Christmas Memories

As I prepared for Christmas 2009 I could not help but to reflect on Christmas Traditions from my Youth. I recall that in the late 1940s and early 1950s when my Brother and I helped our Dad on Christmas Eve. We lived on a small Farm in Northeast Iowa in Jefferson Township, Clayton County which has as it's Eastern Border the Mississippi River.

Our Family always attended Chruch on Christmas Eve. The Farm Chores were complete. The Animals had been fed and the cows milked. All was well with the Farm. However all the barns, stalls and sheds for the livestock had to be cleaned out and new straw in place so that at Midnight the Farm Animals could bend a knee to show their respect and adoration to the Christ Child. This was a Tradition for my Dad and I suspect that His Dad had established this as a Family Tradition when he was a Young Farm Boy.

I can not verify that information now because my own Dad died on Christmas Eve 1999. He had lived a long complete life and had just celebrated his 86th Birthday.

As I grow older I often look back and realize that my Dad, and also the Dad to my five Siblings was able to instill a sense of pride in all of us. Yes, He expected us to work and to perform to our best ability and Yes, we can all reflect back now and acknowledge that He gave us the guidance and tools to live a successful life.

Was it easy to be a Farmer's Kid? Of course not, but then I consider myself well Blessed because I was a Farmer's Kid. I can state that none of use grew up self centered. There were six of us and we quickly realized that not one of us was the focus of our Parent's Affection.

In fact, a story I am quick to relate is we all enjoyed the same bicycle. We could take turns riding it.