedding was to be July 4; and to be at our house.  Daughters #1 and #3, son-in-law to be, and Larry made sure that the back yard was pristine.  Bob’s mom created the table decorations – pansies in small baskets.  I made the wedding dress, as well as the maid-of-honor’s dress.  The three of us went to a cloth store to purchase the materials and patterns for each garment.  The bride wanted a specific kind of lace for her dress.  She has good taste, and the lace cost about $40 a yard.  When we arrived home from the buying trip, the bride showed her dad the lace and told him what it cost.  Being the “dark Lutheran,” he made no comment about the beauty of the lace and how it would look on the dress.  His only comment to me was, “What if you make a mistake?”  I’m not sure that he felt any more secure about the lace when I told him that I didn’t expect to make a mistake.  And, if I did, I’d go get more lace!

Many guests were invited.  The cake was three separate cakes from our favorite bakery (Child’s Pastry Garden, which is no longer in business); each cake sat on a white, antique cake salver, and those rested on the table and the two risers that Larry made.  I had prepared the meal with family recipes and a breakfast potato recipe given to me by the owner of the Emerson House bed and breakfast.  All in all, it was a pretty good day.  This couple has now celebrated their twenty-fifth anniversary.

There are many more holidays, of course.  Labor Day.  Halloween (my dad’s birthday was Halloween).  Veteran’s Day.  Thanksgiving.  Although not technically holidays, birthdays become celebrations, if they are handled right.  Daughter #3 was born the day after Christmas.  And, no.  We never celebrated her birthday along with Christmas celebration.  We always had a separate celebration for her on December 26.  Always!

Holidays come and go.  Some are more memorable than others.  Generally, I think, they are what you make of them.  I hope and pray that you have great ones!

*The recipe for this easy-to-make, delicious dish will be provided on request.

Be Safe and Be Well

The Cranky Crone

Thoughtful comments are greatly appreciated.