The year was 1960. I’d just moved to Chicago and I would have to spend Christmas alone, the first one ever away from my family. I’d bought gifts for everyone and packed them carefully into two big cartons and then dropped them off at the Railway Express office. I knew shipping by rail was slow, but since I was sending everything early, I knew it would all get there before Christmas.
I don’t remember now what the gifts were, but I do recall that each one was extra special that year. As it turned out, I was able to get away after all, so I decided to drive home to Peoria and just show up at my parent’s front door and surprise everyone on Christmas Eve.
And they were surprised, but not as surprised as I was, or should I say, as stunned as I was to discover that the gifts had never arrived. My reactions kept ricocheting between disbelief and disappointment, and then . . I got mad, and the more I thought about it, the more unhinged I became until I was on the verge of a wild-eyed fit. My mother tried to calm me down. She didn’t care that the packages hadn’t arrived; she was just happy that I was home. That was more than enough for her. She kept saying, “Aw, don’t worry about it. They’ll probably deliver them in a couple days. Come on, let’s have some hot eggnog.” My dad agreed.
Well, that wasn’t good enough for me. I said, “Get your coats, we’re going to the train station!” My dad said, “What? Why? There won’t be anybody down there on Christmas Eve.” My mother said, “Oh, Sharon, you just got here. Let’s not worry about that now.”
But they both knew what sign I’d been born under and when the bullhead kicks in, there’s no stopping a Taurus. Besides, I could always smell an adventure in the making.
So, everybody bundled up and we headed for the far edge of town. Looking back now, I realize what good sports they’d always been . . especially that night, letting me drag them out of the house on what must have seemed like a crazy wild goose chase.
My dad got into the swing of things right away. While we were driving he started reminiscing about the old same train station story he’d told us so many times—how once, years ago, he’d seen Nat King Cole. It was late at night and Cole and his musicians had just finished playing a gig in town and there they were, about to board the Rock Island Line and ride the rails back to Chicago. He said he remembered how tired they all looked . . . and kinda seedy and . . . smokey, but that Cole had a big smile.
Yeah, they were probably higher than a kite, but I thought it best not to mention that. Why clutter his nice memories with details? Besides, he said that every time he drove by the station after that, which wasn’t very often, he always thought about his one and only celebrity sighting.
I thought about my own memories of the Rock Island Line. They were the classic memories, the faint sound of a train whistle just as I was drifting off to sleep. . . it was a distant sound that seemed to be coming from somewhere way down the dark cinder alley behind our house. On the flat prairie lands of Illinois, you could hear the sound for miles before it finally trailed off. It was the same comforting, but kind of lonely sound that poets and songwriters often write about.
We turned the corner and pulled into the train yard, and in the dim light of the street lamps we could see about a dozen or so freight cars lined up on the tracks…boxcars, they were called back in those days. The place looked pretty dark and deserted, until I noticed a little watchman’s hut on the far corner of the yard. And there was a light on.
Now my dad was really enjoying himself. Any old reason to be around trains. My mother had just come along for the ride and to make me happy, but she certainly didn’t have the slightest thoughts of actually finding the gifts I’d sent.
Somebody poked their head out of the hut. I said, “Hey Look! Let’s go.” We walked toward the hut and the skinny guy with a crewcut turned out to be somebody from my old high school. I didn’t remember his name, but we vaguely recognized each other.
I explained my story, how I’d shipped two cartons from Chicago 10 days ago, and how they had never arrived, and how I’d come all the way down to spend Christmas with my family, and now the presents were missing—and that surely they must be here some place, probably in one of these box cars, so could I please, oh, please look through the cars and see if I could find them?
My mother gasped and looked at me with her mouth open as if it had just dawned on her why we were actually there. Yes, I was asking him to unlock each and every boxcar so I could climb in and dig around in the dark. But it seemed like a perfectly reasonable request to me. My dad just shook his head in disbelief, but he couldn’t stop grinning. And the young man seemed to be excited about the idea!
He got a flashlight and the two of us started going through the first car, stumbling over piles of cartons—cartons that probably contained Christmas presents that also hadn’t gotten delivered on time.
My mother and dad stood outside peering through the sliding doors, breathing vapor into the cold night air. I’m sure she was also sucking air through her teeth at the thought of us inconveniencing this poor young man, the lone night watchman who had to work on Christmas Eve; the one who I could tell was having fun.
We had just started digging through the second car when I spotted our address on one of the cartons, and then on the other. I let out a squeal! It was Christmas miracle. It seemed almost surreal, and yet, something about it seemed like the most natural thing to be happening.
I was so thrilled and so grateful. He helped us put the cartons into the back seat and I handed him a big fat tip and as we pulled away, we were all wearing warm fuzzy smiles. We got home, opened our gifts, laughed our heads off, and finally had that cup of hot eggnog.
My parents are part of my memories now, but if the guy from the boxcar is still around, I hope he can remember the night he became my Christmas hero.
Sharon Rockey
http://www.articlesbase.com/holidays-articles/christmas-in-a-box-car-680387.html
February 22nd, 2010 at 11:56 pm
Christmas.?
What are you favorite Christmas recipes? Are the good?
February 22nd, 2010 at 11:58 pm
I just do the eating part…sorry.
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February 23rd, 2010 at 12:00 am
Carrot Souffle’
Better than Sweet Potato Souffle’. You can not even tell you are eating carrots.
Red Velvet Cake
The chocolate cake died red makes it great, plus the cream cheese icing with diced nuts in it.
Smoked Turkey
Got to get that smoker out!
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February 23rd, 2010 at 12:02 am
I bake a ton of cookies and make a ton of candy. Some of the favorites at work and home are white chocolate covered pretzels and you can decorate them up anyway you want. My homemade fudge. Also, don’t really have a name for it but you melt some carmel along with some sweetened condensed milk and roll a big marshmallow in it and then roll that in Rice Krispies.
I make way too many cookies to mention but you can find all kinds of great recipes on line.
Go to allrecipes.com
they have some great recipes.
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February 23rd, 2010 at 12:04 am
try yahoo recipe group
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February 23rd, 2010 at 12:06 am
Every year Iam asked to make "Magic Cookie Bars"
Magic Cookie Bars
Servings: Makes 2 to 3 dozen bars
Serving Size: not available
Nutrition: not available
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
1 (14-ounce) can EAGLE BRAND Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
2 cups (12 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped nuts
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (325°F for glass dish). In small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and butter; mix well. Press crumb mixture firmly on bottom of 13X9-inch baking pan.
Pour EAGLE BRAND® evenly over crumb mixture. Layer evenly with remaining ingredients; press down firmly with fork.
Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Cut into bars or diamonds. Store leftovers covered at room temperature.
Notes: Recipe Variations: Substitute chocolate chips or nuts with: candy coated pieces, dried cranberries, raisins, mini marshmallows or butterscotch chips.
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February 23rd, 2010 at 12:08 am
Hi I have lots of recipes that are great. Cookies, breads, side dishes etc. email me and I will send them to you if you wish.
Happy Holidays!
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February 23rd, 2010 at 12:10 am
My mom made a new one last year that has become a family favorite…
Dirty Snowballs (sound odd, I know)
They’re basically oreo cookies crushed and mixed with cream cheese, rolled into balls and dipped into melted white chocolate.
Yum!!!
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February 23rd, 2010 at 12:12 am
CHEESE CAKE YUM
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February 23rd, 2010 at 12:14 am
Red Headed Dumplings(wedding dumplings) with real ham gravy….to die for! My hubby and son request that every year, so it is our tradition and I do it BEST! Before I met my husband, he never had ham gravy…it’s his favorite now and he has bragged to his family, and last year I had to make it for them…standing ovation!
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February 23rd, 2010 at 12:16 am
My husband asks for these for any family holiday like Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter. Great with turkey ham beef or pork.
Horseradish carrots
peel and slice 5-6 carrots and boil until not quite tender. Reserve 1 tablespoon of boiling water.
Blend together 1 tablespoon of prepared horseradish, 1 finely chopped onion, 1/4 cup mayonaise and the carrot water. Place carrots in a casserole dish and pour mixture over top. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and bake at 350 until hot and bubbly and bread crumbs are browned. ( about 20-30 min).
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February 23rd, 2010 at 12:18 am
"Ham with Cherry Sauce" - 8 to 10 servings
1 fully cooked bone-in ham (6-8 lbs.)
1 cup packed brown sugar
3 tbsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. ground mustard
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp. cornstarch
1 cup cold water
1 (16 oz.) can pitted dark sweet cherries; undrained
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. almond extract
Place ham in a roasting pan. Score surface of ham with shallow diagonal cuts, making diamond shapes. Combine the brown sugar, syrup and mustard; rub over ham and press into cuts. Cover and bake at 325* for 1 2/3 to 2 hours, or until a meat thermometer reads 140* and ham is heated through.
For cherry sauce, in a saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and water until smooth; add cherries. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice and extract. Serve with ham.
"Parsley Red Potatoes" - 6 servings
2 lbs. red potatoes
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup butter; cubed
2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
Peel off a strip around each potato if desired. Place in a large saucepan; cover with water and add salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until tender; drain. Add butter and parsley; toss until butter is melted.
"Carrot Cabbage Slaw" - 12 servings
4 cups shredded cabbage
2 cups shredded carrots
2 medium Golden Delicious apples; diced
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup honey
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 cup (8 oz.) sour cream
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/8-1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg (optional)
In a large serving bowl, combine the cabbage, carrots, apples, raisins and walnuts. In a small bowl, combine the honey and lemon juice until smooth. Stir in the sour cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg, if desired. Stir into cabbage mixture. Serve or chill.
"Glazed Carrot Coins" - 4 servings
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. orange juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
6 medium carrots; cut into 1/2" slices
In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, orange juice, salt, ginger and cinnamon. Add the carrots; cover and cook for 20 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.
"Apple Crisp" - 8 servings
5 medium tart apples; peeled and sliced
1 1/4 cups sugar; divided
1 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon; divided
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cold butter
1 cup water
In a bowl, combine the apples, 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon. Transfer to a greased 8" square baking dish. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and remaining sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over apples, pressing down to smooth top.
Slowly pour water over the top; sprinkle with remaining cinnamon. Bake, uncovered, at 400* for 40-50 minutes or until apples are tender. Serve warm.
"Brown Sugar Walnut Fudge" - 5 dozen squares
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine; melted
1/4 cup milk
1 1/4 to 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 cup walnut pieces
Butter an 8×8" pan. Combine brown sugar with butter or margarine; simmer, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in milk; simmer until soft-ball stage, or about 235* on candy thermometer. Cool about 45 minutes.
Beat in confectioners’ sugar until thick and smooth; stir in nuts; spread in prepared pan. Refrigerate at least 1 hour; cut into 1" squares.
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recipe cards
February 23rd, 2010 at 12:20 am
There may be something of use here.
References :
http://christmas.jims-info.com/