Coming of Age on Christmas Day

Somewhere in time on Christmas Day…

Christmas Day

On Christmas day, I got my Period… for the 1st time!  Being Jewish, I didn’t know what to think of it!

Wrong house, Santa?  I suspect Santa makes a lot of mistakes like that – just like the Post Office!

But why today?  I was 13 1/2 & it wasn’t like a big surprise; but on Christmas?  Jesus got myrrh & I got to wash sheets!

Come to think of it, that was around the time I dragged a Christmas tree home to the chagrin of my non-religious family.  We didn’t even have Chanukah so I craved something in the way of festive & presents – giving & getting.

Because of the tree, maybe G-d was as confused as I was & Santa was just the messenger or vice versa.  Their job descriptions sometimes are so muddled that time of year – you see, I wanted a Bike!

Christmas day

This is a major, I mean major watershed moment in a girl’s life.  I don’t care how many sisters you had who came before you – this is frightening.  In one moment of time – you’re a woman; no longer a girl – needing supplies!

(Stick with me fellas – there’s a happy ending.  Not right away, but keep reading)

Back then we didn’t have a Google, a Mother or even a Siri to tell it like it is.  Sex Ed was decades away & lots of unanswered questions – so we went with what was written on the Kotex box – written by a man!

Since then, I’ve been writing Jokes about the whole feminine condition & my late husband got the brunt of it.  When we first met, I told him,

“I retain water 28 out of 30 days – as a matter of fact right now I have PBS”!

“No, my husband didn’t understand – he expected me to perform an unnatural act – Dinner”!

Ovaries, Eggs, Babies, French kissing…I’m still confused about the order!  As long as you aren’t!  ha ha

But, like all life cycles & Presidential Terms; just like clockwork… G-d givith & takith away!

Afraid that this day would come, my 13 year old granddaughter has just asked me, “Do I miss it”?  What do you think?

Happy that’s all behind me now…okay, I do have the occasional hot flash when my nightgown catches fire cooking bacon – but most of all, every time I hear ‘Jingle Bells’ – a Maxi-pad gets it’s Wings!*

I’m sorry!

Christmas day

* “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings” – “It’s a Wonderful Life”.

Marilyn Sands
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