Christmas at the Manor a special time of year.
Yes, each year at the manor Christmas was made special. All the relatives would arrive the night before or the next morning, and it was a festive time. Christmas eve the adults would gather around the bar that took up most of the main room, and drink and be merry. The kids would run around all excited and be happy as can be.
Sleeping was hard for Santa was on the way. The house guests were always up and about all hours of the night and we kids, found it quite hard to sleep.
The house guests mostly were made up of great aunts and uncles. And always the following morning, Christmas Morning after the farm chores were done, our grandfather would drive out to get the even older generation.
Looking back I should have spent more time with them to get to know their stories a bit better. Uncle Jack, the WWII veteran and pilot was sure to get your ear and tell you all about the fighting and the air battles and mystery of it all. As we tried to run past him, every now and then he would reach out and grab hold of one of us and sit you right next to him and off he went with the war. The other kids would tease and laugh about how you were the one to get caught this time, knowing it easily have been them.
Doing the farm chores on Christmas eve and on Christmas was easier for some reason, it didn't feel as cold or the work as hard. The cows seemed more cooperative with the milking and the dogs seemed more cooperative in the kennels.
Christmas morning we were only allowed to open two or three gifts each. The rest had to wait until the evening when all the family was gathered around the tree. And that was only done after the dinner.
Christmas dinner was a big affair, there was a Turkey and all the fixins, and a few special things my grandmother did. She would always prepare some poached wine pears well ahead of Christmas and they were a big part of the dinner. Desert was a tall glass with vanilla ice cream topped with creme de menth, but only for the adults. We had the ice cream only.
Then finally after the dinner was all cleaned up and put away and everyone was seated in the living room, only then would the ladies of the house start handing out presents. It was done one item at a time the name called and the gift handed out.
Those who could not make the event were sure to call the house at some point. The phone would ring and everyone got all excited wanting to talk to the person who was not there. As the phone was passed and the presents passed out, the excitement would grow, and the air was filled with that excitement. Oh it was just as hard to sleep that night as it was the night before.
Christmas at the Manor was a special time.
