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Winter in a city in the mountains is beautiful. We lived almost at the top of the South Mountain in Bethlehem and from my bedroom window I could see the whole city stretched before me,across the Bethlehem Steel and over to the North Side. It was beautiful but at Christmas,the magic happened. The Christmas tree on the Hill to Hill bridge was put up. It was made up of 200 plus trees,and on every lamp post there was a lighted tree. Every window had white candles in them and some homes had Moravian stars. Every lampost on every street downtown also received the lighted trees and strings of lights were strung across the streets. One year theyeven came up the street to our house. That was special and the only year it happened.
Christmas was a happy busy time at our house. The Aunts and the cousins came to help with baking and cleaning. I would come in from school to smell the wonderful holiday cookies and pastries baking. There were always samples for Pop and me. My grandmother learned to bake from her mother and her pastries and cookies were as light as air and delicious. Krushinki,walnut and poppyseed rolls,kiffles and I could go on but you all know the traditional Christmas baking. My Aunt who was Moravian would bake her spritz cookies and white roll outs. This is when the trading began between the Aunts and Grammy. I loved it. When all the baking was sorted out and done,on to the next step.
Christmas Eve dinner was always at our house and a very important time. The table was always crowded and everyone was happy to be happy. The food was special also. The mushroom soup was made from dried mushrooms that pop would gather in the mountain and Grammy would string and dry them. The Goose came from a farmer months in advance to be fattened up. The bread..oh the bread. Just the smell of it baking in the woodstove was wonderful. Of course we got to taste it early in the day. That was our payoff for making the butter. The vegetables of course were the ones that were canned from our garden . Everything was a family venture. The aunts and cousins all brought something. I would answer the door and immediately be handed a packet of candy. Hard candy that would last for awhile and some of it made by neighbors. Of course it was bartered for other things!
All that day I seemed to be underfoot. So I bundled myself up and Pal and I went outside. Orders!!!�Out of the kitchen, I may burn you!� I went to the bare willow tree, and brushed the snow from my swing and sat down. I was surprised to see Fritz there. �Fritz,why aren�t you in the cellar where it is warm?� �Oh, I wanted to come out here and see.� �See what?� �Everything� He sounded so sad. I had never heard him sound that way before. Finally I had to ask,�Fritz,what is wrong. It�s Christmas Eve and you should be so happy�. �I miss my family in the old country,that�s what�s wrong with me.� � I�m sorry your so sad but we�re your family now. We love you� Fritz went to his hiding place in the willow tree and didn�t come out again.
I went into the house but stopped on the side porch at the kitchen door. I looked to see that Grammy was alone and I said to her� Grammy, Fritz is hiding in the willow tree and he is very sad� �Sad,him sad?� �Yes,he misses his family in the old country
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