Growing up as a kid, we lived above the City Club. Christmas Eve was always a combination of celebrating with my Grandma Myrna downstairs in her apartment followed by our personal family celebration upstairs in our apartment.
When you are involved with a tavern, Christmas Eve demands certain rules. We kids knew that the tavern closed at 6:00 PM. It always took awhile to usher patrons out the door. Some had no family to go home to. By the time the doors were locked and the lights were turned down low, it was 7:00 PM. There was always a serene calm that settled over the City Club when it was closed. It shouldn't be that way. It was always filled with people, music and smoke. But when it was Christmas Eve, an empty bar room was a sign of things to come; good food and opening presents.
Christmas Eve evening began with our family of six (Grandma Alice, Grandpa Bucky, myself, Jack, Addie and Jerry Lee) going downstairs to Myrna's apartment. We could not get into her apartment because all doors to the tavern and her residence were locked. We had to pound on the tavern door until Myrna came to let us in. The early Christmas gatherings were special because my Mom and Dad had helped Myrna select "stuff" that they knew we liked. It was a good time!
The festivities then moved upstairs. The anticipation to our family Christmas was the highlight of the evening. As kids we knew that if our dreams were to be filled, Christmas upstairs would provide the answer. And we did have great Christmas Eve celebrations.
The City Club was always closed Christmas Day. That meant we kids could roam the bar room and help ourselves to free soda and candy and ice cream and games (Myrna would rig the game machines so that they didn't need coins). Maybe Christmas Day was the best time of all?
I came to realize that Santa Claus comes to taverns as well as individual homes and apartments. In some small way, maybe the tavern was the best place of all.
So Grasshoppers, I can promise you that Christmas will be special this year. You'll just have to wait until it gets here. It is that waiting that is the essence of the Holiday.
Love,
Dad