Here we are, at the beginning of the last month of the year. 2022 is about to pull into the station, and 2023 is getting ready to head out into the great unknown that is the future. But, before that all happens, let’s pause to join together, revel in some good fellowship, and tell a few stories
“Good Tidings: Stories of Comfort and Joy” is the grand finale of Better Said Than Done’s storytelling year. It’s both show and celebration. So, put on that ugly sweater, light some candles, pop some crackers, kick your feet up, and log on to join us on Zoom at 8:00 P.M. Eastern, Thursday, December 8th, 2022. Our own fabulous Jessica Robinson will be your ho-ho-hostess with the mostest, and she’ll be sharing the virtual space with a wonderful, lively group of holiday merrymakers: Walt Belcher, Judy Clapper, Pam Faro, Rachel Hedman, Erin Johnston, Angela Lloyd, Teri Lott, Ria Spencer, and Joel Ying!
I kept the prompt for our tellers sweet and simple this time around…
Tell us about a favorite holiday memory.
And they did not disappoint. Check out their responses…
Walt Belcher: On Christmas morn 1954, Santa had left me a cowboy outfit: hat, vest, and chaps. Best of all I got the 50-piece Roy Rogers Double Bar Ranch toy set with plastic figures of Roy and his horse Trigger. I played with this for hours. My Dad put on my little cowboy hat and chased me around the Christmas tree. I was 7 years old and from that day on, we shared a love for all things cowboy.
Judy Clapper: My favorite holiday memories were Christmas at my grandma’s house. All of us – grandparents, parents, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, nieces, and cousins would come together for this family potluck/Christmas party. While the ladies were downstairs making noodles, rolls, pies, cookies, meats, etc., the guys were upstairs watching football. Since my cousins’ last name is Houston, they cheered on the Houston Oilers. Some gifts were exchanged. One particular Christmas, as a child, my uncle gave me my very first camera – a Polaroid One step. I’ve been hooked on taking photos ever since.
Pam Faro: My parents raised us kids to not believe in Santa Claus. We loved playing the game – pretending we believed, secretly tucking little gifts anonymously into stockings, not knowing who each stocking gift was from. It’s the way I raised my kids, too. We enjoyed leaving cookies and milk and oats for Santa and his reindeer on Christmas Eve, wink-wink. And we always knew that all the gifts under the tree were lovingly chosen and given to each other by family members. I wouldn’t want it any other way.
Rachel Hedman: Everybody makes a list in our home. By “everybody,” I really mean our three kids. When pushed enough, my husband and I also exchange lists even though “stuff” is not as exciting as when we were kids. I listed the usual things: storytelling books, blouses, etc. Then came Christmas. My husband got me a turquoise wig with curls on the bottom with streaks of pink and purple. Nowhere on my list did I put down wigs. He came up with it on his own. It proved that my husband really knew me. He knew me better than myself. Ever since that time, I love wigs AND caps.
Erin Johnston: When I was an acting student in NYC, the school gave us tickets to The Glass Menagerie on Broadway. The day before we made leaf piles and jumped in them and the night before we watched the blowing up of the parade balloons. We went out for dinner after the matinee, to a well-known actors’ hangout. It felt so odd to be in a restaurant and to eat steak and not turkey, but the excitement of being young and in NYC living our dreams filled our hearts with memories.
Angela Lloyd: Every Christmas Eve, our family attended the late-night services. Winter 1970, my brother Richard was freely playing a recorder. Our mother asked us to play the opening processional. We began outside the church and processed into the candlelit sanctuary. Richard and I played the perky march on recorder, Tim played a bass hand-drum, Christopher, our youngest kept time on tambourine. Our tempo was andante, an easy walking pace. Can you hear it? This tradition began in Bogota, Colombia, and became our family connection in NY, Palma de Mallorca, Ft. Lauderdale and Westport, CT.
Teri Lott: One of my most memorable Christmases started on December 23rd with an urgent long-distance call from our aunt which led to frantic packing and finally a treacherous car ride slipping and sliding on icy roads. Of course my brother and I were oblivious to our dad’s driving trauma. Our concern was how Santa would know where we were. But on Christmas morning, the bikes we had so desperately wanted were under our aunt’s tree!
Ria Spencer: After Christmas dinner at my Aunt and Uncle’s house me, my sister, and the half a dozen cousins that were visiting got sent to the rec room to watch cartoons. We stretched out our sleeping bags and turned on the TV. That’s when we realized they had the most wondrous thing – they had cable TV! None of us did back home. We quickly locked eyes and made a plan. Especially since all the grown-ups were upstairs and no one was watching. So we ditched the cartoons, turned the volume down low, and watched Salem’s Lot – a Stephen King flick that’s all about vampires. Best Christmas ever!
(We did not receive a response from Dr. Joel Ying. He will be docked one snowflake cookie at the afterparty.)
Those wonderful anecdotes certainly put me in the holiday spirit! If they got you feeling festive, why don’t you join us on December 8th to bask in even more cheer and delight. We’ll open the party on Zoom at 8:00 P.M., and the merriment starts once all you fantastic folks are “in the door,” as it were. Tickets start at a $5 minimum contribution, with a $15 suggested amount, and additional tiers for those of you feeling generous in this season of giving.
