It was Christmas 1945. World War two was over having officially ended back in September. The joy, the relief and optimism was running high. Yes, there were those that had never made it home from the war, those that had celebrated their last Christmas but the future was bright. Garnet Reney, my future Uncle was one of the lucky ones, he had survived the war. Now they called him Doc. I never asked him if he got that name while in the service but I know he served. Like most men of his generation he rarely spoke of that time. He was home and dating Betty. Aunt Bet as I came to know her was my moms’ sister. They would marry in 1950. I never asked their story, young people rarely take an interest in such things, they were just my Aunt and Uncle, not like real people.

 Aunt Bet and Uncle Doc lived in a small home, just one bedroom. I later discovered that house had been purchased from Sears and Roebuck. Yes, it is a sears home and still standing and lived in to this day. I was told it was originally built and used as a hunting camp. It was rented out to the “city folks” that wanted to come hunt ducks and pheasants back in the old days. Uncle Docs father, Victor owned that one and another right next door to it. That home was not far from my own. I passed by that home every time I was sent to the corner deli by my mother or father. It was like going to Godsey’s store on the Waltons. Mary owned the store and knew all us kids and our parents. She treated us that way too, like her own. 

 I was usually accompanied by my older sister on those trips to the store. We were given some money and sent on that errand to get a loaf of bread or milk. Dad sent us there for cigarettes and beer. Mary would put those items in a brown paper bag and tell us, don’t let anyone see you. We would “sneak” home by taking a shortcut through a small wooded area. On our way to the store we always stopped at Aunt Bets house. She worked from home, and that back in the 1960’s. She wound the armatures that were used in those ho scale slot cars. She had the winding machine in her front porch and all the necessary wire and such. Paid by the piece she took what she had made to the factory once a week were they were inspected and tested. She was paid for each successful wind. And she always gave us a little something to spend at the store. We never asked, we knew better than to even think about asking, but pointing out that we didn’t have any money of our own wasn’t asking. 

 The years passed and I grew up. I joined the Navy and off to sea I went. Leaving for the Navy I never thought I wouldn’t return to that whole life. I didn’t realize how much things would change in such a short time. Oh I came home on leave a few times but all my friends were at work during the day and they weren’t out partying at night. I went to visit Aunt Bet and Uncle Doc but that wasn’t the same. I was offered a beer instead of given fifty cents. And they had grown old too. I learned from my mother that Uncle Doc and Aunt Bet had been like Santa Claus to us kids. Us kids being my brothers and sister. Many of the gifts we got from Santa were there doing. I can’t say the last time I got to visit with them. 

 My cousin contacted me because she had received the home. Aunt Bet and Uncle Doc never had children of their own. Mom told me once, in a hushed whisper, that Aunt Bet couldn’t have children, it was a female thing. This cousin came from another of my mothers sisters, she had six of them and three brothers. Cousin Linda knew how close I had been with Aunt Bet and Uncle Doc and offered to send me some items that had belonged to them. I was very grateful for that and treasure those items to this day. Just some trinkets you might say but so much more than that. Items they had, they shared, and some they created with their own hands. Crocheted items, hand stitched things and a few faded photographs. Those photographs are of my siblings and I, pictures they had saved over the years. 

 Back to Christmas of 1945. I have a cigarette lighter that was a gift to Uncle Doc (Garnet) from Aunt Betty. The date is engraved on it, 12-25-45. I know that it is 1945, the last century. It was a gift from his girlfriend. Even today it sounds funny to say that, his girlfriend. He gave her one just like it that I passed on to my brother. She was a heavy smoker her entire life. It was smoking that contributed to her death. Uncle Doc smoked a pipe occasionally, I don’t remember him smoking cigarettes, perhaps he quit the habit. That lighter is sitting on the hearth of the “fireplace” I built to remember those Christmases past. That lighter will be seeing its’ eightieth year! A gift from a Christmas past. Now a gift for me.