White Christmas

From the Calico Quilter, the Radio Guy and Molly the calico cat in snowy Tennessee, a blessed Christmas to you and yours this season. May you be happy, healthy and safe.

Wouldn't you like a nice doll, little girl?

Thinking about Christmas presents reminded me of a story my mother tells. My grandfather was a coal miner and Mom grew up in coal camps in Kentucky and West Virginia. When she was young, she was a terrible tomboy, the one where the neighborhood kids would come to the window and holler for her to come out and play sports with them instead of her brothers.

One year, she wanted a football for Christmas. Oh no, her parents said, little girls don't need footballs. Never mind that she was a regular on the neighborhood teams. She was also the girl who beat everyone at marbles, playing "keeps" too, and who had to sneak upstairs with her booty and hide them before my grandmother caught her and made her give the kids their marbles back.

Anyway, Christmas came and someone from the camp played Santa for the kids, going house to house and delivering gifts on Christmas Eve. Of course she and her siblings were delighted to see him until he pulled out a doll from his pack and presented it to her. A doll? She didn't want a doll! She wanted a football!

Of course, she let it be known that Santa had got it all wrong. And Santa put the doll back into his pack and left her with no present at all. Later, the guy who played Santa returned the doll to my grandmother, who put it on mom's bed. It sat there for a long time. And was never played with.

Merry Christmas to all

The aroma of roasting turkey is wafting through the house, there's candied sweet potatoes and dressing baking, and turkey stock is waiting to be turned into turkey gravy. Presents have been opened, heartfelt greetings exchanged by phone to loved ones far away, and an aura of goodwill hovers over the house.

It's all good.

I wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year, especially all the quilters whose work entertains and inspires me throughout the year.

And we've not forgotten the meaning of the holiday. To quote Tiny Tim: "God bless us, every one."

For unto us a child is born,.....

.....unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

A blessed Christmas to everyone.