Above is a photo of my Christmas tree skirt. Aunt Violet made that for me when she was in her 90s and almost blind. It took her many months and she wrapped in, then mailed it over 2,000 miles to get to me. Christmas will never be the same without her, of course that is always true---a day can never be the same, but for my cousins still left who celebrated Christmas with Aunt Vi, we all feel a special angel is gone.
Actually it was Christmas Eve when Aunt Vi held the big party. Relatives flew in, drove in and walked in, strangers arrived too, but Aunt Vi knew us all. I think anyone who showed up would have been and felt welcomed. So many people!
Aunt Vi and her longtime companion, Ivah, were baking, cooking, and wrapping presents for days in advance. Their large, entire top floor of their house was immaculate with holiday decorations everywhere, many made by their hands. I loved to watch them prepare for the Eve, and I loved to count all the wrapped presents kept in waiting on Aunt Vi's bed. To a child, it was truly a MOUNTAIN of presents. Nobody, even the surprise guest, would go away without at least one wrapped gift.
The food was absolutely perfect and another mountain! No stomach would not be filled. Fresh baked pies, cakes, cookies, along with a turkey or ham, mashed potatoes, and many choices of booze!
Santa often arrived. There were always kids. Laughter indeed FILLED the house. No fighting, no awkward relative meetings, just joy and fun. Before night's end, Aunt Vi would drive us downtown to watch the lighting of a big Santa and sleigh display above our biggest deptartment store! That was Christmas Eve with Aunt Vi.
Christmas day was spent with my family unit of Mom, two older brothers, and me. Mom's big day to cook, She made us each our own little cornish hen! It seemed like a miracle that I would have an entire hen to MYSELF! Then we opened presents from Mom. I knew that some years Aunt Vi was financially behind the gifts, but we all played along that THESE presents were from MOM. We kids gave Mom a gift too. (Aunt Vi made sure of that! Aunt Vi and Ivah worked in a large, for Ft. Wayne, department store, so gifts were easy to come by.)
Aunt Vi knew one day I would miss those wonderful times, and so she sewed by hand, by memory, a skirt for my tree that looks just like the one we gathered around each Christmas Eve.
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