Beach House Christmas

By David Muscat.

I remember the soothing hum of the oven
The snicker of fat on hot plates
And the tiredness that I rubbed from my eyes
As I roused myself awake.

I would pad softly into the kitchen
All still dark on Christmas Day dawn
To see the glimmer of fairy lights on the tree
And my mum by the oven, which in her tongue was called the forn.

There would be the heady fragrance of baked potatoes
The aromas of roast meat and smoked ham
Mum would be standing there, smiling
At all the festivities she had planned.

But first we’d be bustled out of the house
To be greeted by the salty sea breeze
The angry pound of waves crashing onto surf
And the cackle of galahs in the trees.

Church could be a drag, I must admit
The drone of the priest, the litany of psalms
But strangely these rituals brought me happiness
Despite my hunger not being calmed.

On our return home, Christmas lunch would be ready
My favourite time of the year
Family would gather around the dining table
With eagerness, chatter, and cheer.

The feast would promptly be laid out
Turkey, crackled pork and fruit mince pie
A stunning cornucopia of delectable food
Combined with stuffing, assorted cheese and wine.

Even as my mother became older and frailer
In making Christmas lunch, she persisted
Even when I would offer to help her out
She wanted to do it for us, she insisted.

Many wonderful a Christmas was spent like this
The perfect way to see in the season
Along with beachside walks and a reprieve from work
Time spent with family was the main reason.

My mother is now no longer with us
The beach house has long been sold
But one thing I know for certain is
These memories will never grow old.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

David Muscat has worked as a parliamentary writer at the Australian Public Service and a writer and presenter at SBS Radio. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature, and has had work published in the Geelong Writers 2020 Anthology, Beat Magazine and the MX newspaper. He is looking to soon publish his first fantasy novel, while busily working on a science-fiction story. You can read more of his writing at davidmuscatliterature.wordpress.com