Christmas Past

My oldest solid memories are of Christmas 1952. I would have been still four months short of my third birthday. Before then linger a very few disjointed images. But I definitely remember that Christmas, when we had newly moved into our house in the Lake Forest subdivision of Naples. No furniture yet; the tree stood in a bare room and we came over from the motor court where we were staying to open our presents. I remember pushing my new truck around on the unobstructed floors.

Not sure where we ate Christmas dinner. That memory is not with me. Yet it was my ‘first’ Christmas, the first I can remember, the first I was old enough to know something was going on! Now, every Christmas has the increasing potential to be my last. I don’t do much on the day. A little porcelain tree is lit up on my desk. I might or might not have a pizza. Most of the Christmases past have faded — but I remember that one.

Churches

If the next Hocking Hills novel runs into the Christmas season (it probably won't), I should definitely touch on the seasonal concerts at the Basilica of St. Mary of the Assumption in Marietta. More so in that James Fry’s girlfriend attends classes in that city, and is Catholic, to boot (as is James).

the basilica at Marietta

The church’s architecture is described as Spanish Colonial, quite different from the Gothic style of those in Athens and Logan, both built in the 1890s and both visited in the course of ‘These Remembered Hills.’ I attended St. John in Logan myself as a child (though only for one brief year or so).

I should mention that Pam Nossi does not attend Marietta College, which presents the concerts, but is attending a hair dressing school. That shouldn’t keep them from enjoying the music, however! Marietta College began presenting the concerts (which include Handel’s ‘Messiah’) in 1926, so it already had a long tradition when my story is set in 1962.

Now if he can only convince Pam to ride down there in his open Jeep.

St John church in Logan OH