Merry Christmas, Collingwood!
I know today is a mixed bag of emotions for everyone. There are so many different situations and challenges people are facing right now, and I hope from the bottom of my heart nobody is facing those alone. If you do find yourself alone and in a dark place this Christmas, please know there are people standing by to help. At anytime during the holidays – and always – you can text Home to 686868 in Canada and you’ll get a response from someone who is waiting to talk to you and who will make sure you don’t have to face anything alone.
It’s a bit of a serious start to a holiday column, I know.
But I often think of the people who don’t take holidays at Christmas time, they man (or woman) their post, ready to help 24/7. I think of their families too, for whom sacrifice and an alternative calendar is a regular Christmas tradition.
My mom has been a nurse all my life. She didn’t always have to work a shift on Christmas Day, but she did take her turn like the rest of the hospital staff to make sure there was care for the patients in the hospital, and those who would need help over the holidays.
One Christmas in Deer Lake, Ontario (should have been called Blackfly Pond, really…) Mom had to work a double shift at the hospital in Bracebridge, which was about a two-hour commute from our secluded road.
I remember taking a trip to the dump to see the black bears, that’s how secluded we were.
I digress.
Mom had to work the double shift over Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. That’s two 12 hour shifts, plus some time in between to sleep in an on-call room at the hospital.
We didn’t have a Santa Claus tradition at our house, other than Jolly Young Saint Mom, so she decided to make sure Christmas was ready for when she got home.
She put all our presents under the tree at 7 a.m. on Christmas Eve morning, then she left for work.
We, however, did not leave the house. I and my two brothers were forced to stare at those gifts from 7 a.m. on Christmas Eve morning until about 7 p.m. on Christmas Day when mom got home from work. I say forced, but really we had lots to do in our forested winter wonderland, we just made a lot of excuses to walk through the living room for the next 36 hours.
Boy, were we excited to see her pull into the lane on Dec. 25.
Now I realize she must have been exhausted, but she didn’t let us know. She wore her Santa hat and scrubs and handed us our gifts one at a time. She and my dad watched as we tore into the wrapping as we finally released the anticipation of the last two days.
It’s probably one of the most memorable Christmases of my childhood, and it’s a good memory.
Mom still talks about it as the Christmas that lasted the longest. After that year, she came up with all sorts of games to make sure it took us more than 12.5 seconds to unwrap the gifts she had spent months purchasing and wrapping. Though none ever measured up to the 36-hour Christmas.
When I think about that Christmas today, I’m grateful for people like my mom who are standing by, even at Christmas, for those who need them.
I’d like to say ‘thanks’ to all those working today, and to their families at home staring at that taunting pile of presents. People like you and families like yours make the season bright for so many.
Merry Christmas, whatever time you get to celebrate today.
