Grandma's Tablecloths

December is when I often finds "gifts" for myself put away in boxes that I forgot about. Today, I forgot that I put the garland in with the artificial tree in its box. After tearing through several boxes of Christmas stuff and miscellaneous what-the-heck-is-in-there boxes, I finally remembered where the garland beads were...During my garland search, I found a box with some stuff in it from when we cleaned out Grandma's apartment.

I had to smile as I went through the stuff in that box. There were the napkins that matched the daisy tablecloth. There were some cool, but simple embroidered pieces. There, too, was the old-fashioned knife sharpener that is now put away in my kitchen. Somehow, one of those TV cook and drain pasta pots that Tony got for me got in this particular box too.

Then I came across them. Two cloth Christmas tablecloths from many Christmases.... and many Christmases ago....not a spot on them. I distinctly remember spilling gravy on one of them. Somehow Grandma got it out and put it away sparklin' clean, ready for a next Christmas that hasn't come yet. These two tablecloths would be easily labeled "vintage' on ebay with no problem.

These tablecloths are not stylish or trendy or made of something special from Somewhere Special. They're simple, heartwarming, and clean. They're salt of the earth Wyoming Valley Christmas through and through.

We used these tablecloths the holiday season after our house burnt down, and after Michael died. We brought out these tablecloths the first time Ann brought Jimmy home for Christmas and when Auntie Helen helped "watch the store." Those tablecloths were present when Grandma wrapped up the ham bone and put it in the freezer, and threw the ham bone from the previous Christmas away: a bizarre ritual that Grandpa joked about. Those tablecloths were probably there when I was brought "home" after we came back from New Mexico. The tablecloths were there when Carol lived there, and they were there when she brought Jan to visit. Tally and Bootsie ate crumbs under the table under those tablecloths.

Gosh, if only tablecloths could talk, could whisper the times past into my ears, to repeat the sounds of loved ones' voices, to remember the happy and sad times.

Oh, wait.

These tablecloths do that.