As the Grove clan prepares to move forward with the addition of a new family member, I also find myself looking back. The Holidays are a natural time to reflect on the past year and previous Christmases. Having lost mom less than 3 years ago I find she still dominates my recollections this time of year. From the great food and of course presents to the comfy atmosphere with decorations in every corner of every room, I only have fond memories of the Holidays at the house on North Star Road. Mom's zeal for the season and joy in traditions made the time fun. I can still hear her singing certain Christmas carols when they come on the radio. I hope we can pass warm memories like these along to our children.
One of Mom's traditions was to collect Christmas themed Anna Lee dolls, which are known for having each face hand painted so no two are exactly the same. Admittedly they are an acquired taste. If I had never seen them before I'm sure I'd have no attachment to them, but unbiased opinions have no place in memories or tradition. Mom amassed such a collection that she gave me one of the larger Santas she had while I was in college. So he went with me too my stops in college and grad school and back to Columbus. I'd always set him out during the season, sometimes my only decoration, over the years he has been knocked over many times, been attacked by cats, and been stored improperly. Hardly the way to treat a fragile doll.
We didn't think anything of it when we were unpacking decorations and placed him on top of the TV, just another year of the mildly beat up Santa to look over us. But Eleanor wasn't going to let him sit there so easily. While ignoring many of the Christmas decorations we thought she'd like she started emphatically grunting and pointing at him and demanded we bring him down for inspection. Nora was a but scared at first but soon warmed up to him and spent hours looking at his stocking and candy cane and pointing over and over at his facial features and beard. The first night we actually had to put Santa "night night" (in a closet) because anytime we took him away but she could see him she demanded he come back down. Over the past couple weeks he is the first one she waves to when we walk into the room and he gets special "bye byes" when we leave. She still wants to play with him everyday and points/waves to him constantly. Even if she is playing with something else she wants him nearby.
One night Wendy said what I was thinking while Nora was obsessing over Santa, "That's her Grandma in her." It's incredibly sweet to see Eleanor takes to something Mom loved and cherished. It makes me sad they never met as I know Mom would have delighted in Nora and her antics and would have been tickled to no end that she loves Anna Lees. But I know I carry a lot of Mom in me as does Santa.
No comments:
Post a Comment