Dolly Parton has a song called Hard Candy Christmas, from the Best Little Whorehouse in Texas soundtrack. Hard candy, I think, implied a make-do, low key, no money for extravagant celebration holiday. Could be - that describes a whole lot of the Christmases of my childhood, but at the time, I didn't know better and didn't mind. I now, knowing better, STILL don't mind.
There were 5 kids in our family, and only one wage earner. Dad worked in construction for quite a few years before getting a "better" job as a corrections officer that might have paid better, but turned him into a bitter, angry man. At Burtch (the correctional facility), on the last day before Christmas holidays, the guards and other staff must have had some sort of Christmas party. As far as I know it was never mentioned, but dad would always come home with his pocket bulging. Every year, the same thing. A crumpled brown paper lunch bag half full of hard candy and Spanish peanuts, with a couple of pennies and some little bits of cigarette tobacco for good measure. The bag sat on the kitchen counter until about New Years, untouched as far as I could tell. I always wanted the candy, but never could figure out how to get the rest of the "stuff" off without looking ungrateful or overly picky.
Every year I buy some hard candy if I see it. This year :o( I haven't seen it.
6 comments:
I love this kind of hard candy. Reminds me of Mrs. Glick on The Simpsons ("Boys love candy!!").
Hmmmm, now I might have to go buy some. Not good...I need candy like I need another thigh :(
Love the pic, btw.
Dorothy, hard candy is part of my Christmas memories, too. Just last night my brother and I were talking on the phone about it and I actually planned to use that as one of my posts before Christmas.
I have been trying to look for it this year and so far no luck!
For us, it was the thinnest ribbon candy my mom could find...some years it was paper thin, others not so much...And I always liked the hard candy with the little flowers or designs in the middle that looked like glass beads that I now love...
I remember always catching a taste bud or two with that stuff! I can almost taste it tho, wow.
I always thought it looked Christmasy, but never appreciated the taste. Love your memory though.
Ah, goodness. Your poor dad. Bittersweet memories.
I remember that kind of candy too. My father always liked to get it. I thought it looked better than it tasted.
Post a Comment