We lost both of my grandmothers this year. Mom’s mom the day after Christmas, and Dad’s mom 5 weeks later.
My dad’s mom (we’ll call her Beastie, because… that’s what we called her) was a war bride; she met her husband, an American G.I. during the war; they married and she came over here to live, leaving her family behind.
One of the things she remembered most about her first Thanksgivings here in the US was watching the parade, and how Santa Claus appears at the end. She would wave to Santa every time. She said it made her feel so American.
I don’t know that she missed a year. Obviously, she will this year, and for some reason this makes me inordinately sad. It’s funny, the things that jump up out of nowhwere and hurt, isn’t it? This will be our first holiday without them and will be hard. But I was lucky to get to have two wonderful grandmothers who I got to know as an adult.
So, if you happen to be watching the parade all the way to the end and you see Santa, can you give him a wave, from Beastie?
I think Chicago started a competing parade a few years ago, AG. Flip around and you should be able to find Macy’s. Unless they time-delay it where you live, there’s still a half-hour to go.
Did it, too! Even made my wife and son come in the room to wave, for the extra vibes it would send (told them I’d explain later). God bless Beastie, Grandma, and my Nanas, too!
This is really touching. Thank you all. It’s such a silly thing, but she always talked about how she teared up when Santa came on because it reminded her of her first years here…
We missed them both terribly but remembered them warmly yesterday, today and always.
We lost both of the grandmas in our family this year also, Rasa, so I empathize with you.
Making the turkey dressing with the bread knife used by three generations of women and where my MIL would have been sitting keeping me company made for a few tearful and nostalgic moments.
And all those memories, both pleasant, and the lessor, are a gift I think. Hope your healing is timely and gentle.
Tethered Kite, sorry to hear. I keep reminding myself how lucky I am to have had them in my life for 34 years. And it helps, but they were just the cornerstones of a small immediate family. Beastie always made cherry pie for the holidays, so for the first time in my life I made pie, one cherry and one pumpkin. I even did the lattice crust like she did–she’d always smile and say “there’s a trick to it!” when I’d ask, because I thought it must be so complicated… but she never did tell me how. I Googled, and laughed at how simple it really is.
You all really have made my week. The thought of all these “strangers” waving to Santa for my grandma is wonderful.