Home For the Holidays

When my sister was in nursing training, she did a rotation for mental health in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. That rotation happened the first semester at Christmas time. There was no money for her to come home for the holidays.
Mother talked to Rosie on the phone shortly before Christmas. She asked her what she would like for Christmas. Rosie’s answer was pretty abrupt. Her quote was , “It doesn’t matter.” Well Mother was upset because not only was her oldest daughter not going to be home for Christmas, but she was very depressed.
Mother went to work and packed a box with a variety of cookies, bars, and other sweets that Rosie liked. Then she and dad went to town and picked out a new outfit for her. I can remember it well. It was very soft material, a light gray. The top had no collar, but had two white pearl buttons that decorated the neck. The skirt was permanently pleated.
A few days after Christmas Rosie called to thank the folks for the Christmas box. She had a lilt to her voice and did not seem depressed any more. She said that she was not the only one that couldn’t go home for Christmas. She shared her box of goodies with the other girls. She also said that one of the doctors’ wives had a Christmas party for the girls in training and she wore her new dress which fit perfectly. She was so happy. Needless to say, so was Mother.
Rosie and my mother usually took turns having Christmas at their homes. I lived a long ways away and it was easier to go to them. If you look at the picture to the left, it is a picture of my sister, Rosie, helping her daughter, Julie, with a new toy. On the floor is Frosty the snowman that was a punching bag that Melanie, my daughter got for Christmas that year. She was bound and determined that her dad blow it up. On the way home she kept hitting “Frosty” repeatedly and in turn, her dad kept getting hit by “Frosty.”
There were a few choice words on the way home that day. Ever after that our Christmas with our kids was held at our own home on Christmas and with my parents and sister the week-end after. Wally did not have to suffer with “Frosty” after that.