A West Family Christmas
December 19, 1953
“Can I help you?”
“Twee.”
“Well little lady you’ve come to the right place. Here at Christmas Jack’s Tree Shack we’ve got hundreds for you to pick.”
“We don’t need hundreds, we just need one.” Carl interjected.
“A nice one.” Dotty added.
“Yes, ma’am. Follow me. Here we go. How about this lovely one?” He picked out a tree to show them, when he smacked the trunk on the ground; a bunch of needles fell off leaving a green circle under the tree.
“Looks like that one is already dying.” Carl scoffed. When a tree lost that many needles he knew it meant it was a dry tree. It’d be a fire hazard. He would not jeopardize his family.
“Heck this ain’t no tree.” He tossed it away.
The next one had withered bark. Carl scowled in displeasure. The salesman showed them three more trees that didn’t meet his or Dotty’s standards.
“Now here’s a tree.” He chose another one to display.
“It’s awful skimpy.” Dotty pointed to a huge hole where branches should be.
“Well then you just turn it around.” He twisted the tree so the hole faced the back.
Carl made a decision, if he didn’t put a stop to this quickly, this guy would try to show them every scrawny tree on the lot. He cleared his throat loudly. “You know we could buy one of those new, fake trees at Woodies.”
“Oh no.” The salesman shook his head and grimaced.
“I’m sure we’ll find a nice one.” Dotty picked Amanda up in her arms.
“Wait.” He held up his hands then scampered off.
Carl chuckled. “Those fake ones look like they’re made out of green pipe cleaners.”
“You’re just trying to get the best deal you can.”
Carl placed his hand on his heart. “Me.”
“You.” She caressed his cheek with her fingertips.
“Only the best for the West family.”
The salesman returned with a Virginia Pine, the aromatic SCENT wafted through the air. The tree stood a little over six feet tall, full branches, vibrant color, straight trunk and would fit perfectly in their living room in front of the picture window. Finally, they’d found their tree.
Carl flipped the price tag so he could read it, and raised his eyebrows at the cost of the tree. It was a little more then they planned on spending but looking at the hopeful expression on his girls’ faces, he couldn’t resist. Maybe, he could bargain a bit. “That price includes delivery, and one of those HOLLY wreathes I saw out front, correct?”
The salesman looked down at the ground, he swished his foot back and forth in the dirt for a moment, and then he looked up. “I can have one of the boys drop it off at your home tonight.”
“Twee.” Amanda clapped her hands, as Dotty nodded her head and smiled brightly.
“Sold.” Carl shook the salesman’s hand.
“You drive a hard bargain, mister.”
Carl followed the man to a small shack to pay and arrange delivery. Their next stop would be the store he’d mentioned about buying one of those fake trees at, but they were going to take Amanda to see Santa Claus.
***
They took a leisurely drive for half an hour around the city admiring the National Christmas tree and other holiday decorations before Carl found a parking spot down the street from Woodies. He didn’t mind as this gave them a chance to walk past the elaborate animated window displays the department store had become renowned for during the holidays.
Carl carried Amanda, and held Dotty’s hand as they strolled along F Street stopping in front of each window, marveling at the creativity of the displays. Children stood in front of the windows, their hands and noses pressed against the glass, the sound of oohs and ahhs filled the air.
This year Woodies had outdone themselves in the magnificence of their displays. They devoted a window to Santa’s workshop, with the elves making toys that moved along a conveyor belt. Santa stood at the end of the assembly line holding a long list of names that fell to his feet and across the floor.
Another window depicted Peter Pan, Mickey Mouse, Cinderella, Snow White and other Disney characters ice-skating on a mirrored pond.
They moved on to the next display. A Western themed window with a huge picture of the Lone Ranger and Silver in the background, cacti covered in fake snow and lights and anything a child would want to own from a pair of cowboy boots to a Tombstone Fanner.
Still another window had been devoted to the song ‘I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas’ that had been playing on the radio non-stop. Hippos in all sizes and colors surrounded a Christmas tree, dancing to the song.
For the little ladies in the crowd, there was a doll themed window. Every doll a girl could want posed proudly in the window along with toy strollers, beds, and a multitude of clothing.
Woodies even had a window display geared toward adults. A cardboard cutout of a woman standing in an apron smiled brightly with a banner over her head stating ‘What every housewife could want on Christmas morning.’ Carl glanced at his wife as she took in the display, her eyes darting back and forth as she looked first at a new stove, then refrigerator, vacuum cleaner, pots and pans.
The advertisers wanted the husband to buy the wife something she could use for the home. Something practical. He did that last year. Even though her eyes sparkled when she opened her Singer sewing machine Christmas morning, he didn’t want to buy her something that she needed.
Not this Christmas.
This year Carl had gotten her something she hadn’t asked for or hinted about. Okay, he did buy her the new set of dishes she’d mentioned last month. Her surprise gift would be the heart-shaped locket engraved with her initials on the front and their wedding picture and a picture of Amanda inside.
The last window held a traditional YULETIDE scene. A Christmas tree stood in the corner decorated with ornaments, lights, tinsel and an angel on top with wrapped presents underneath. A fire, or what was supposed to be a fire, roared in the fireplace with STOCKINGS hung from the mantel. A father sat in a huge stuffed chair, his children sitting next to him, and his wife perched on the arm of the chair. A deep masculine voice read ‘’Twas the Night Before Christmas’ over a loud speaker.
They made their way through the huge front doors. Giant wreathes, garland and ribbons hung from the high ceilings greeted them. Tinsel and ornaments decorated each counter top and display case. To spice up their normal black and white attire during the holiday SEASON, sales clerks wore red ties or scarves as part of their uniforms.
Immediately, Dotty veered to the left, he knew she wanted to check out the cosmetics counter. She always wanted to see what new products were available.
“Would you like to try a sample of our new perfume? It’s called ‘Wind Song’ by Prince Matchabelli.”
“I’d love too.” Dotty held out her wrist so the girl could spray it. She brought her wrist up and smelled it, then held her arm out to Carl. “What do you think?”
Carl inhaled the flowery fragrance. “It’s nice.”
“I like it, too. But we should stop dallying; we need to go the fourth floor to see Santa.”
At the mention of the word Santa, Amanda clapped her hands. “Santa. Santa.”
“Looks like no sale today. Sorry. My girls have spoken.”
The young girl smiled. “Maybe next time.”
Carl made a note to come back and buy his wife a bottle of the perfume, maybe for Valentine’s Day.
Crowds mingled around the elevator banks, and when the doors opened, an operator in white gloves guided customers off and on.
“Why don’t we take the escalator? By the time we get on here we could be in you know who’s line already.”
“I guess so.”
He held Dotty’s arm to steady her, he knew how she hated stepping off and on the moving stairs, afraid that she’d trip and fall.
Finally, on the fourth floor, they wound their way through the aisles following the signs to Santa’s Nook. They passed through the shoe department. A line of children waited to have the x-ray shoe machine correctly size their feet. What fascinated them most was that when they stepped into the machine, they could look into a viewing port and see a fluorescent image of the bones of their feet and outline of their shoes.
Carl didn’t feel right about the machine, he had a gut feeling that in the long run it could cause more damage than knew about, x-rays and radiation weren’t something to play around with, he and Dotty had never allowed Amanda to use it. They preferred to have her feet measured the old fashioned method. On a flat metal, device with a slider bar that the salesperson slid to the tip of your toes and measured your shoe size.
“Dotty.”
Carl saw a hand waving in the air.
“Rose. Fancy seeing you here.” Dotty hugged her friend.
“Hi Carl.”
Carl nodded his head in greeting.
“We’ve been doing a little shopping, the kids are with their grandparents.” Rose lifted a shopping bag. “It’s so hard when they’re older. They notice everything and you have to be creative in your hiding places. Kids can find things you think never would be found.” Rose laughed.
“I’ll remember that for the future.” Dotty looked over at her daughter; thankfully she had a lot more years before she had to resort to those tactics.
“Rose.” A male voice beckoned from down the aisle.
“Oh, there’s my Bill. He’s ready to leave. I’ll call you tomorrow so we can set up our next luncheon. Merry Christmas.”
“Is it time for one already?” Carl asked as they made their way towards Santa. The infamous ‘Tea Room’ on the seventh floor of Woodies was where Dotty and some of her friends met once a month to have lunch and shop. Why in the world anyone would want to eat sandwiches with the crusts cut off he’d never know, to him that was a waste of a good slice of bread.
“Not exactly, but soon. Margaret and Joyce need time to arrange babysitters since their husbands work on Saturday.”
The line to see Santa wasn’t as long as Carl had expected. They only had to wait about fifteen minutes.
“Would you like a picture of your daughter sitting on Santa’s lap?” A teenager dressed as an elf asked.
“Yes.” Carl immediately replied. The fee for photographs was minimal. They’d had one taken the past two years and he wanted to continue the tradition, he hoped even when Amanda no longer believed, she would have a picture taken with Santa.
Carl put Amanda down; he took one of her little hands in his and Dotty took the other. Together with their daughter between them they walked her up to Santa, who sat in a huge chair in front of a large, colorfully decorated Christmas tree.
“Ho, Ho, Ho.”
Dotty lifted Amanda up and sat her on his knee. Amanda placed her hands over her eyes. Carl noticed she peeked between her fingers and he saw a hint of a smile. He’d been afraid for a moment that she would end up crying hysterically like the child before them.
“What’s your name little girl?”
She put her hands down and smiled at the jolly old man. “Manda.”
“Have you been a good girl?”
Amanda nodded her head.
“What would you like Santa to bring you for Christmas?”
“Susie dolly and a puppy.” Her brown eyes sparkled.
Carl thanked his lucky stars he’d been able to find the Susan Stroller doll two weeks ago. He’d gone out on his lunch hour to a bookstore he loved on Seventh Street to pick up a book on King Arthur and the Legend of the HOLY Grail. Recently, he’d become intrigued with the legend of the Knights of the Round Table. On his way back he passed Hecht’s and they were putting out a display of the dolls in the window. Immediately, he’d gone inside to purchase one.
As far as a puppy for Christmas, maybe they could find a stuffed one. Live animals were a huge responsibility, and at three years old, his daughter wasn’t ready to take on the care of one.
Santa handed Amanda a candy cane then placed a finger on her chin to turn her head toward an elf.
“Smile,” an elf said.
A burst of light as the flashbulb went off made Carl shut his eyes.
“Do you want to pick the picture up or have it delivered? There will be a small fee for delivery.”
“I’ll pick it up,” Carl replied he could do it during his lunch hour.
Santa lifted Amanda off his lap. “Ho, Ho, Ho. Bye, bye Amanda.” He waved.
Dotty took Amanda’s hand in hers.
“Would you like to purchase a frame?”
“Should we?” Dotty looked at her husband.
He knew she was leaving the decision up to him, he could see the longing in her eyes that told him she’d love to have the picture framed. “Sure. Pick out whatever you want.”
“If you’ll just come over here, you can make your selection.” The elf guided them to a table with frames.
As his wife went to look at the frames, Carl noticed a little boy hop up onto Santa’s lap. He bounced up and down as he told him he wanted Silver, the Lone Ranger’s white horse for Christmas, and a gun to fight the bad men, and all kinds of western type toys.
Then the little boy pulled on Santa’s beard and poked him in the belly. Carl couldn’t help but laugh, he remembered last year when another child did the same thing to Santa and the beard almost came off. The poor boy cried and cried. This Santa had been smarter, he’d glued it in place or Carl thought it might actually be a real beard.
“Carl.”
He turned away from the little boy on Santa’s lap and saw his wife beckoning him.
“We’re ready. They just need you to pay.”
Carl pulled out his wallet and paid the elf. He got a receipt and the elf told him what day he could come pick it up. He then joined his wife and daughter, who stood under a decorated archway leading out of Santa’s Nook.
“Look up.”
Carl looked up, then back at his wife and shrugged. “What?”
“THERE’S MISTLETOE HANGING ABOVE YOUR HEAD.”
He looked up again. How in the world had he missed that? “Well there’s only one thing I can do, Mrs. West, and that’s kiss you.” He wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her to him, then kissed her lips lightly.
When they parted he heard a child begin to cry, and he thought he also heard his daughter’s voice say, “kiss too.” He glanced down for Amanda. She wasn’t next to them anymore. Where’s our daughter?”
“Oh my gosh! She was right here. Amanda West,” Dotty called out loudly.
Carl’s heart leapt into his throat, he saw the panic in his wife’s eyes. Amanda had never wandered off before; she’d always stayed near them. He scanned the area and he found her standing over by one of the elves. “There she is.” The sick feeling in his gut alleviated.
“Thank God.” Dotty placed her hand over her heart, relief evident in her eyes.
“I’ll get her.”
“Okay, I need to go make one quick purchase. No questions. I’ll meet you at the entrance in ten minutes.”
Tradition in the West household dictated that when one or the other wanted to make a secret purchase, the other would ask no questions and oblige. “Ten minutes.” He winked.
Carl watched Dotty leave, keeping one eye on his daughter. The little boy he’d been watching earlier who’d given Santa a bit of grief, stood next to her. Just as reached his daughter he heard her say, “missytoe…kiss.” Then she puckered her lips and waited.
The little boy didn’t hesitate; he planted a kiss on his daughter’s lips.
“No kissing boys until you’re older.” He scooped her up in his arms. “Much older.” Like twenty-one.
As he walked away, he heard a woman with a British accent exclaim. “Lee, what am I going to do with you? You’re such a heart breaker, just like your daddy.”
The End
Story Notes:
Disclaimer: Scarecrow and Mrs. King and its characters belong to WB and Shoot the Moon Productions. No infringement is intended. This is written for entertainment purposes only. Please do not redistribute or reproduce this story without my permission.
Thanks: To Sue for finding my boo-boos and to Jennifer and Lynda for all the brainstorming help. You gals rock.
Note: This story is in answer to the 2010 Christmas challenge to use the words STOCKINGS, YULETIDE, SEASON, HOLLY, HOLY, SCENT and the line “THERE’S MISTLETOE HANGING ABOVE YOUR HEAD.”
This story is also a part of my series of five-second meetings.
Thanks: To Sue for finding my boo-boos and to Jennifer and Lynda for all the brainstorming help. You gals rock.
Note: This story is in answer to the 2010 Christmas challenge to use the words STOCKINGS, YULETIDE, SEASON, HOLLY, HOLY, SCENT and the line “THERE’S MISTLETOE HANGING ABOVE YOUR HEAD.”
This story is also a part of my series of five-second meetings.