As I celebrate Christmas in another province for the first time in my life, I’ m thinking back to all those things that happened on Christmas Eve when I was growing up on the farm in the ‘80s.
Firm but fair
One year, when I was really young, my family went to Lethbridge to see a movie a few days before Christmas Eve. It was “The Pink Panther Strikes Again”, which in retrospect was probably not for kids. Afterwards, my parents took me to the Lethbridge Brewery Hill which was decked out in Christmas lights. It was just awesome and, even without a brewery, it is still a great Christmas light display.
One year, when I was really young, my family went to Lethbridge to see a movie a few days before Christmas Eve. It was “The Pink Panther Strikes Again”, which in retrospect was probably not for kids. Afterwards, my parents took me to the Lethbridge Brewery Hill which was decked out in Christmas lights. It was just awesome and, even without a brewery, it is still a great Christmas light display.
While we enjoyed the lights, I had mentioned I was anxious to open presents. My Mom comforted me, saying it was just a couple more days, breaking it down into one more day of school, then a night then another day, then it was Christmas Eve.
I remember how kind, but firm, my Mom was.
No presents until Christmas Eve.
Waiting isn’t so bad
As I got older, patience indeed did become a virtue. I had no problem waiting to open presents. Usually, we had to wait anyway, whether it was for my brother and his wife, and later children, to come from Calgary; or my sister to come first from Calgary, then later from Lethbridge when she moved there. Throughout the 1980s, my brother and sister made it to the farm for every Christmas. The only exception was when we went to Calgary to celebrate Christmas at my brother’s in 1989.
As I got older, patience indeed did become a virtue. I had no problem waiting to open presents. Usually, we had to wait anyway, whether it was for my brother and his wife, and later children, to come from Calgary; or my sister to come first from Calgary, then later from Lethbridge when she moved there. Throughout the 1980s, my brother and sister made it to the farm for every Christmas. The only exception was when we went to Calgary to celebrate Christmas at my brother’s in 1989.
When I was a teenager, I remember my brother and his wife teasing me about waiting until at least 9 p.m. to open presents. By then, I was already doing a lot of writing. I think I was working on a play at that point, and just started working at that. They called out to me from the living room and said they were joking.
I told them I was coming – when I finished the thought I was writing.
Patience had become a virtue.
Gift opening
The presents were always the most important thing, and I still remember many of them vividly. Often the ideas came from other people who already had the toys, and I had the chance to try them out.
The presents were always the most important thing, and I still remember many of them vividly. Often the ideas came from other people who already had the toys, and I had the chance to try them out.
There was a microscope, similar to one Ian Schumacher at school had. There was the 75-in-One, an intricate electric circuit board where I connected wires in certain patterns to make everything from a siren to a door bell. My cousin Thomas Ginter had that first. There was also a ghetto blaster from Sears which was the exact same one that my friend and neighbour Mat had.
There were also toys that built on what I had. After I bought my own Intellivision, my parents bought me the game cartridge “Triple Action” while my brother and his wife bought me “NHL Hockey”. After I got a Commodore-64 computer, my parents bought me the game cartridge “Kickman”.
There were big ticket items such as a ghetto blaster in 1984, and a VCR in 1985, and some time before that an exercise bike.
My siblings also surprised me with some pretty cool gifts that were based on my actual interests. My sister went to the University of Victoria in the Fall of 1988 and brought me back a UVIC hockey jersey for Christmas. My brother saw that I liked the Calgary Stampeders, so he bought me an actual Calgary Stampeders t-shirt. This was at a time there wasn’t that much merchandise around, like now. He bought it from a store called “Forzani’s Locker Room”. That was extra cool to me because the owners were the brothers of current Stampeder Tom Forzani, number 22, and one of my favourite players.
Before game consoles, there were handheld video games. One Christmas I got “Merlin” which had several games including “Memory” and “Tic Tac Toe” or “X’s and O’s” as I liked to call. Another year I got “Wildfire”, an electronic handheld pinball game, which I had played at a junior high dance instead of, you know, dancing. I even remember one of our teachers, Mr. Matson, asking us why we brought a video game to a dance if we were going to spend all our time in the hallway. Another year I got Mattel hockey.
Another, sort of handheld video game, was this electronic trivia game “Quiz Wiz”. You could buy different sets of questions. Each one came with a special electronic thing attached to the actual book of trivia questions that you plugged in to the game’s brain. The game came with the standard general interest questions, which my parents got me. Then my brother gave me this one that was all sports. Again, he had provided a present based on seeing what I was interested in.
What’s next
The interesting thing about opening presents. There is all this build up and anticipation then it happens – and it’s over. Often, I would play with my new toys, but then what?
The interesting thing about opening presents. There is all this build up and anticipation then it happens – and it’s over. Often, I would play with my new toys, but then what?
Usually we would watch TV and our wide selection of three channels. That meant, on a number of occasions, watching “The Sound of Music” on Channel 13 or “It’s a Wonderful Life” or “A Christmas Carol” on Channel 9.
I was often pretty wiped, because I always fell asleep during “The Sound of Music” and never saw the end.
Gets me to the church on time
Just once, my Dad took us all to Midnight Mass at St. Ambrose Church in Coaldale, including my Mom who was not Catholic. I have a few outstanding memories.
Just once, my Dad took us all to Midnight Mass at St. Ambrose Church in Coaldale, including my Mom who was not Catholic. I have a few outstanding memories.
My Mom was obviously uncomfortable. I had been going to mass every Sunday with my Dad, so I knew how it went. I had a routine as I followed along in this little book we had, called a missalette. When we got to the church, my Mom took it from me, looked through it a second, then kept it, but never looked at it again. I was kind of hurt by that. Looking back, she was obviously suffering from anxiety and I couldn’t blame her.
The church was packed and the air was thick. We stood for long periods of time. I felt faint at one point, and Mom took me to the car. I spent the rest of the service lying in the front seat. I dozed and was awakened by my family returning from service.
The parking lot was full of people, so my Dad drove slowly. Suddenly my brother rolled down his window, and exclaimed, “Stan, you rowdy!” It was his friend Stanley Rach. I recall thinking it cool that my brother had friends around.
New kid in town
Things changed with the birth of my first niece in March of 1986. My Mom in particular was so excited that first Christmas she forgot I was still a kid. She focused all her attention on the baby, and thought it would be cool to have the baby open my presents. She wasn’t old enough yet, so she was just as excited about a piece of wrapping paper as what was inside. My sister-in-law quickly pointed out to my Mom that maybe I did want to open my own presents.
Things changed with the birth of my first niece in March of 1986. My Mom in particular was so excited that first Christmas she forgot I was still a kid. She focused all her attention on the baby, and thought it would be cool to have the baby open my presents. She wasn’t old enough yet, so she was just as excited about a piece of wrapping paper as what was inside. My sister-in-law quickly pointed out to my Mom that maybe I did want to open my own presents.
My Mom could get lost in the moment like that.
On the road
In like November of 1989, my Mom informed me we were spending Christmas at my brother’s in Calgary that year. I was really surprised by that because, as always, I was never asked about anything, just told. It was a tad unsettling at first, but I warmed to the idea pretty quickly. I was becoming more mature and empathetic, so I could see why my brother would want to be in his own house. His son was born in May of 1989 so he had two kids now, plus his aging mother-in-law, who was an amazing lady, was in Calgary. Besides neither I nor my sister had a partner of any kind at the time to draw us in another direction.
In like November of 1989, my Mom informed me we were spending Christmas at my brother’s in Calgary that year. I was really surprised by that because, as always, I was never asked about anything, just told. It was a tad unsettling at first, but I warmed to the idea pretty quickly. I was becoming more mature and empathetic, so I could see why my brother would want to be in his own house. His son was born in May of 1989 so he had two kids now, plus his aging mother-in-law, who was an amazing lady, was in Calgary. Besides neither I nor my sister had a partner of any kind at the time to draw us in another direction.
It ended up being a cool Christmas, and a great way to end the decade. The funny thing was, that was the only Christmas we did not spend at my parents’ house either on the farm or, after 1991, in Lethbridge.
Parting thoughts
I always looked forward to Christmas, and Christmas Eve was such a great time. I have so many great memories.
I always looked forward to Christmas, and Christmas Eve was such a great time. I have so many great memories.
Beyond the family and the presents there is this warm feeling of familiarity and belonging. As I got older and left the farm to go off to university, I knew I could always come home.
It was the one place on Earth I knew always had a place for me.
No matter where I was, I always went home for Christmas. Whether it was the farm or my brother’s place in Calgary, it was home because that’s where my family was.
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