My earliest childhood memories are muted in black and white with my cousin Ted nearby. He was a constant playmate in the large brick two-flat in which our family lived. The house on Congress Street was filled with family; aunts and uncles and cousins, my parents and sister, and my Yia Yia. The photos are many of Teddy and Penny with Christmas presents, sitting on Santa’s lap at Marshall Field’s, and some with a Christmas tree in the background.
There are stories, too, of Christmases past, especially the one where my dad conjured up Santa Clause talking to Teddy and me through the heating ducts. “Penny. Teddy.” the voice boomed. “Have you been good?“, our toddler heads pumping yes up and down like bobble headed dolls. The masterful storytellers that wove the stories year after year are now long gone, but the tales, they linger on.
That magical junction where Christmas memories become my own merge in our small house on Harrison Street in Maywood. The lively cast of characters still played their roles, but, in separate houses next to each other, with my Yia Yia living in our house.
The magic of Christmas began in the early morning under the same Congress Street Christmas tree, which followed us to the suburbs. The tree has a story of her own that I will tell one day.
On Christmas morn, at the foot of tree, were two felt stockings, their toes rounded and plump with an orange in each toe; one stocking for my sister and one for me. Inside the stockings were trinkets befitting young girls of the 1950’s; a necklace or bracelet, a candy cane, a toy. My stocking was decorated in pink with a ballerina appliqué on it; proof that Santa has a sense of humor.
It did not really matter to me what my stocking held. What mattered was that the stocking appeared each year – and that it was filled to bulging with a fragrant orange. We had those stockings every Christmas Day in the morning throughout my childhood. As we grew older, the stockings were filled with other small treasures, evolving as we did, until they held such things as lip gloss and oval, plastic eggs holding Legg’s pantyhose.
What I remember the most, however, are the oranges and it is oranges (or tangerines or Clementines these days that evoke Christmas memories in me.
Ma gave each of us our Christmas stockings to keep when we were on our own. When Tom and I married, I bought us new, matching stockings that we would fill for each other. How fun it would be to come home from work or awake in the morning to find our stockings a little fuller as the days until Christmas neared. What could that little wrapped box mean? or that odd shaped tissue paper lump?
When our children came along, they each had a stocking of their own, which, each in their turn was filled as well. When they became engaged, a Christmas stocking appeared for each of our then future sons-in-law, and those stockings followed each couple into their own marriages.
The constant in my Christmas stocking(s) has always been an orange; with its taste and scent and nostalgia. Besides, how else does that toe in the stocking become full?
Addition to post: Teddy and Penny on Santa’s lap in Marshall Fields.
There is a heartwarming and sensitive movie; which is sometimes sad and harsh, but always hopeful, called Christmas Oranges. Have you seen it?
Orange Toes is such a happy Christmas remembrance. You and Tom shared so many fun days growing up and it seems he was like a brother. Santa Claus at Marshall Fields must have been spectacular! Do you have a photo?
Your father knew just what to do to make sure little ones would be good! That made me laugh. I can imagine how that solemn voice from afar made you feel! I haven’t seen the movie but plan to order the book.
And the evolution of the Christmas stockings in your family will continue over the years to come. I hope you still have the one with the ballerina on it.
This is an example of how traditions can include not only events but sounds and smells like the pungent orange. Thank you for writing this.
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Marilyn, he is like a brother to me and will be celebrating his birthday on New Year’s Eve. We are 26 days apart, with me the eldest, a fact he never, ever lets me forget. All in good fun. I’ve attached a photo of Ted and me on Santa’s lap to the body of the post.
Legend has it that our eyes were “as big as saucers” when Santa Claus called to us. My dad was fun with children.
I think you will enjoy the book.
Unfortunately, the ballerina stocking fell apart some years ago and is no longer. If I ever come across one, however, I will snap it up.
You are so very welcome, Marilyn. You provided me with incentive to write about this and to remember, all good things. It is interesting how sound and smells play into our traditions, isn’t it? When I bake Tom’s aunt Ethel’s molasses cookies, which we affectionately call Ethel cookies, I keep them in a Tupperware cake carrier. I think I enjoy opening it and smelling the spices as much as I enjoy eating the cookies. 🙂
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Such fun to read your family traditions, Penny! ‘Christmas Oranges’ looks like such a heartwarming movie! I’ll have to look for it! Happy New Year! ♡
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It is a heartwarming movie, Dawn, filled with good spirit and, of course, redemption and the oranges; ah, the oranges play a pivotal role in the story.
Happy New Year to you as well. I keep meaning to go back to your lovely, most recent post and comment – and will. 🙂
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I have not seen that movie, but will look for it. This post was lovely to read Penny and I could smell the scent of oranges the whole time! 🙂 Stockings are big in this house too, in fact, as the kids have gotten older the stockings are becoming the main event on Christmas morning as we begin to edge away from the bigger gifts.
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Thanks, Janet. There is something about reaching in (or dumping out) the contents of a stocking that have a certain thrill to it. Sometimes those smaller gift sizes can be heftier in cost, though. What fun it must be at your house on Christmas morning. Glad you got to have all three kids there this year. 🙂
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Hello Penny,
Just had to say I am so glad you had that photo close at hand of you and Ted on Santa’s lap. It is precious! Are those bows in your hair or am I seeing something else? Now if you could only remember what your Christmas wishes were that would be another story? Ho, ho!
I hope Ted reads your blog. And what does he remember about that visit to Santa Claus? I’ll stop with the questions/comments.
Hope you have your black-eyed peas and greens ready for dinner tomorrow. Am not sure if that is a Chicago tradition (Yankee) ! or just a Southern one.
I copied this from another blog and thought you would like it:
” Time for the days of this year to become hours…minutes…seconds… We were brave, we loved, we cried, we laughed…we did the best we could in all circumstances and we are lucky we can start again.” The Dutchess 12/29/14
Those are my feelings also.
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I always keep this photo out, Marilyn, so it was one that was easy to find. You have good eyesight, my friend, for yes, indeed, those are big white bows in my hair. I think we were about 2 years old. From the looks of my squirming, my only wish was to get off of poor Santa’s lap. 🙂 I only wish I knew if this was the Christmas that Santa spoke to us from the heating vents and wish I had asked that question.
Ted doesn’t usually read my blog, but, as today is his birthday, I posted it on my Facebook page and he saw it there. It looks like he was distracted in the photo.
No, we don’t do the black-eyed peas and greens for New Years Day, but, I have several friends of Yankee stock who do. It sounds so good to me. One of these years I’ll have to cross the Mason/Dixon line and try making it.
What a wonderful quote, Marilyn. I sometimes read The Duchess, but did not see this and am so grateful to be gifted it by you as I read it now, late afternoon of New Year’s Eve. We are lucky we can start again, and so we shall. Happy New Year, Marilyn.
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You know I love this post! Don’t know the movie and will look for it.
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I am so very pleased to know that you did, Sallie.
I think you would enjoy this movie. One of main actors, who is stern and unyielding but grows in the course of the story, is Edward Hermann, who just passed away last week. I was sad to hear it.
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I have not seen the movie you’re speaking of, Penny. I just love the photo of you and Teddy with Santa. What a sweet moment to remember and it is a delight to hear how you cherish these special memories as well as really celebrate a special relationship. You write so beautifully of your very sweet family memories and I love to read them! i read Marilyn’s comments about black-eyed peas and greens and that is one of our traditions! My maternal grandmother was born and raised in Mississippi and brought that tradition back to California as a young mother–and my mom and I, and now my daughter are sure to have the pot on the stove every January 1st. Aimee posted something on Facebook about it, with a little note about remembering her great-grandmother. It’s these little traditions, oranges or black-eyed peas or something else, that really do make the holidays mean more to me than a lot of the more obvious festivities. It’s all about those memories. You have shared some lovely ones–and funny! Your dad was quite a card!
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I took too long to read this and reply! This is a great post and wonderful memories. Thanks for sharing this and, more importantly, for passing on the tradition of stockings and oranges. I always loved getting my stocking Christmas morning and can still picture then waiting at the fireplace. We always loved to sneak out and make sure they were there before we work you guys up ?(well, in the early years). Our stockings have been passed on to the kids, who were excited to get their oranges on Christmas morning. Well, Ezra thought they were balls and threw them to the ground, but they tasted great and he quickly realized they were for eating and enjoying.
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It is never too long to read and reply, Katy. Lifeonthecutoff is always open. 🙂
I’m so thrilled that you have these memories and even more so that you are carrying them over to the next generation through Kezzie and Ezra. I did have a bit of a chuckle imagining my favorite young lad tossing the oranges to the ground. I imagine him watching to see if they bounced. 🙂 I’m sure he’ll be more gently next year.
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Thank you for such kind words, Debra. I have been lucky in family and material they have provided. 🙂
What a tasty New Year’s tradition you and Marilyn share and it is so nice that all of the women in your family have carried this meal of black-eyed peas and greens into your new year meals. We carry our family and our memories with us to the table so often, don’t we? Yes, Daddy was quite a card and oh-how-I miss him.
Hope you new years was uneventful, Debra – and your meal tasty. 🙂
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Lovely Christmas memories, Penny. I don’t know that film, but it looks very sweet.
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It is, Perpetua, should you ever come across it. Thank you. 🙂
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