The Day After Christmas

What our tree looked like after we'd denuded it of presents every year.

Are you sighing a big sigh of relief or are you in the after-Christmas doldrums? As kids, it was probably the last one. The only thing we liked about it was showing our friends everything we got for Christmas. If we got a sled, and we prayed hard enough for snow on Christmas and it happened, we went out sledding over on Pacific Street.

But when the Christmas tree went out the door looking sad and naked without all its trimmings, we knew that the great holiday we waited all year for was finally over. The house decorations inside and all the houses with outside lights and decorations soon followed and everything looked lifeless to us for a while.

If you were like my mother, what you looked forward to next was the after-Christmas sales. She’d save things all year for Christmas from some of these sales. These days you can still buy paper and cards after Christmas if you can catch them before they put them all away. They are quick enough to put all that stuff out before Halloween, but they disappear quicker than a Halloween costume.

Here in Georgia, Nanci and I went out for our traditional Christmas breakfast at the Waffle House on Christmas Day. The workers all wished us a “Merry Christmas” as we came in the door. They all had Christmas gear on along with their aprons etc. Some even had reindeer antlers on. I get a kick out of hearing them call out their orders to the cooks. “Drop one bacon, one sausage. One Texas cheese bacon and egg. One scrambled. One scattered and smothered. One scattered and covered.” And if you know what all that means, you’re a true Waffle House patron.

Sometimes we go to the movies on Christmas Day. This year we decided to wait until January when Janet Evanovich’s “One for the Money” comes to the screen. I can’t wait to see Debbie Reynolds as Grandma Mazur.

If you are a fan of Janet’s you know that she writes by the numbers. I got “Explosive Eighteen” for Christmas thanks to Nanci. Janet has a way of making you smile no matter what kind of day you’re having; therefore, she’ll keep me company if I get after-Christmas blues.

A Christmas Story House, located in Cleveland, now restored to its movie splendor, is open year round to the public for tours. Directly across the street from the house is the official A Christmas Story House Museum, which features original props, costumes and memorabilia from the film, as well as hundreds of rare behind-the-scenes photos. Among the props and costumes are the toys from the Higbee’s window, Randy’s snowsuit and zeppelin, the chalkboard from Miss Shields’ classroom and the family car. After reliving A Christmas Story at Ralphie’s house don’t forget to visit the museum gift shop for your own Major Award Leg Lamp and other great movie memorabilia. 

I’m giving you an extra added attraction with this blog. If you are “A  Christmas Story” nut, get to Cleveland someday and see “Ralphie’s” house. Here’s a picture and blurb about it. Hopefully you didn’t get one of these “Major Awards” lamps for Christmas.

Thanks for listening and Have a Happy New Year.