Countdown to Christmas with Rebecca J. Clark

Hello and welcome to Day 22 of my Countdown to Christmas blog! Today’s featured guest is Rebecca J. Clark. Not only is Becky here to share a Christmas memory with us, but to give some advice often overlooked. With the snow swirling down on the bristly pine needles, the twinkle lights sparkling like jewels, and a log in the hearth, I invite you to come take a listen.

Oliver saunters out, blowing kisses to Becky as he sets the coffee and tea service on the table. Then he slices a huge piece of apple pie and grins his roguish grin.

Sharon: Becky has a very vivid Christmas memory to share with us. Becky, tell us about it.

A Blazing Christmas

One of the most vivid Christmas memories I have is the year our tree caught fire. It was Christmas morning, after all the presents had been opened. I was about four or five years old. I remember sitting in the living room by myself, playing with a new toy. All the grown ups had disappeared to the kitchen--cooking, cleaning or doing whatever it is that adults do on holidays. Something caught my eye and I glanced up to see flames from the fireplace leaping onto the pine garland across our mantle. For a moment, I just watched, fascinated, as if it wasn’t really happening. I remember the flames being really pretty and colorful. I knew I needed to call for help, but for just another moment, I watched those flames jump and dance and climb up the bricks of the fireplace. Finally, the spell broke and I called out to the grownups. They rushed out in a panic and quickly got into a line, filling pots and pans and bowls with water, then tossing it onto the fire. I remember thinking they were all acting a bit crazy. I mean, what was the big deal?

The only lasting damage was to the bricks of the fireplace and to the painting above the mantle. We lived in that house for many more years. We never did replace the painting—the one with scorch marks on the frame. And the bricks surrounding the fireplace remained blackened in areas from the fire. I never thought about it at the time, but maybe my parents kept these reminders in plain site to remind them of how lucky we were. Things could have been so much worse. What if the nearby tree had also caught fire? Yikes.

Now that I’m grown up, every year when we put up our tree, I remember that Christmas, and contemplate how different my life could have been. And I feel truly blessed.

Gentle warning: Please keep your live trees, garlands and wreaths away from open flames. Never leave a lit candle or fire unattended. Keep your tree watered, and take it down as soon as it becomes dry. Or better yet, buy an artificial tree. You can always spray pine-scented aerosol for that wonderful Christmas smell. Stay safe and Merry Christmas!

Oliver comes out with watering can. After unplugging the tree, he waters the tree, double checking for dry branches. Then he checks the fire in the hearth, proud he’d put the tree clear on the other side of the expansive parlor. Grinning at Becky, he steals a kiss under the mistletoe!

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!

Rebecca J. Clark
BORROWED STILETTOS--February 10, 2010, from The Wild Rose Press
"Sassy and Sexy and Steamy...Oh my!"
RebeccaJClark.com
"Once Written, Twice Shy," a blog for writers who aren't natural extroverts
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