A Tale of Two Women｜The 47th Christmas Charm

V and J moved to this community together in the 1970s. At that time, it was just a small community, a little far from the city center, but it was convenient to take the subway into the city. There were no large-scale developers, and several people from different cultural backgrounds Builders re-polished colonial-era homes into warmer versions, Portuguese, German, English, or American drama styles, and sold them to young middle-class couples. The community relies on the prosperous Yonge Street. Going further, there are several large manors nearby. It is the gathering place of the most prestigious families in the city. There is also a large park and a public French high school nearby. Because of its superior location, it has become a recognized aristocratic school. .

Here is the dream of middle-class women: V and J's husbands are both just starting their careers, and the family can finally move from an apartment to a two-story half-storied house, in the spring in the backyard of the same floor as the house In the summer, I take the children to my parents-in-law's villa by the northern lake. In the fall, I bake pumpkin pie. I can enjoy the maple red when I sit in front of the door. Fundraising for homeless people on the street or sick children in a children's hospital.

V and J met at such a charity sale.

V is an academic artist specializing in ceramic painting. She is already well-known locally in Toronto. She is too focused on artistic creation and often neglects to take care of her two daughters. Fortunately, her husband is a good-natured person who takes care of the past and the future. J has been a talented girl since college. She has a full scholarship for a master's degree in English literature, and has published several books. After all, she became a full-time housewife to take care of three children.

In the winter of 1973, when J first moved to the community, he was recruited by his neighbors to organize a charity sale. V painted Christmas ornaments on the stall. Guests could specify their names, and V wrote them on the spot. The booth also displayed V's other painted works. J stared in amazement and recognized the soul in the painting at a glance. She remembered her talent that was wasted by taking care of the children, both admiring and a little jealous. J's daughter took her hand and said that she also wanted one piece. In fact, the price was not low, but J paid the money without hesitation. She said that this was the first Christmas we moved here, and we should buy it for everyone. One piece, and V looked at the intimacy of J and her daughter, and was a little envious. Her own child liked her husband more than herself, and she didn't know where the inspiration came from. V said: I will send you a set every year in the future!

At that time, there were not many opportunities for women to receive education. V and J were special cases in the community. Of course, they had something to say. They became good friends soon after being separated by two streets. They knew each other and cherished each other. , and then spent the winter of each other's lives together in the 1980s: V's daughter was kidnapped, and the beautiful life was in crisis. It was J who stayed with him day and night, holding V's hand to comfort them through the restless days; J because sister The postpartum depression of the elder sister's suicide and the birth of the youngest son became closed, and J's husband couldn't open his heart. He still relied on V to send a family portrait painted porcelain plate, and re-awakened J to come out.

Things changed, with the development of the city, they became wealthy wives living in high-end communities. The only thing that was inhumane was that they eventually divorced from their husbands. J dedicated the rest of his life to his four children, and V ended up Found her soulmate, but broke with her daughters forever.

The only constant is that from the winter of 1973, V will help J and her family to make an exclusive Christmas ornament every year. J and her husband plus three children total four pieces, J and four children, children With a boyfriend and girlfriend, children getting married and having children, V not only engraved his name on the pendant, but also occasionally recorded the most memorable events of the year. Although J felt embarrassed about his growing family, he proposed to pay, but V Stubbornly unwilling to charge, she said that it was her Christmas present to J. She saw the missing piece of her life in the sincere emotions of J and the children. For her, Christmas ornaments were used to record the family's development. The branches and leaves make up for some regrets in their lives.

From 1973 to 2019, she has painted Christmas ornaments for J's family for 46 years - except that in the winter of 2014, her partner had a serious illness, and she had no intention of making them. However, when J's youngest son got engaged that year, she wanted to After thinking about it, I still took out the original (only) template that year, and filled in the names of my youngest son and fiancee.

After that, V was a little powerless to make Christmas ornaments. From the next year, he only took orders from the community, and later only took orders from J (J would pay to order more hanging tags to distribute to his relatives).

In 2019, V's soulmate chose euthanasia under the torment of cancer. J accompanied her to sign. J invited V, who was alone, to come and spend Christmas Eve together at home. V came, J's two daughters and youngest son were with her After greeting each other warmly, they were busy each other. Except for a daughter-in-law who married here from afar, she brought a notebook to ask about the story of the tag. J's grandchildren didn't know her. She looked at the names that she had written every year, and they didn't fit. , suddenly realized that it was someone else's family after all.

The next year, after V finished writing the tags of J and her four children, he called and told J that he would only give her these five tags this year. J was a little panicked. For her, the Christmas ornaments made by V were not just a family inheritance. , it is the tradition of this house. Although this day will come sooner or later, she is not ready yet, but she can't help it. The epidemic has ruthlessly interrupted the Christmas Eve tradition of this house. This year, J didn't even have a Christmas tree. can be arranged. Simply V still relented. She accepted J's proposal and asked J to pay for all the tags for the first time in more than 40 years.

At that time, J also realized that for V, the lost family is what V needs most. She carried V on her back and exhausted Vance, who thought she was exhausted, and wrote two handwritten letters to V's two daughters, 2020 On Christmas Eve, one of the daughters, who had been away for more than ten years, returned to V's house in the community from another province to celebrate the festival.

However, there is still a crack in the friendship between V and J. Maybe it was at the Christmas Eve party, or maybe it ended in the fact that the houses in the community were renovated and sold to rich Chinese and Arabs, and old wives. Booked as they moved out one after another. V officially announced his retirement, and a daughter invited her to move to a nursing home closer to him. Although it was a brand new province, V was happy to finally reconcile with his daughter. J also plans to sell the house and move to his younger son's house. J couldn't hold a family Christmas Eve party the next year, so it doesn't matter whether the Christmas ornaments are traditional or not.

postscript

In 2019, at the Christmas Eve party at my mother-in-law’s house, I talked to my mother-in-law, an artist friend, that I also wanted to learn to paint ceramics. I said that if I failed to apply for the doctoral program, I would come to be your apprentice. She was very happy and said yes. Teach me to draw Zentangle on Christmas ornaments, but no one expected that because of the epidemic, that would be the last time of my life with her.

I have to say that Christmas ornaments are really expensive things. Of course, you can buy all kinds of cheap colored balls or Christmas ornaments in hypermarkets or dollar stores. However, if you really want to buy a handmade one at Christmas markets in Europe and America, One cost at least 500 Taiwan dollars (when the Taiwan dollar is strong), so I am lucky to receive a piece from my mother-in-law and her artist friends every year. When I was unmarried, my mother-in-law thoughtfully paid out of her own pocket to buy an exclusive one for me. After marriage, the names of the husband and wife were merged into one. Sometimes I would think: I don’t know how my brothers and sisters deal with those condolences after breaking up with their partners. decorated?

Porcelain charms are also fragile. I remember helping my mother-in-law set up a Christmas tree before we got married and accidentally smashed a piece in half, which almost scared me to death, but when I picked it up, it was the name of my ex-girlfriend. The mother-in-law was frightened and said how could this be here? Then the two halves were smashed a little more.

I will share some Christmas ornaments below. Originally, I planned to cover up the name, but then I thought about it. The essence of the ornament is the name. Anyway, the name on the ornament is not the real name, so it doesn't matter.

Community Activities | There are about six days left in the countdown to the Christmas Text Market , so please take your time.

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