The View From a Different Window: For the love of a "Chatty Cathy"

Her name was "Chatty Cathy" and to the little 8-year old girl that I used to be, she was all that I ever wanted that Christmas of 1963. I had never seen one before the Friday that one of the other little third grade girls brought hers to school for "show and tell" day but from the moment I laid my blue eyes upon her and listened to hear her sweet little voice say "Please take me with you.", I loved her. But alas, Santa didn't leave her for me under the tree that year, or EVER for that matter and you know, even now 49 Christmases later I still feel a "twinge" of sadness that the beautiful doll with blonde hair and blue eyes never did make her way into my little arms.

Even though I never found her under the tree, I cannot recall a Christmas that any of the 7 kids in my family found nothing waiting for them on the morning of the 25th. I am positive that some years were "leaner" than others, yet my parents somehow always managed to scrape up the money needed to provide a nice holiday for their children. Without fail and surely with some sacrifice of things for themselves, we were provided for. It was only after I had grown into a young mother with 3 kids of my own that my mom told me the real truth about our family not having all that much money at times. My parents would have gladly bought a "Chatty Cathy" for me that year but the truth of the matter was that we could not have afforded it. I would only be able to admire her from the arms of another little girl instead. For struggling farming families, just like mine and so very many others, there was only so much money to go around. Our parents' utmost priority, just like everyone else's, was to make sure that our 7 hungry mouths were always fed and for that, this "kid" will always be grateful.

I have thought of my own upbringing many times during the course of my 35 years in education. Every chance I have gotten to share the Laura Ingalls Wilder book, Little House on the Prairie, I have done so with my students. I always made a "connection" between my life as a child at Christmas time and that of Laura's. In Laura's story, Pa and Ma Ingalls and the 3 little girls have made it to their first Christmas on the south eastern Kansas prairie. Talk about your "lean years", well Charles and Caroline Ingalls were smack dab in the middle of one. There was little money at all to provide a gift for the girls' Christmas of 1869. Rather than empty Christmas stockings, Ma had baked a little sugar cake for each, knitted a pair of warm red mittens, and placed a penny inside the toe of each of their stockings. As they wait for their Christmas dinner to finish cooking, they are paid a surprise visit from Mr. Edwards, their friend and neighbour, who is said to have crossed the near frozen Verdigris River in order to make their Christmas delivery from old Santa himself. When Laura, Mary and Carrie are each presented candy and a shiny tin cup to drink from, it is as though the entire toy department of the Macy's store has been delivered to the Kansas prairie. I always have asked my students, after I read the chapter, if they believe they could have been happy if that was indeed all that they received for Christmas from their parents one year. Most are quite honest in their replies~"Uhmm, no I don't think I would like that Mrs. Miller." If I am honest with myself, I must acknowledge the fact that I would have said the very same thing at their age.

In just about 2 weeks time, the Christmas season will have come to a stop. The Sunday Hutchinson News will be filled with ads, NOT about the latest toys and gadgets for kids and adults alike, but rather with everything you ever needed to get your body back in shape and your life more organized. Seems as if there is a season to sell anything and everything these days and that's just the way that life is. Without a doubt, February's offering of Valentines for those you love is already on a fork lift somewhere in the Wal Mart storage area, just waiting to be placed on the shelves come December 26th. This life of ours, oh how quickly it passes by us. Are you like me? Do you sometimes want to yell "Slow down and I mean it!"? I knew I wasn't alone on that one.

The clock on the wall here at home is nearing the 8 o'clock hour and my eyelids are in need of a toothpick if I try to stay up much longer. It has been a good day, one filled with many blessings everywhere I have been today. And as a parting note, to all of those from my generation.....Does the photo below mean anything special to you? Take a peek, perhaps it will.

I never failed as a little kid growing up to watch this wonderful show that was aired on Sunday afternoons about 5:00 on KAKE TV/Channel 10 out of Wichita, Ks. That's the now "sainted" Henry Harvey (AKA Santa Claus) with his little helper KAKEman. They provided the countdown to Christmas and gave "good" boys and girls the chance to have a sneak peek at all of the wonderful things that Santa could possibly bring to them. I can remember watching it every year and heck, I even watched it in high school. Hey, come on people~admit it~some of you did the same. In his very best "Santa voice", Henry Harvey would close the show every night with the saying that he and the reindeer would soon be "ZOOMING AROUND THE BIG WIDE WORLD."

I believed him then and I still believe in him today. Just TRY to talk me out of it~dare you :) Good night everyone and a peaceful rest and good sleep to each of you.