Momma Hammond's Love of Christmas

Momma Hammond's Love of Christmas: (Lissie Arie White Hammond)
The one holiday that Momma Hammond loved was Christmas. My Dad, Fay Hammond shares a story that Momma Hammond told about her childhood and Christmas. She was a young girl, perhaps 5 or 6 years old. Christmas was coming and excitement was in the air. Momma Hammond with all her heart wanted a doll baby. She had her heart set on a doll, and believed that Santa would leave her a doll. She got up in the wee hours of Christmas morning, before anyone else was up, and crept into the main room to see what Santa had left in her Santa Box. There she found a pair of shoe strings. She was so disappointed that she went back to bed. When her brothers and sisters got up with excitement to see what Santa had brought them, Momma Hammond stayed in bed. She recalled how Aunt Ella came to her and tried to convince her to get up, but she already knew what was in her Santa Box, and it was not a doll. We believe that event had a lot to do with how Momma Hammond treated her own children at Christmas, and why she went to such great lengths to ensure there were cakes, pies, ambrosia, and presents for all. I recall her house being fully decorated for Christmas. Granddaddy Hammond's brother Dewitt and his wife Marie, and other relatives loved to spend Christmas with Granddaddy Hammond and Momma Hammond. I recall Granddaddy Hammond saying he was still paying off the Christmas bills in July. Momma Hammond’s love of Christmas was successfully passed down to my father, Leon Fay Hammond, and to me, Leon Fay Hammond, Jr. Santa boxes remain a tradition in our family, including my grandchildren. Thanks Momma Hammond!