Memoirs of Pake and Beppe

When money was tight for us in those early years, we had to forgo some of the luxuries others around us were enjoying.  In Canada, it was custom for people to set up a Christmas tree in their house to celebrate the season.  We did not have money for such a thing and were not used to the idea.  The kids knew better than to ask for one.  In all honesty, we barely noticed it when we were snuggled in those winter nights, so gezellig.   Ma knitting in her rocking chair, me, smoking my pipe quietly beside her, humming one of my favorite hymns.  Lena and Terry would keep themselves busy with their paper dolls and toys, the older girls with crafts or doing some reading until bedtime.  They were simple and happy times when the love of family warmed our hearts and home.

The day right after Christmas, Terry and Lena were out playing in the yard and the field across the road from us.  Shortly before lunch Ma and I heard shouts in the front yard from the youngsters.  We both hurried to the door to see what the trouble was.  The two of them together could stir up a bit of commotion.  There they came into the yard pulling behind them a tree! 

“Can you believe it, Ma?  Someone threw this tree out!  We found it in the field over there!  It is even has some stuff still on it!”  They could not believe their good fortune.  Who would throw out this perfectly good tree?  They didn’t even bother to save those pretty silver strands. 

“Those are called tinsel.  Tinsel icicles.”  Mary was quick to inform all of us.  She could be a bit of an een weet het allemaal (know-it-all).  The kids had learned quite a bit about these Christmas trees from their school mates.

“Can we keep it?”  Terry asked and all six sets of eyes fixed on me.  I picked the tree up and marched over to a nearby snow pile.  I heaved the tree up and shoved it as hard as I could into the snowbank. 

“There!”  I announced to the family.  “There is your Christmas tree.  Enjoy!”

The girls let out a squeal.  “Can we hang up the crafts we made at school on it?” Lena asked her mother.

Ma smiled at little Lena.   “Ya, ya … I think we should.” And with that they were off.  They spent the rest of the afternoon hanging things on it and playing around it.  So, we had a Christmas tree too!