Childhood
Christmas
As a little
girl growing up
my family was
very poor you see.
We didn't have
money for presents
but we
always had a Christmas tree.
One year my
friend and I walked
over a
mile as my family didn't have a car
to
buy a little tree which we carried
back and
it was really quite far.
During
the year, for my mom's change
I could be an
unrelenting pest
for her
nickels, dimes and pennies
but the
quarters were the best.
Mom would hang
cards we received
on the wall
strung on a ribbon of green.
We'd
play a game of who they were from
and my
favorites were the snow scenes.
Before Christmas with all the change I saved
I'd buy little presents for my mom and dad
and for
my brother and sister still at home
the biggest
candy bars that the store had.
As I wrapped
those simple presents
such feelings
of joy overwhelmed me.
They were
bought and wrapped with love
and placed
proudly under the tree.
One year we
couldn't afford a tree
so I found
a big tumbleweed.
I sprayed it
with flocking and
strung it with
colored beads.
We may not
have had much
But
our Christmas was good.
We had turkey
with all the trimmings
as there was
always plenty of food.
Some of
my most memorable holidays
from which I
will never part
were the ones
in my childhood
when I gave to
others from my heart.
Poem by Carol
Barton
Copyright 2004
~ Carol Barton
