Anyone who knew my Grandfather Headley (and that's ALOT of people!) knew how wonderful he was. Everyone loved him. He really was just an all-around, genuinely great guy.
While I miss Grandpap year round, I especially think of him this time of year, because he loved Christmas so much.
We had a very close relationship, the two of us. Now, I don't want to upset his other grandchildren, as he loved all of us - but hey, I was the firstborn, and that allowed me some special privileges. After all, I had him the longest. He was my second dad, for all intents and purposes.
For as long as I can remember, he and I would go Christmas shopping together every year- just us. We would go out to eat and then shop, and I'd help him pick out Gram's gifts every year, which included shooing him away from some pretty offensive perfumes and ugly slippers!
Grandpap was always whistling, and when Christmas came, it was a rare occassion if he wasn't whistling a carol or two. The one I remember the most (besides all the religious ones of course) was Silver Bells.
A few years before he died, Grandpap made me a wooden music box - he loved to carve wood - in the shape of a dog. It would go around and around and guess what it played?
Silver Bells of course.
(There is another story about that music box that I should share, but it is more appropriate for Halloween, so take that as you may.)
But my most treasured memory is a quite simple one.
Every year, we would send each other Christmas cards - but not just any card - it had to be a foreign language holiday card. It was always a race to see who sent first. One year a German one, one year Russian - I think one year I even sent him a Hanukkah card! Swahili, Greek, Japanese, Swedish - I think we covered alot of countries in all our years.
It was a silly thing to do and I don't even know how on earth it started (maybe when I started taking Spanish class in junior high - we always joked cause Grandpap did horribly in Spanish when he had to take it in college. I, in contrast, got straight A's for four years of it!) ....
It was a silly thing to do and I don't even know how on earth it started (maybe when I started taking Spanish class in junior high - we always joked cause Grandpap did horribly in Spanish when he had to take it in college. I, in contrast, got straight A's for four years of it!) ....
In any event, when I would open that card and see "Joyeux Noel!" on the front, I always smiled.
And he'd always write 'Guess Who' inside in his trademark script.
I miss that, and I miss him.
At least I can hold those memories in my heart.
Feliz Navidad, Grandpap!
2 comments:
I sure do remember him whistling all the time too. It always made him easy to find in a store. And I know you had a special relationship but so did I. Christmas was a busy time for him...not only because of all the church things but because of all the stuff he made in the shop...and I helped him a lot down there. I miss that, and I miss him too.
(You'll have to relate the music box story next Halloween!)
What a beautiful tribute to your grandfather, and a lovely idea with the cards. Thanks for posting.
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