Christmas The Middle Years
1987 - 1995
The next season of life I'll block off as our return to Canada from Brazil in 1986 until 1995. Years which marked the second half of my childhood but very much a whole new world. I officially transitioned from being a Missionary Kid to what I now know to be a "third culture kid".
Although I do have a lot of memories of this era, I can't really say that they all radiated with comfort and joy.
Christmases now seemed to arrive with a higher expectation and as it's bound to happen never failed to disappoint. "Things" seemed to be a big focus and so did the comparison game with friends. not that I was ever in true need , or that I even ever felt deprived - but our Christmas haul suddenly seemed to lack luster compared with the abundance of this new First World nation.
The exception to the rule had to be my father's over the top gifts to my mother, which I can only imagine at the time was intended to impress her greatly ! He overplayed. One year it was a full drum set - another a very expensive doll house . Bless him, he was a giver but it failed to speak her love language.
More often than we would probably want to confess the festivities would come to an abrupt halt and be soured by an angry outburst or fight. Perhaps it was the addition of teenager daughters or just the overwhelming life change for us all.
Most of the extended family was still in Montreal so although we might venture some visiting through the season , Christmas day itself didn't change for us. We did however, continue to practice hospitality to friends and even practical strangers who would otherwise have been alone.
Of course Nanny and Papa did come spend Christmas with us , or we'd join them. Nanny would bake "melt in your mouth" shortbread. Decorated with barely a twelfth of a maraschino cherry - a nod to our Scottish roots. From that time on it was always turkey , stuffing, potatoes , and gravy, and sweet jarred pickles.
My mother seemed to always try some whipped topping and jello type dessert from a magazine - mercifully she eventually settled on a rather "instant " version of trifle.... more whipped topping but at least the jello was now set in the cake layer.
Another dessert that I found both intriguing and delightful was that Nanny would have a small Christmas pudding. Store bought , however even though she had a microwave (high end technology let me tell you) , this was always steamed . Years later in culinary school I learned that the technique she was using is a "bain marie" - very chic.
Traditionally this would be served with a rum sauce but they were strict Pentecostals. In fact any liquor that Papa would receive as a gift would be poured immediately down the drain ! Instead, it was served with a warm English custard.
The rest of our seasonal festivities now included school concerts, church cantadas and piano recitals.
This was also the unfortunate era of tacky decor - plastic trees with tinsel and angel hair that would hurt your skin and kill your pets. Spray snow for windows and all manner of ghastly looking angels !
Although I do have a lot of memories of this era, I can't really say that they all radiated with comfort and joy.
Christmases now seemed to arrive with a higher expectation and as it's bound to happen never failed to disappoint. "Things" seemed to be a big focus and so did the comparison game with friends. not that I was ever in true need , or that I even ever felt deprived - but our Christmas haul suddenly seemed to lack luster compared with the abundance of this new First World nation.
The exception to the rule had to be my father's over the top gifts to my mother, which I can only imagine at the time was intended to impress her greatly ! He overplayed. One year it was a full drum set - another a very expensive doll house . Bless him, he was a giver but it failed to speak her love language.
Most of the extended family was still in Montreal so although we might venture some visiting through the season , Christmas day itself didn't change for us. We did however, continue to practice hospitality to friends and even practical strangers who would otherwise have been alone.
Of course Nanny and Papa did come spend Christmas with us , or we'd join them. Nanny would bake "melt in your mouth" shortbread. Decorated with barely a twelfth of a maraschino cherry - a nod to our Scottish roots. From that time on it was always turkey , stuffing, potatoes , and gravy, and sweet jarred pickles.
My mother seemed to always try some whipped topping and jello type dessert from a magazine - mercifully she eventually settled on a rather "instant " version of trifle.... more whipped topping but at least the jello was now set in the cake layer.
Another dessert that I found both intriguing and delightful was that Nanny would have a small Christmas pudding. Store bought , however even though she had a microwave (high end technology let me tell you) , this was always steamed . Years later in culinary school I learned that the technique she was using is a "bain marie" - very chic.
Traditionally this would be served with a rum sauce but they were strict Pentecostals. In fact any liquor that Papa would receive as a gift would be poured immediately down the drain ! Instead, it was served with a warm English custard.
The rest of our seasonal festivities now included school concerts, church cantadas and piano recitals.
This was also the unfortunate era of tacky decor - plastic trees with tinsel and angel hair that would hurt your skin and kill your pets. Spray snow for windows and all manner of ghastly looking angels !
You have very accurately captured these days. The pic of the ghastly tree made me laugh out loud!
ReplyDeleteSee my FB comment re this tree. Someone had put it out in the garbage (in the box) so we brought it home. Each branch had to be attached individually. We had this tree for years! The tinsel looks rather crazy the way it is on the tree!
ReplyDelete