1968

A Child's Christmas
In Neither Scarborough Nor Wales

Our Dad got home from the great big Tug Boat Sea late that year.

After dinner we walked to the lot, up the street then left on Oak Bay Ave and down past the Theatre where we would see True Grit a few months later; evening of the 23rd.

Me nine, brothers six and five. As we were lugging the tree home it started to snow.

By morning, Christmas Eve, it was knee deep. Was sent to the corner store to get Mom cigarettes. The switch to No7's had already been made. Walked right up the middle of the carless, silent street.

Kept snowing all day long and then the temperature dropped.

We had to take the city bus to Grandparents house for Christmas dinner.

Apollo 8 circled the moon. Built a Command Module Cockpit in the closet while Dad built an ice-rink in the back yard.

Temperature stayed below zero right past New Years and through the first week back at school. Sledding every night on the golf course hill and we actually learned to skate in the back yard.

1968 in Victoria.

Best Christmas.

Ever.