ADVENT CALENDAR-CHRISTMAS AT SCHOOL

Boy, do I remember Christmas at School!!!

The first Christmas Pageant I remember was when I was in early elementary school, maybe second grade. 

Several of us girls were to be angels, so our moms had to sew a costume for each of us.  The teacher sent home precise directions on how the angel costume was to be made. 

 It was SUPPOSED to be long...down to the floor...ankle-length...below the knee, and white.  Well, mom hated to sew - with a passion!  She also didn't want to spend good money on fabric that could be used for other things, say like food, clothing, utilities, car payments, etc., etc., etc.! 


DO YOU SEE ANY SHORT GARMENTS HERE?
source: Dover Publications

So, she took an old sheet, which wasn't white, like an angel's clothing should be.  She didn't buy white sheets...she liked yellows, pinks, greens, blues.  Thank God she didn't like florals or stripes!!! 

I think that she used an old, pale (washed out), yellow sheet for my beautiful angel costume.  And, of course, it had to be done her way, so I ended up with a short, knee-length angel dress.  You can imagine the embarrassment I felt, especially when the teacher made such a big deal out of it.  I hoped I would never have to be in another pageant as long as I lived.

Well, so much for that!  In sixth grade, our class put on a pageant about "Christmas Around the World." I was drafted won the role of a Czechoslovakian mother with two children. 

I only had a six word line, easy enough to remember.  That wasn't the problem, though I was terrified at the prospect.  The problem was...I had to have a special COSTUME!!!  "Oh, please God, not another costume for my mom to have to make for me!!!", I prayed.  

I took the instructions home, handed them to mom, and ran!  I could hear her from upstairs, "Why do they always have to have something special?  I HATE sewing, and now I have to make her a skirt and apron for this Christmas play?!"

Every stitch was a chore, for both mom and me!  It's not that mom didn't know how to sew, or wasn't any good at it.  I don't know why she hated it so much, and didn't mind letting me know it. Maybe because she had to do it all by hand...no sewing machine.  The skirt was a beautiful long (yes, I think she learned how embarrassing it was for me the last time), turquoise-y blue wonder.  And, all she did was take a length of fabric, gather it at the waist, add the waistband, and hem it.  But, to me, it was beautiful! 

She wouldn't make the apron, though.  She bought a gorgeous sheer, red Christmas apron, trimmed in white lace instead.  I just recently gave that apron to my sister to hand down to her girls.  I wore these two garments, along with a white blouse, and a huge headscarf tied around my shoulders for a shawl.

I was scared to death of being front of people, afraid I'd forget that one, simple little line.  I can still remember, acting like I was working in the kitchen at a table, hearing loud footsteps off stage.  "That must be the children now!", I manage to squeak out.  The kids came into view, and we sang a Christmas song, probably something like Silent Night or Hark, The Herald Angels Sing.

Eighth grade I was in Choir.  Of course, the music department put on a Christmas Concert each year - go figure!  I had to have a long, black skirt and white blouse for this one.  The blouse was not a problem.  Mom asked my grandma if she had anything I could borrow for the concert.

Mom, Dad, and Grandma

Grandma had her mother's skirt from back in the 19-teens.


Grandma Jennie, her two daughters, and grandbaby around 1917.
This could have been the skirt I borrowed.

She let me borrow it, with the admonition to not ruin it. (Love my family!)

The concert was a hit!  One of the songs we sang was "Little Drummer Boy" and it's been one of my favorites ever since. 

On arriving home after the concert, I was getting out of the car and caught my heel in the hem of that ancient skirt.  It ripped and I could feel my heart sink to my feet.  Surprisingly, Mom didn't say much.  She managed to do a great job of repairing that tear, and Grandma never said a word to me, that I remember.

In high school, I was in concert choir and we did lots of plays and concerts, including Christmas.  None of these were really memorable, as I could sew my own clothing by now. 

I still was terrified of being in front of people, but enjoyed singing!  I was glad, though, to be in the alto section, on the back row! LOL!

XoXoXo

Here's a Chuckle for you!

Wrapping Presents 101 for Cat Owners by Mary Campbell

1. Clear large space on table for wrapping present.

2. Go to wardrobe and collect bag in which present is contained, and close door.

3. Open door and remove cat from wardrobe.

4. Go to cupboard and retrieve rolls of wrapping paper.

5. Go back and remove cat from cupboard.

6. Go to drawer and collect transparent sticky tape, ribbons, scissors, labels, etc.

7. Lay out present and wrapping materials on table, to enable wrapping strategy to be formed.

8. Go back to drawer to get string, remove cat that has been in the drawer since last visit, and collect string.

9. Remove present from bag.

10. Remove cat from bag.

11. Open box to check present, remove cat from box, replace present.

12. Lay out paper to enable cutting to size.

13. Cut the paper to size, trying to keep the cutting line straight.

14. Throw away first sheet because cat tried to chase the scissors and tore the paper.

15. Cut second sheet of paper to size by putting cat in the bag the present came out of.

16. Place present on cut-to-size paper.

17. Lift up edges of paper to seal in present, wonder why edges now don't reach, and find cat between present and paper. Remove cat and retry.

18. Place object on paper, to hold in place, while cutting transparent sticky tape.

19. Spend next 20 minutes carefully trying to remove transparent sticky tape from cat with pair of nail scissors.

20. Seal paper down with transparent sticky tape, making corners as neat as possible.

21. Look for roll of ribbon; chase cat down hall and retrieve ribbon.

22. Try to wrap present with ribbon in a two-directional turn.

23. Re-roll up ribbon and remove paper that is now torn, due to cat's enthusiasm in chasing ribbon end.

24. Repeat steps 12-22 until down to last sheet of paper.

25. Decide to skip steps 12-16 in order to save time and reduce risk of losing last sheet of paper. Retrieve old cardboard box that you know is right size for sheet of paper.

26. Put present in box, and tie down with string.

27. Remove string, open box and remove cat.

28. Put all packing materials in bag with present and head for lockable room.

29. Once inside room, lock door and start to re-lay out packing materials.

30. Remove cat from box, unlock door, put cat outside door, close door and re-lock.

31. Lay out last sheet of paper. (Admittedly this is difficult in the small area of the toilet, but try your best!)

32. Seal box, wrap with paper and start repairs by very carefully sealing down tears with transparent sticky tape. Now tie up with ribbon and decorate with bows to hide worst affected areas.

33. Label, then sit back and admire your handiwork, congratulating yourself on making good of a bad job.

34. Unlock door, and go to kitchen to make drink and feed cat.

35. Spend next 15 minutes looking for cat, before coming to obvious conclusion.

36. Unwrap present, untie box and remove cat.

37. Retrieve all discarded sheets of wrapping paper, feed cat and retire to lockable room for last attempt, making certain you are alone and the door is locked.

38. At time of handing over present, smile sweetly at receiver's face, as they try and hide their contempt at being handed such a badly wrapped present.

39. Swear to yourself that next year, you will get the store to wrap the darn thing for you.

X0X0X0

Joy