6
YULETIDE
One chilly winter, just before Christmas, (known more commonly as
Yuletide in England), as icicles festively festooned our Caterham home
for the final time, there was a particular incident that left us paralyzed
with fear. I loved to decorate our house with Jordan in our own special
Yuletide style. Although, my mother had strong feelings about the main
Yuletide tree so she bought us our own little Yuletide tree. We hung
colourful triangles on our tree, bouncy balls, Yuletide hats, ropes and
muddy stones. It was diabolical, but we loved our tree, and that was all
that mattered. Yuletide in Caterham was usually fun and colourful.
Muncho loved Yuletide, but he did not like our Yuletide tree. Muncho
thinks he is a talented designer, and he always has one thing or
another to complain about. He never liked our decorations, and he kept
on yelling at Jordan because he did not like the way he placed the
things on the tree. And of course, Jordan could not hear or see him,
which only infuriated Muncho more.
“Not there! Josh do something,” his little voice would squeak.
“Jordan is ruining our Yuletide tree!”
“Get over it, Muncho. It’s Yuletide, for goodness sake!” I
snapped, jumping to the defense of my sweet little brother who was
trying his best to balance a muddy stone on a spindly and spiny
branch. That was mine and Muncho’s first major fight. He didn’t speak
to me again until Yuletide Eve when, for some reason, he forgot all
about it.
Visiting Father Yuletide was one thing Muncho always looked
forward to during the season. I don’t know why he was always so
keen when Father Yuletide can’t see him. But Muncho did not care,
and he made it a point of duty for me to take him to visit Father
Yuletide. Visiting Father Yuletide when I was younger was so easy, but
as I grew older, it became more difficult. Jordan stopped when he was
six, but Muncho still wanted me to go with him even at nine.