Fa-La-La-La Fun

by Christa Allan

Okay, everyone think of a favorite Christmas memory. Go write it down. Now. Yes, now or you will surely forget it.

Write it on paper, not on your hand or the unpaid bill lurking near the keyboard.

Write every detail you can remember, every smell--even it's the clashing aromas of  seafood gumbo on the stove and pine-scented candles burning on the kitchen table—every touch of someone's hand on your shoulder, every tinkling bell, I'll wait for you to return.

This is me waiting………….

You promise you’ve captured it, right?

Christmas, 1999. The picture I have of the evening is one of my most cherished ones. That was the year of the "Charlie Brown" tree that my younger son John, who was fourteen at the time, and I had chopped down on our land. We lived on eight acres, seven of which were overgrown with towering pines and scrawny bushes and assorted wildness. We found a pine tree wannabe. We dragged it into the house, creating a trailing mess of needles, bark, and oozing sap. I loved every pain of it. And I think the tree loved it as well. After we decorated, I’m certain I caught a glimpse of it smiling for having been chosen.

We're all in front of the fireplace, except for Michael, my oldest. He was in the Navy and stationed in Italy. Ken, me, John, Shannon, Erin pregnant with Bailey, Andrae, John my brother, his partner Rick, Sarah. My Jewish husband, my African-American son-in-law, my gay brother, my daughter with Down’s Syndrome. We look like a politically correct Christmas card. 

We are happy. And that was everything.

So, now it's your turn to share your favorite Christmas memory.

Christa Allan is the author of Walking on Broken Glass, The Edge of Grace, and Love Finds You in New Orleans. Her next novel, Threads of Hope, will release in March of 2013. She and her husband live in New Orleans where they're learning how to take care of a home that's older than their combined ages. When she's not filling her trunk, doing "weed the garden" therapy or baking cheesecakes, Christa teaches high school English. She hopes to retire soon. Very soon. You can find Christa at Twitter (ChristaAllan), Facebook, and www.christaallan.com

I apologize for thee quality of the photo but you get the picture...and I searched for a photo of the tree, but it’s probably hiding out with the gold hoop earring I can’t find.  If it does turn itself in, I’ll be sure to post it.)