Yellowed candle sticks

 

Most of the colored lights on his plastic tree were burned out, and the tinsel was dull. The cat had made it home, and before long, he imagined the dog would attack the cat and the tree would fall. All these things would have bothered him in his younger days, but he finds it amusing today.

Store-bought cookies replace the real thing, and a Christmas ham is a package of bores head thin-sliced tavern ham.

He listens to the classic Christmas songs and tries to sing along, but they bring back so many holidays spent with family and friends that he chokes up and listens. He still puts out the figurines she loved: the manger scene, a dozen snow globes, an empty holiday cookie tin, and a set of three candle sticks that sat on a window ledge, once white, now faded yellow. Years past, he replaced a burned-out bulb that was brighter than the other two, but that was okay.

He had no plans for Christmas, just like the past thirteen spent alone. He allowed himself to indulge in a snort of Irish whiskey, maybe two, as he searched his memories of holidays passed, re-living the laughter that once filled the house and the joy of children's voices like that of a choir as they did their best to sing his favorite Christmas songs.

Where did Christmas go? He asked himself, but he knew the answer, and his tears began to fall.

As the clock struck midnight, he looked towards the fireplace and remembered all those children who snuck out of their beds only to see the jolly old man himself eating a cookie and putting carrots into the pocket of his red coat. He counted on one of them making a noise so he could look in the direction it came from, resulting in their bare feet running full speed ahead and jumping back in bed. After he and Mrs. put the presents under the tree, he changed out of his Santa suit and put it away until the next year came around.

He said out loud, " So many happy memories," as the last few lights on his old plastic tree finally went dark. The cat came out, and the dog chased it around the tree that finally fell, but that was okay. He thought to himself that maybe he'd get a new one next year, but he doubted that.

Sitting in his favorite chair by the light of three yellowed candle sticks and one bulb brighter than the other two, he felt the magic of Christmas and the blessings of memories that took him on his Christmas journey of life passed but never once forgotten.

Mike 2024