A PRAIRIE CHRISTMAS……
It was Christmas Eve, 1920….four little boys anxiously awaited the arrival of their father who had gone to town.
A real prairie blizzard had started up; the windows were frosted over and the wind was howling. The little boys ran up the steep staircase to look out of the upstairs hall window. They could see nothing but a swirling mass of snowflakes pounding against the window.
Ma was downstairs baking bread and Christmas goodies, quietly singing Christmas songs, but they knew she was worried too. Daddy was long overdue and it was Christmas Eve!
“Boys”, she called out. “Wash up and come to the table – we’ll just have supper without your Daddy tonight.” The four little boys quietly went down stairs and washed at the little table where the wash basin and towels always sat.
Suddenly there was the clatter of horses’ hooves and the tinkling of sleigh bells. The four little boys ran to the door and before their Ma could stop them, they flew outside just in time to see their Daddy pull up to the barn. He was covered with snow and had icicles in his hair. Icicles dripped from his heavy winter coat and on the edges of his blanket that covered his knees.
“Daddy!” they cried. “You’re home. Ma has been worried. Did you see Santa Claus? Is he coming here tonight? Will the snow keep him from coming? We have cookies and a hot drink ready for him!”
“Yes, boys, Santa has already been here! I just passed him out on the north field and he dropped a bag onto my sleigh and wished me a Merry Christmas!”
Daddy jumped down from his sleigh and quickly unhooked the horses. Calling to his two older sons, he got them to help him get the horses into the barn. To the two little ones, he sent them scurrying back into the house, to the warmth of the fire and the care of their mother.
When the horses and sleigh were safely away, Daddy picked up his two boys and threw them over his shoulder and carried them into the house.
Ma had started to put supper on the table, but Daddy said “no, wait… I have gifts for the boys and some for you, too!”
Daddy pulled from his sack the treasures he had found in his day long trip to town. For his oldest son, a replica of a beautiful model T ford with a rumble seat; for his second son, a shiny, chrome harmonica with ivory teeth; for his third son, a finely crafted regal black stallion complete with saddle and bridle; for his youngest son, a brightly detailed engine with a car and a caboose. For his wife, a silk scarf all the way from Japan and a delicate, fragrant bottle of perfume, things that a prairie housewife would never think to ask for.
Ma quietly went into the pantry and came back with gaily wrapped presents. Socks, mittens and toques for her boys – and for their daddy too! Ma had also knit warm sweaters for each of the boys and for their daddy a set of strings for his fiddle.
After dinner, Daddy said “Gordon, go look over by the door, I think I forgot something!” Gordon ran over and there by the boots was another sack……full of Christmas candy and oranges! While the boys had their fill, Ma played the piano and Daddy played the fiddle, filling the house with Christmas music.
The wind was still howling, the snow still coming down, but the Christmas of 1920 remained a good memory for one of the little boys. The next morning they would see what Santa brought but tonight was just for the family!
Josias and Bessie Shaw always made Christmas warm and special for their children. Josias would save all year and go to town for a whole day to find just the right gift for each of his boys.
The four little boys were my Uncle Gordon who was 8, my Dad Russell, who was 6, my Uncle Arnold (Bill), who was 4 and my uncle Ernie, who was 2.