"My Favorite Christmas Memory" Bloghop!!

Benjamin Bunny

It was a cold December that I remember. I was very young and stood on the stairs, watching my Mom. She was coming home after being in the hospital for four days! Behind her, through the door, snow was falling. It was so pretty. It was  Christmas! I really wasn't sure what Christmas was, but it didn't matter, my Mom was back. Then I noticed she was carrying something in a little pink satin bundle. Hmm? Once in a while a little hand would poke out, and she'd put it back. What did she have? Grandmother held the little bundle. Then Aunt Grace held the little bundle. Everyone was oohing and ahhing over this bundle. I had to see. (Hello, I'm only four years old - will somebody please pick me up or lower the bundle?) I wanted to have a look. Finally my Mom bent down and said, "Dixie, you have a new baby................

DOLL!! Oh my goodness... she got me a real doll for Christmas! I was so elated. I screamed and danced, ran up and down the stairs, jumped up and down, clapped my hands. I guess you could call it the, "Thank-you-Lord-happy-doll-dance!" But then Mom let me know he wasn't just for me. What?! I've got to share him? Why? He was so cute. Such a sweet smile. (And I had plans for him!)

I went and got my old doll stroller and really worked hard to convince them (Grandmother, Aunt Grace and my Mom), that I wouldn't hurt him. How could I hurt him? Look that at face!! And he had big blue eyes - just like me. Oh, what's his name? Mom said, his name is Benjamin, but we'll call him.............

BENJAMIN BUNNY!! Perfect, just like a favorite story Aunt Annette told me. What? We're calling him Benjie? Why? He doesn't look like a Benjie! Hey! Benjamin Bunny is perfect... I'm telling you. (No one listens to a four year old.)

Well the stroller ride went well, I thought. Yes, I almost dumped him twice but he giggled... so I didn't hurt him. I know I probably shouldn't have given him the candy cane. He really began to screech when Mom had to pry his tight-fisted little hand from around it... oops... yes ma'am... no more handing him anything. I promise. (Oh yes, he had a nice set of lungs. That's something that has never changed, even to this day.)

I showed him the pink flocked tree that Aunt Grace decorated. She was from New York. I figured they didn't have green trees up there. In fact she decorated Grandmother's entire beauty shop in pink, pastels, and snowy stuff. I guess they didn't have red and green Christmas stuff there either. The beauty shop looked like something from the nutcracker suite. It was lovely and the main focus of my attention, until Benjamin Bunny arrived.

They took turns taking me out in the snow. There must have been a total of three tea parties. I got to hang the star on the tree again. I don't know why they were all so concerned about me. What? I'm tired. I'm four years old. I like the baby - I'm not jealous... (and I really need a nap.)

Finally I climbed those stairs, two flights, separated by the landing. Of course I usually stopped at the stained-glass window with the window seat but...(I was dragging). Granddaddy scooped me up and placed me in the bed. That's all I remember. Christmas Eve was a blur.

Christmas morning, I got a doll but she was cold to the touch. It felt awful. Where was Benjamin Bunny? Mom laid out a blanket on the floor for me to sit on. Then she laid the pink bundle on my lap. My older brother was outside in the snow, but I didn't want to go. (Imagine that - the snow queen staying inside.) Slowly his little eyes opened and he looked right at me, and barfed. I laughed so hard, I wet myself. (I knew right then we'd be friends forever.) And that's my favorite Christmas memory!

 Thanks to Cherdo and Janie Junebug for this happy, happy blog hop!!