Wednesday night I had an Open House just for the ladies. When you spend 3 weeks of your life preparing for the holidays it only makes sense to share. So I picked my favorite people form friends to clients and stirred them all in the same pot and introduced them to my home and each other. It wasn’t a huge gathering but just the right size. The time was from 5-9:00 and they were invited to come when they could and stay for a nibble and a sip.
Earlier in the week Florida called and said she heard I was having a party. I knew she wouldn’t be able to come so I didn’t send the invite. My bad, I definitely should have. Anyway she told me to expect a box but not to open it until right before the party. So at about 4:45 the husband presents me with this box. I open it to a pair of beat up Born shoes. I was like what the heck. I’m thinking am I supposed to wear these or what? There was no way I was putting my feet into those shoes! Then I started rooting around in the box and my hand lands on some tissue and I knew by the shape immediately what it was.
Many years ago my parents used to entertain. A lot! They not only had intimate dinner parties but they also had rather large gatherings always with fantastic food and a wonderful theme my mom concocted. Tables were always dressed to the nines and only the best came out to play. Crystal, sterling, chaffing dishes etc. One of their last parties was for her Art Guild, a Christmas Party. This meant there would be about 30-40 people.
My folks didn’t use the fireplace. Well not for the use it was intended anyway. You see their family room was long and narrow and it had to do double duty as a dining room as well. This 1960’s ranch had windows on both ends, two large “shuttered door openings” on the north wall and the fireplace and side door outside on the south wall. This made TV viewing difficult at best in this room. With the complication of a dining table and chairs on one end it left only about half the room for lounging and TV watching. And, absolutely no wall space. Mom had decided that the best place for the TV was inside the fireplace!!! Back in the day when TV’s weighed a million pounds and were bulky and deep. This made perfect sense to them. But of course they were having a party. You have to have a fire burning in the fireplace for a Christmas party, right? My dad went to the video store and had a fire video made on a continuous loop so they could have the fire! The party day approaching and the weather was very cold and that night it was below zero. The men came in now with cocktail in hand and went and warmed themselves by the fire!!! None the wiser. But I digress.
During the party preparation mom asked dad to make her a star. He went down to his wood shop (the garage) and in minutes he had whipped her up a star. Some silver paint and about a half a jar of glitter with a clothes pin on the back the star was born.
Fast forward a few years. One day mom was going thru stuff and she gave me the star. I used it proudly somewhere in my home every year thereafter. When we lost my dad on December 19th 2007 just before Christmas it was gut wrenching and the saddest Christmas. I can’t even look at those pictures still. Anyway after a couple years had past Florida needed the star. She and my dad were very close and she was struggling. I decided to give the star into her loving hands for care, along with a letter I had written from my dad. For years she proudly put the star on her tree. Then they were moving to Florida at Christmas time. Everything had to be sold. She told the grandboys that they could pick any ornament off her tree. The youngest picked the glittered star. Well, a deal was a deal and with a sad heart and a gulp she gave it to her nephew where it has resided since.
Apparently until last year.
Florida’s sister felt that her sister needed the star back. Not coming home for Christmas last year the sister felt compelled to return the star. Speaking to her son about the importance of the star and asking his permission he was now 8, the star was returned to Florida with the original letter I had written but now in a lovely hand made envelope and sealed with sealing wax and accompanied with a poem about the star written by my son in law and enhanced by my daughter. Now, I had no knowledge that this went on so it was all new to me.
As I rummaged thru the rest of the box I found the sealed letter that has a tag instructing the recipient not to open it!
There was a yellow piece of legal pad paper wound in a scrunchy, and there was the poem. I didn’t know what the deal was about the sealed envelope so I set it aside for now, and moved on to the yellow piece of paper, which instructed me to keep the star until another female in our family was having a difficult time, in which case the star will go to them. And then there was the lovely poem.
I mean to say I was touched and surprised and the tears were flowing just moments before I was expecting guests. I couldn’t figure out where the poem came from, I have never known Florida to write poems, not even silly ones. But this was so perfect to the sentiment, and with my emotions running high I quickly placed the star on an end table along with the sealed letter, and the poem. Wiping the tears I left the room and started to greet my guests.
When my youngest daughter arrived I decided to share my experience of the star with my guests. I was so touched to have it given back into my hands. It was like my parents were here, mom ringing her Christmas bells, I just had to share. But there was so much I didn’t know. Now was the time for my youngest to share her experience with the star. I had forgotten the star had gone into her hands, and she never told me she sent it back. I never knew about the poem, and I had forgotten about the letter I had written (apparently a tear jerker, thus the seal). It was a wonderful moment connecting three generations back to the first generation.
A simple star created as a prop for a party has become a beacon of love and hope to be passed back and forth and lovingly kept by the person who needs it the most. These new traditions that are completely my girls are gifts to me. Their sense of fun, caring and thoughtfulness are a testament to the fact that the husband and I did something right. I am so proud to call them daughters. Did I “need” the star? No, not in that sense, but putting my hands on the tissue and feeling the edges was an instant kiss on the cheek from my dad. Telling me all is well.
The party was perfect. Ok I could have used another bottle of wine! Next time.
What was the significance of the shoes? I still have no idea, ballast I think. My daughter has a strange sense of what appropriate packing materials are!!!!!!!!
So I challenge you to create your own special magic. This will be one I remember for a very long time.
Thanks for stopping
Shelley
