Sitting in the quiet of my house, a quiet only possible if you are all alone. Alone is something that was not experienced in the Truscott household at 1234 Pease Court, Alameda CaliforniaI lived there for thirteen years with the noisiest people I have ever known. But the noise was mostly happy noise. Children’s laughter, singing, praying, shouted arguments over minor differences of opinion, healthy happy noise.
But the absolute noisiest time was at Christmas time. The house was as full of happy boisterous children and adults as playwrights sometimes imagine. A small kingdom of noisy happy children in a play.
Christmas, the sounds of Christmas, the noise of Christmas at 1234 Pease Court, Alameda, California… That’s what I will never forget, the wonderful, thrilling sound of, “Ok, you can come downstairs now”.
Ron
One of my special memories of Christmas is when Dad bought several old bikes. He repaired and painted them and then sold them to make extra money for Christmas He also repaired and painted ones for us - It was my favorite bike.The Christmas tree was always special to me. One year dad would fix a nativity scene around the tree, and the next year there would be a snow scene. Then one year he would combine the two and set up half nativity and half snow scene.
The year Ron and I had paper routes; we opened all of our presents ahead of time and then rewrapped them. What a surprise to us on Christmas morning when Dad began handing out presents and the ones that I had unwrapped for me, he was giving to Ron and vice versa. (Amazing how smart our parents were).
I also have great memories of sitting at the top of the stairs singing and “waiting” for Mom & Dad to say it was time to come down. Then as we marched down to the living room, we would sing Jingle Bells.
Love Ya and Merry Christmas,
Keith
Don’t tell me, its Christmas time again? Didn’t we just have Christmas a few weeks ago? God must be making years shorter and shorter these days. It used to take forever to wait a whole year for Christmas to get here. And of course, the longest was between Thanksgiving and Christmas. How come back then a few weeks seemed to take years, and today it seems Christmas is here in a few days or less? What changed?
What was Christmas like when I was a child? There was excitement, anticipation, joy, bright lights, decorations, family and love. It was lots more fun to get than to give. There were presents and more presents. Checking all the gifts to see which ones were mine, and the guessing. Dad always made sure that that wouldn’t be easy to do. Like the time Ronald got a gift as big as he was, only to find out that it was mostly paper filling. How fun and how funny that was.
Dad always knew where the best Christmas lights were. Never have I have I seen such beautiful lights. People don’t decorate like that anymore. That was such a fun family outing in the car.
Then there was getting ready for the Christmas scene under the tree, helping build the houses around the kitchen table, and watching Dad set it up. He used a small mirror as an ice lake. Mom saved Cracker Jack toys and some of the toy people were apart of the scene. I really enjoyed eating Cracker Jacks and getting the surprises.
Us kids were always trying to discover the hiding places of the presents, sneaking out to Grandma’s little house out back and looking in her closet, just to find out what treasures we could find.
Finally Christmas Eve came, the night that never ended. No one could sleep. Time seemed to stand still. Would morning ever arrive? Will Mom and Dad sleep forever? What do you mean, it is only 3 a.m. And then finally, they were up. I mean, who could sleep with five noisy kids? But not yet, we still had to get Grandma to come in from out back and eat breakfast.
What I wonder now, is how Mom and Dad were able to get us all so much and still be able to feed all the relatives?
I remember always getting what I wanted most, a new doll. I loved spending hours playing with my baby dolls. LaDonna and I always getting the same things, mine usually were pink and LaDonna’s would be blue. I never once remember being disappointed. I was always thrilled about all the presents I received and the close and loving family fun. Next came the dinner with all the relatives which was a great time to show off our new things.
Then came the shock, all the sudden I was a grown-up and married. What happened to Christmas? It had lost its thrills and excitement. I wanted to return to the past to recapture Christmas as a child. Life goes on and we have all grown up, making new memories with our own children. But the joy, the old memories of childhood, and my parents that cared and loved me will last forever.
I’ve learned from good teachers how to give the joy and excitement to my own children.
Mom is gone now and of course, no one could ever take her place or be her, but God has blessed us with someone very special. A new Mom and Grandma, we couldn’t ask for a better Mom and Grandma to complete our family again.
Once again, Christmas is fun and exciting in a new and special way. Now it is a lot more fun to give than to get. And oh, the joy and good times we’ve had sharing Christmas the last few years with Grandma and Grandpa Truscott. Not just the gifts, but Grandma and Grandpa being there to share the Birthday party for Jesus, the children singing, love, and fellowship.
Thanks for the past Dad and thanks to both Dad and Mom Dorothy for the last few years, and I hope in the future.
Judy
I have so many memories of Christmas growing up it is hard to know what to write. When I think about Christmas at home, I see the little village under the tree; the tree of course is in the corner of the living room in front of the window. I remember sitting at the kitchen table helping to make the little houses for the village. I also remember sitting at the top of the stairs, all five of us singing Christmas carols, hoping to wake Mom & Dad so we could come down and open our presents. I think that was Ron’s idea.
I think of the Christmas we got into our presents before Christmas and Judy & I got red dresses; we tried them on. On Christmas morning we opened them looking surprised and Mom saying, “go try them on” and us saying, “oh, they fit”. Oops, DUMB.
I remember waking up to the smell of turkey because Dad had started cooking hours before. The turkey covered with a piece of old sheet and basted every half hour or so. Most of all I remember the love.
Thanks Dad, LaDonna
I have so many good memories of Christmas as a child. I was pretty young when the village houses were made, but I felt apart of the making of them. I always liked the little red plane with the yellow prop that had hung from our Christmas tree over the village. I also liked the ice skaters on the frozen lake. I remembered the Christmas Ron and Keith got matching cameras and Ron’s was wrapped in a huge box that Dad had rocks in and the wrapping was red brick paper. I don’t know what I got that year, but it would have been guns, cars or army men. I remember getting a wagon one year so Keith and I could cruise Alameda. “Have wagon will travel.” I liked going to look at Christmas tree lights and I would go crazy over the little trees. The street I liked the most was the Christmas lane. I think it was in Oakland. I remember Mom and Dad getting gifts from Aunt Hattie’s house, the Christmas after LaDonna’s and Judy’s dresses. That was okay because that aunt had lots of puzzles.
I liked Christmas Eve out back. Grandma could really put out the goodies. I liked our nylon stockings with chocolate covered cherries and Life Savers. Was it my imagination, or did Grandma make us new slippers each year? All I know is that when we had slipper fights, we never ran out of fire power.
Popcorn balls, fudge, apple pie and cookies seemed to flow like water that time of year. The big Christmas dinner was okay, but it didn’t have the memories as the late night bacon waffles did. The problem with the late night bacon waffles was that I was too young to stay up to eat them most of the time.
There was a lot of card playing that time of the year. It seemed as if our relatives came out of the walls. I remember putting both the kitchen table and the dinning room table together to fit most of us. Others could enjoy the T.V. trays and card tables. I know that we didn’t have lots of money, but it seemed that we would get what we asked for. All the food and goodies to feed the Truscott and Nunley army, how did we afford it all? Thank you, Dad, Mom, Ronald, Keith, Judy and LaDonna for so many good childhood memories. Dad I hope we gave you as many good memories as you gave us. I love you all.
Don’t tell me, its Christmas time again? Didn’t we just have Christmas a few weeks ago? God must be making years shorter and shorter these days. It used to take forever to wait a whole year for Christmas to get here. And of course, the longest was between Thanksgiving and Christmas. How come back then a few weeks seemed to take years, and today it seems Christmas is here in a few days or less? What changed?What was Christmas like when I was a child? There was excitement, anticipation, joy, bright lights, decorations, family and love. It was lots more fun to get than to give. There were presents and more presents. Checking all the gifts to see which ones were mine, and the guessing. Dad always made sure that that wouldn’t be easy to do. Like the time Ronald got a gift as big as he was, only to find out that it was mostly paper filling. How fun and how funny that was.
Dad always knew where the best Christmas lights were. Never have I have I seen such beautiful lights. People don’t decorate like that anymore. That was such a fun family outing in the car.
Then there was getting ready for the Christmas scene under the tree, helping build the houses around the kitchen table, and watching Dad set it up. He used a small mirror as an ice lake. Mom saved Cracker Jack toys and some of the toy people were apart of the scene. I really enjoyed eating Cracker Jacks and getting the surprises.
Us kids were always trying to discover the hiding places of the presents, sneaking out to Grandma’s little house out back and looking in her closet, just to find out what treasures we could find.
Finally Christmas Eve came, the night that never ended. No one could sleep. Time seemed to stand still. Would morning ever arrive? Will Mom and Dad sleep forever? What do you mean, it is only 3 a.m. And then finally, they were up. I mean, who could sleep with five noisy kids? But not yet, we still had to get Grandma to come in from out back and eat breakfast.
What I wonder now, is how Mom and Dad were able to get us all so much and still be able to feed all the relatives?
I remember always getting what I wanted most, a new doll. I loved spending hours playing with my baby dolls. LaDonna and I always getting the same things, mine usually were pink and LaDonna’s would be blue. I never once remember being disappointed. I was always thrilled about all the presents I received and the close and loving family fun. Next came the dinner with all the relatives which was a great time to show off our new things.
Then came the shock, all the sudden I was a grown-up and married. What happened to Christmas? It had lost its thrills and excitement. I wanted to return to the past to recapture Christmas as a child. Life goes on and we have all grown up, making new memories with our own children. But the joy, the old memories of childhood, and my parents that cared and loved me will last forever.
I’ve learned from good teachers how to give the joy and excitement to my own children.
Mom is gone now and of course, no one could ever take her place or be her, but God has blessed us with someone very special. A new Mom and Grandma, we couldn’t ask for a better Mom and Grandma to complete our family again.
Once again, Christmas is fun and exciting in a new and special way. Now it is a lot more fun to give than to get. And oh, the joy and good times we’ve had sharing Christmas the last few years with Grandma and Grandpa Truscott. Not just the gifts, but Grandma and Grandpa being there to share the Birthday party for Jesus, the children singing, love, and fellowship.
Thanks for the past Dad and thanks to both Dad and Mom Dorothy for the last few years, and I hope in the future.
Judy
I have so many memories of Christmas growing up it is hard to know what to write. When I think about Christmas at home, I see the little village under the tree; the tree of course is in the corner of the living room in front of the window. I remember sitting at the kitchen table helping to make the little houses for the village. I also remember sitting at the top of the stairs, all five of us singing Christmas carols, hoping to wake Mom & Dad so we could come down and open our presents. I think that was Ron’s idea.I think of the Christmas we got into our presents before Christmas and Judy & I got red dresses; we tried them on. On Christmas morning we opened them looking surprised and Mom saying, “go try them on” and us saying, “oh, they fit”. Oops, DUMB.
I remember waking up to the smell of turkey because Dad had started cooking hours before. The turkey covered with a piece of old sheet and basted every half hour or so. Most of all I remember the love.
Thanks Dad, LaDonna
I have so many good memories of Christmas as a child. I was pretty young when the village houses were made, but I felt apart of the making of them. I always liked the little red plane with the yellow prop that had hung from our Christmas tree over the village. I also liked the ice skaters on the frozen lake. I remembered the Christmas Ron and Keith got matching cameras and Ron’s was wrapped in a huge box that Dad had rocks in and the wrapping was red brick paper. I don’t know what I got that year, but it would have been guns, cars or army men. I remember getting a wagon one year so Keith and I could cruise Alameda. “Have wagon will travel.” I liked going to look at Christmas tree lights and I would go crazy over the little trees. The street I liked the most was the Christmas lane. I think it was in Oakland. I remember Mom and Dad getting gifts from Aunt Hattie’s house, the Christmas after LaDonna’s and Judy’s dresses. That was okay because that aunt had lots of puzzles.
I liked Christmas Eve out back. Grandma could really put out the goodies. I liked our nylon stockings with chocolate covered cherries and Life Savers. Was it my imagination, or did Grandma make us new slippers each year? All I know is that when we had slipper fights, we never ran out of fire power.
Popcorn balls, fudge, apple pie and cookies seemed to flow like water that time of year. The big Christmas dinner was okay, but it didn’t have the memories as the late night bacon waffles did. The problem with the late night bacon waffles was that I was too young to stay up to eat them most of the time.
There was a lot of card playing that time of the year. It seemed as if our relatives came out of the walls. I remember putting both the kitchen table and the dinning room table together to fit most of us. Others could enjoy the T.V. trays and card tables. I know that we didn’t have lots of money, but it seemed that we would get what we asked for. All the food and goodies to feed the Truscott and Nunley army, how did we afford it all? Thank you, Dad, Mom, Ronald, Keith, Judy and LaDonna for so many good childhood memories. Dad I hope we gave you as many good memories as you gave us. I love you all.
Harold - Gene
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