I am the oldest of four sisters and one brother. I was the first of mama’s children to marry, and afterwards we all went home for Christmas dinner. Mama died at age eighty seven and I never missed Christmas dinner at her house in all those years. As my sisters and brother married, and we all had children we came with all the children in tow. With children, grandchildren, great-grand children, cousins, friends and in-laws, mama’s house and yard were full for every Christmas dinner. Mamas always cooked a big pot of pinto beans, and without fail her plum spice cake. We children all brought so much food that after everyone had eaten, and filling mama’s refrigerator, we usually carried home more than we knew what to do with.

Mama lived in the same house for more than fifty years in a valley that runs along the foot of Taylors Ridge in north Georgia. Everyone knew her and was her friend. My sister who lived near her said she and mama couldn’t take a walk down the road because so many people came out to talk to mama when they saw her passing by. When the neighbor kids were growing up they always came to mama if they wanted something extra to eat. She would stop what she was doing to make them hot biscuits and cream gravy. She didn’t have much but she shared what she had.

All mama’s children and grandchildren grew up going to grandmas for holiday dinners. It was the only times some of the children ever saw each other. Somehow grandma made time for every one of them. She made a point of visiting different families through out the year so all the children knew grandma. With sixty family members, not counting all the in-laws which she loved the same as her own, it took some time.

Our mama was not a perfect mother. We all have harsh memories of growing up with her. She was short tempered, she didn’t spare the rod, and she could, and did curse like a sailor. We were called lazy, good for nothing, and names I can’t write here. She threatened to walk off and leave us nearly every day of our lives. This was scarier to us than it might have been to most children because our daddy had done just that. He left us when I was seven years old. It took most of us many years to get over it, and the harsh way mama treated us, if we ever did.

I know now, and I knew then that mama was hanging on by a thread. Life was so hard for her with children to raise and hardly anything to raise them with. Our daddy gave her some money, and our grandma who lived with us drew an old age pension. That was all mama had. I imagine myself in the same position, and I can’t imagine how she did it. Yet we always had something to eat, clothes to wear, and a roof over our heads. When we were sick she took us to the doctor and got our medicine .I am amazed when I think about how she did it all, and I really can’t see how she did.

After mama died we started having dinner at the valley church community hall. We have it early in December because more people can come at that time. We had our Christmas dinner last Sunday and exchanged presents (just mama’s six children). Only we siblings exchange presents. My grandchildren say it’s the only Christmas celebration they know of that only adults get presents. It’s not the same without mama, but we still enjoy getting together, eating and catching up on everything. Friends and neighbors of mama’s still drop in to eat, visit and reminisce. A friend of mama’s told me Sunday about when mama was sick when she was a girl, and had her feelings hurt because the friend didn’t visit her .All those years ago and this friend remembered. I seriously doubt anyone will ever remember anything like that about me. Mama had something about her; I don’t know what it was but everyone loved mama.