My Best Christmas Gift…A Time Machine

It’s not even Christmas Day yet, but I can tell you that my brother gave me the best gift, hands down.

Today I received a  Priority Mail package that was too small to be the Harry & David’s Fruit-of-the-Month-Club (maybe next year), but instead contained a wonderful tiny time machine…on CD.  DD was next to me when I opened the box and found several CD packages.  Three of them were my bro’s favorite Garrison Keillor stories, which I will listen to later, but the fourth CD was something I’ve never heard…my mother, age 3 AND my grandparents who’ve been gone since 1984 and 1997.  It was magical.  Recordings of Christmas Eve 1948, 60 years ago today.  I don’t think DD or I will ever forget sitting in my office and listening to sounds captured 60 years ago, the voices of her great-grandparents, whom she’d never met.  My grandfather must have harbored a secret desire to be a radioman, because not only did he have the voice for it, he organized the recordings and included friends that dropped by who would sing and give short run-downs of their holiday thus far.  He also included current popular music and President Truman giving a holiday address by radio.

I must admit when I first realized who I was listening to, my face contorted and I began to cry, so amazed and overwhelmed by this true treasure.

 May you be blessed this holiday season, like I have been.

 Merry Christmas!