The Christmas Train by Martha

[Carol Anne Kincaid~Paradis]

HAPPY WEDNESDAY .X

The Christmas Train by Martha

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In my home, at about 7 a.m. on Christmas morning, I listen carefully for a train. Even though I’m frantic to find out what Santa Claus left, the rule in our family is that you can’t leave your room until the “train” comes.

Eventually, I will hear my father’s voice let out a few tentative “choo-choo-choo’s” and “woo-woo's”—the sound of a train’s engine. After Dad woo-woo’s this first time, anxious family members will woo-woo back to let the engine know they are wide awake and ready for the ride. These answering woo-woo's are necessary, because if Dad doesn't hear them, he threatens to go back to bed. (This has never happened, to my knowledge, but everyone likes to be on the safe side.)

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The engine's first few woo-woo's are called out mainly to taunt everyone, because it’s much later—at least 10 minutes—before the “engine” (my father) arrives at the first bedroom door to begin picking up “cars” (members of the family). Before then, the engine is busy turning on the tree lights, getting a drink, getting into uniform (typically red winter clothing, engineer overalls, and a hat) and doing as many unnecessary things as possible before finally starting the train in earnest.

The first person on the train (aside from Mom and Dad) is the youngest person in the household, who gets to be the honorary cowcatcher at the front of the train. Next, the train chugs and choo-choo’s and woo-woo’s around the house to get another lucky person, who hooks onto the train by putting both hands on the shoulders of the person in front. The train progressively grows louder as everyone adds their own version of the “chugga-chugga-woo-woo” song.

While chugging through the house, the engine is especially fond of bathrooms, because Dad has a bizarre sense of humor and likes to squish the 10 to 15 train members into tiny bathrooms! The train cars protest (but laugh!) while going through the tiny spaces. After going through every single room in the house at least a million times, the engine revs up loudly and makes a dash toward the newspaper-covered entrance to the gift-flooded room, bursting through the newspaper with the rest of the train in tow. Then, the train breaks up and everyone is stunned by the Christmas lights and beautiful gifts, and each and every train car is exhilarated and ready to enjoy Christmas morning together.