“Our first CHRISTmas”

We were newlywed and had just had Thanksgiving at both parents house and it was time to get ready for our first CHRISTmas together.

I had just got a raise and I imagine our salaries were about the same.   We had spent and spent getting set up for housekeeping.  You know little things like pepper etc that really finally add up.

We lived in the old Than Rogers house at the end of the boulevard and up a bluff with two tiers of steps.  It was really old and very inconvenient but there was a nice couple who had a little mom n pop store abut the size of our den and residence in back.  They must have had the same rag bologna and hoop cheese supplier as Doc Williams and Bill Berry for it was really good.  We also traded some with Miss Katie McNeil who had about the same things.  Mostly we bought groceries at Clack`s on the bypass.  James Turnbow was the grocer and he was as strict as Clint Hopkins about what he sold.  Prices were good so we ate whatever we wanted and did not look at prices.  He really had the best meat and produce around.

 Jimbo Adams and Katie moved into the a joining apartment. 

We found out about a corporate property with a few wild CHRiSTmas trees free for the taking.

Now our ceilings were probably 12 feet minimum so we wanted BIG trees.   We found the perfect shaped trees for both apartments.  No store bought for us.   When we got home I realized that a tree with a base five or six inches was a little more than we thought in the field.  We had tied them to the top of the cars to haul them home but they really were the best shaped trees we saw.  With much cutting down from the bottom they were still 4” higher than the ceiling.  Let them bend and let the angel be sleeping.

Katie came over one day and asked if I would go to Coopers fix it shop and look at a rifle she was looking at for Jimbo.  I did and I fell in love with it myself.   It was a little 22 sadle gun.  Single shot.  I loved it and told her so.

We had not bought near enough decorations for a full grown tree so we filled in with homemade and lots of aluminum icicles.  I mean lots.  The walls were so thin that when the wind blew the wall paper would move and in turn move the icicles.   We could watch our little portable black and white TV and watch the icicles moving.  It really was a pretty tree after all.

On CHRISTmas day we were exchanging gifts and when I opened one and was playing with whatever it was I looked around and there was Frieda holding MY new 22 saddle gun and wearing the prettiest smile you ever saw.  It seems that the girls had pulled the same thing on Jimbo so we both got them.

The only CHRISTmas as good was the first CHRISTmas after Debbie and Tracey were big enough to know what was going on.  CHRISTmas is giving love as the Savior did who was born on that day and not gifts. 

Naturally with birthdays on the 29 it was tempting to hold a CHRISTmas gift back for birthdays.

When the Post Office job in Clinton was posted I applied for the substitute job and back then an applicant had to live in the zip where they applied so we had to move but once again we were able to enjoy the many friends in both communities.  I really hated to move since I was living in Hickman and working in Hickman county.