The Longest Week of the Year

White lime for snow

And a freshly stuffed grass bed,

An imported Christmas tree

Decorated mostly in yellow and red.

No Christmas tree lights

Lighting up our Christmas tree,

After all, what would be the use?

There was no electricity

A scrubbed wooden floor

That was left to dry,

To be varnished shortly afterward

A delight on the eye.

The siding boards wiped down

Both inside and out

And the groundsill rocks packed neatly

Not one lying about.

A huge ham hanging from a rafter

By means of an iron snake

Shape like an “S”,

Waiting to be boiled and put on a plate.

After all there was no fridge

But that ham was well cured,

Such that when it had finally gone,

We still wished we had one more.

Gifts hidden in the house

Away from prying eyes,

And everyday that is not Christmas

Bringing disappointing sighs.

Trying on new Christmas shoes

In a Bridgetown store,

You must grow into them, you were told

So there must be room galore.

The tips were stuffed with paper

So they would not slip off

And it was no use any of us fretting

‘Cause Mother was the boss.

  

Not to mention the squeaky sound

With every step you make,

Glad to have new Christmas shoes

But the size you’d always hate.

Slightly oversized shirt and pants

‘Cause you are a growing child,

And you know it doesn’t feel right

But you are forced to smile.

After all you don’t work anywhere

So don’t you dare fret!

Or you’d get something for Christmas

You would be sure to regret.

Window-shopping Christmas week

Was a thing we all enjoyed

Though knowing it was not likely

We would get our desired toy.

This was not a costly exercise

Except for the ride down town

And may be a 5-cents pack of peanuts

To enjoy as we walk around.

Cave Shepherd and Wilson store

Da Costa and the Five and Ten,

Harrison’s Woolworth and Manning,

That was way back then.

There’s nothing wrong in dreaming

And window-shopping was a dream,

For what we saw in the store window

Was separate from our home scene.

And how can I ever forget

That case of mixed sweet drinks bought,

Not a sip before Christmas day

It didn’t matter what we thought.

The pudding and the sweetbread

Had a quality unsurpassed,

The Moms and Grannies of that time

Were surely in a different class.

 

During that week before Christmas

Quite a lot was done

But work in Christmas preparation

Brought us loads and loads of fun.

The longest week of the year

Was during that Christmas week,

Not to mention Christmas Eve night

When it was so difficult to sleep.

Stewart Russell © December 2019