Mood:  special

As Christmas time approaches with all its excitement and festivities I always find myself going back to childhood memories of Christmases of the past. I have one particular memory that stays with me year after year when Christmas is here. This memory is of my visits to the "Christmas Room". This special place was created in the late 1940's and carried on until in the late 60's. It was located in Little River and part of L.B.Collins' grocery store. The building across the road from the store, which is still there today, was where the Christmas Room was opened for business each year.

The creator of the room was Mrs. Christina Collins, wife of Lyndon B. collins. In early December of each year she would cover the windows of the store with paper so no one could peek in. Behind those closed doors she was transforming and preparing the Christmas Room.

At the age of ten I dearly loved Christmas time. Great excitement and anticipation only built up more as I walked by this place every day. The visions in my mind were of Santa's helpers delivering, secretly, the many parcels full of toys,Christmas ornaments, candy, and many other various gifts while all of us slept at night. I thought without a doubt, that Santa was sending many special deliveries. I figured Mrs. Collins and Santa were probably the best of friends and I knew why. It was because they both loved kids!!

I saved up my pennies, nickels and dimes that I got for picking up and delivering mail for three other families. They each paid me the sum of $.25 a week.

Finally the day arrived when the paper came off the windows and the door was opened! Holding my breath, I walked into another world. Oh, how I could feel the magic of Christmas everywhere. I am sure my eyes were big as owl's eyes as my heart pounded fiercely inside. The decorations of tinsel and Christmas ornaments enhanced everything in the store. I inched my way through with my eyes not wanting to miss a thing. Christina would walk with me and comment excitedly, as I did, about each thing I found of interest. She added to the wonderment of it all making it a place I did not want to leave. I made a mental list of the things I would want to write on my list I would send Santa. I knew he could pick it up here on his way Christmas Eve.

I went home and wrote my list, showed my Mom and got it ready to send on its way. There were special ways of sending letters to Santa back then. I did this by first opening the draft on the kitchen wood stove, then quick as I could I would drop the letter in the stove and put the damper back on. I was told that the letter would be sucked up through the chimney and blow to the North Pole where Santa would get it. I would run outside quick as I could hoping to see the letter go flying, but it must have travelled faster than I realized because I never did get to see it go. I knew for certain that Santa got it because I did get the special colouring blackboard that I had asked for with lots of special crayons to use with it. To draw and create with the crayons sent me into a world of my own.

Also in the Christmas Room there were beautiful cup and saucers with so many unique colors and designs. I have become a collector of them and I believe it is because of the memory I hold dear of the Christmas Room.

I do not know when the Christmas Room closed but I am supposing that it was as Christina got older and was not able to continue to do it. I sometimes wish I could go back for one day in that Christmas Room again, but then again I know I already do, every Christmas, when memories of my childhood arise to enrich me once more.

I know many others who read about the Christmas Room will also remember it and will recall their own special memories .

It is in memory of "Christina Collins" that I decided to write about this Christmas memory. She was a very kind, gentle and loving Christian lady. She served in various aspects of the Little River Baptist Church and I can vividly remember many times she shared stories of children and their lives in India and other foriegn countries. She used flannel graphs with pictures that made the story stick into the minds of children.

Christina was also a lover of flower gardens and took excellent care of them. They grew so beautifully. The love she portrayed from inside out blessed all who knew her. I am thankful for the special memories she has given me.