Peter Lee is a friend and former colleague from my days at Brebeuf College. His joie de vivre and irrepressible optimism always encourage me to believe that the very best is yet to come.
It's Christmas 1948 (yikes!). I'm six yrs old.
The custom at our house with my two brothers (David/John) was to head to bed Christmas eve -nothing under the tree.
Santa would deliver gifts down the chimney & into our living room while we slept. There were glass doors leading from the hall and the kitchen into the living room. By the morning these doors would be covered with bed sheets- no view into room. God help anyone who opened a door or tried to peek into the living room from outside.
We were marched off to Mass (7am / or 8am.). What exquisite anticipatory torture to sit thru Mass wondering...
Then home to eat a full breakfast-porridge, bacon, eggs, toast (my father grossed us out making "boudin.")
Only then would we march in single file into the living room. And there it was! A Lionel train set!
My brothers & I spent a good part of the day putting the set together & trying different track layouts. Real smoke too!
Later off too my grandmother's house on Brunswick Ave. for Christmas dinner with about 35 people. Dinner served in shifts!
Much fun & laughter listening to adults chat & get into inevitable arguments over anything as the beer & booze flowed.
We're Irish after all !
BON NOEL A TOUS!
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