by Bobbi Hahn
It seemed like the perfect gift for my father.
You know how hard it is for adult children to select gifts for
their parents. After all, what do they want and/or need, really?
Flannel shirts and ties had been given in abundance over the years,
and since he'd retired, shopping became even more difficult.
He was passionate about photography, but I wouldn't have had the
slightest idea of what sort of equipment he might like.
He was a marvelous gardener, but the tiny garden at their row
house in Philadelphia (before they were known as town homes) had no
need of plants or seeds in December!
I had discovered a wonderful cookbook called Visions of
Sugarplums, by Mimi Sheraton, and decided to make something for him
from it because it contained recipes from all the countries that
celebrate Christmas. He was of Czech descent, and the recipe for a
sweet, braided bread containing almonds sounded perfect because he
loved anything I made, and he also had a sweet tooth.
We purchased all of the ingredients, and my husband numbered the
braids in the illustration so we'd be able to keep them straight. It
smelled divine as it baked, and I was thrilled with its crusty golden
color when I removed it from the oven.
We were living in Ohio by that time, so I packed it carefully
with their other Christmas gifts and sent it off to Philadelphia.
I was not prepared for its reception. My father called with
lavish praise for the bread, saying he couldn't believe his eyes when
he opened the aluminum foil. With great emotion, he told me that
when he and his brothers were very young boys, it was traditional for
the bread -- called vanocka -- to be prepared every Christmas Eve.
I had given him back a beloved childhood memory, all without
thinking! Legend said that every living being in the house had to
partake of the bread before midnight of Christmas Eve, for luck. So
all the dogs and cats, the occasional mouse, and whatever other
creatures lived under their roof had to have a morsel.
That year, my husband and I began a tradition for our sons by
preparing a vanocka for our home, as well. Cats and dogs were
treated to a bite, much to the delight of our young sons.
I made the bread each Christmas until my father died. That
year, I just couldn't bring myself to make it because it brought back
memories of how happy I'd made him with such a simple gift, and it
broke my heart that he would no longer enjoy it. I haven't made it
in the several years since.
But this year, I'm going to have flour dust all over my kitchen
again, and the scent of baking bread and roasted almonds will fill
the air.
Our youngest son and his wife will be sharing Christmas with us,
and it's time to remember the joy a humble loaf of bread unwittingly
brought to my daddy.
-- Bobbi Hahn <fancywriterbobbi at aol.com>
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Bobbi is a freelance writer, poet and calligrapher who lives with her
husband and two cats beside a lagoon on a barrier island off the
coast of South Carolina. She says, "The book is still available, so
if you're looking for some marvelous, traditional Christmas recipes,
find a copy! It's amazing how similar some of the recipes are from
one country to another, differing only by a few ingredients. One
country might use almonds, another walnuts. I love these traditions!"
You can find a copy of the Visions of Sugarplums book Bobbi refers to here:
<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060140364/heart>
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IN THE NAME OF CHRISTMAS
by Maria Harden
Sometimes people amaze me, for different reasons, but recently
it was a good kind of amazement.
As a group, our office at work does a couple of Christmas Cheer
hampers, targeting families in need. This year, it is two families
from a Women's Shelter. One is a mom with five children, the other
mom has four children. They live in suites at the shelter because
it's a safe haven for them -- a life away from the abuse they have
endured at the hands of their husbands or boyfriends.
Donations to the hampers have been rather sparse so far,
although we still have several days before the delivery date. It
will pick up. It always does.
One of the men who works on my floor came to me with an $80 cash
donation. It was money, he said, that had been given to him in
memory of his mother who passed away last December 21. He had saved
it while pondering a suitable charitable organization to donate it
to, and decided on this women's shelter. A very generous and kind
man to think of this. His mother would have liked it, he said. The
money will be used towards gifts or clothing for the children, and
gift cards to grocery stores.
Meanwhile, our office receives a daily newspaper, delivered in
any weather by a faithful carrier. Yesterday, we got a card from the
newspaper carrier wishing us a Merry Christmas and advising us of his
contact information in case of a delivery problem. He also enclosed
a self-addressed envelope if we should wish to provide him with a
gratuity. My first thought was, "Oh yeah. Merry Christmas, and
where's my tip?" But then I realized he delivers to downtown
businesses and most likely never gets a thank you, let alone a
gratuity. My workplace pays the invoice but I have never seen
anything additional included.
It made me think of that movie "Pay It Forward" that came out a
few years ago.
When I get my paper delivered at home, my paper carrier gets a
much deserved gratuity at Christmas, so I thought I would surprise
the office paper carrier and send him one myself. After all, 'tis
the season, right? I slipped a twenty dollar bill into the envelope
and mailed it off with an unsigned note of appreciation. I know it's
not much but I hope he at least appreciates the thought.
The man at work who made the generous donation in the name of
his mother made me think of passing it on. Maybe the carrier will be
inspired to do something for someone else too. I'd like to think so.
In the spirit of Christmas, I encourage you to pay it forward or
pass it on if you are so inspired. Do it because you want to,
without expecting anything in return.
Do it in the name of Christmas!
-- Maria Harden <mharden at mts.net>
__________________________________________________
Maria has written for Heartwarmers in the past, as well as other
on-line publications and anthologies. She is not afraid to say those
two words that seem to be banned from daily vocabulary these days --
Merry Christmas!
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