HOLY SMOKE!!

We have been living in the rented house since September of 1955. We rented it from the Catholic convent for the winter months because Dad had not finished building our home. He worked on the "new" house on week ends only so it was taking a long time to complete. The house used to be the convent's handyman's quarters. Dad had taken the position as handyman also to help with the finances. Each day both my parents went to work and we went to school at the convent. After school we would stay with the nuns until supper time when we would head home and have the meal Mom had already prepared and put in the refrigerator. On weekends Mom and Dad would work on the new house and we would go with them when possible, which was most of the time. Occasionally we would have to stay at home and my sister would babysit us. This Saturday Mom and Dad were working at the new house all day and it was extremely cold so we stayed home. It was only 4 days before Christmas, Mom and Dad had put the tree up, set the lights on it and put the gifts around the bottom. The tree was set in the corner of the living room with a window on each side. It was the perfect place for the tree. We were suppose to add the ornaments, tinsel and popcorn garland. Jerry, myself and my little brother occupied our day by decorating the Christmas tree. We spent most of the day adding to the tree. We stopped only for meals. My brother and I made paper snow flakes, while my sister set up the small manger scene on the floor next to the tree. We were very proud of our work. It was now after dark and Jerry decided to surprise Mom and Dad by lighting up the manger scene under the window to the right of the tree. There were three little candles that were in the scene. She had been told not to light the candles but we thought it would be OK because mom and dad would be home soon anyway. The candles were lit and it was beautiful..........................for about 30 seconds. The candles lit the manger on fire, which caught the plastic curtains, which lit the tree which caught the house on fire. We were running from the kitchen to the fire with pots of water as fast as we could. The fire just grew and grew and soon the presents were on fire. As the flames grew and smoke billowed the nuns came running and they pulled us out. All the nuns rushed the fire and tried their best but to no avail. The sight was not a pretty one that greeted Mom and Dad a few minutes later. It was a Christmas to remember but not in a good way!