Christmas Memory #3

So, when I was little we started our Christmas Celebration on December 21 or 22nd (I'm not sure which - I am sure someone will correct me if they remember).  This was at Unc and Jane's house.  Unc (short for Uncle - I don't remember his real name, everyone called him "Unc") or Jane's birthday was on the 21st or 22nd, so rather than compete with Christmas, they celebrated the whole thing together.

Aunt Smitty (in a dress & heels, the only picture I have seen of her like this)
Unc and Aunt Jane.  Look at the curtains!  I loved that house.

A picture of the booty.  The TV was a built in console from the 40's!
Look at the size.  It ultimately came to me, but Mark gave it away.
On of the chihuahuas is on the harth rug.

.
The family would drive over to Unc's for Christmas dinner (family in this case being Zela, Martha, my Grandfather and me - joined  by my Dad and Mom when they were still married).  Now, at some point this was a pleasant affair, but by the time I remember the whole thing it would inevitably dissolve into a major scene, usually before dinner.
.
Unc and Jane were quite the drunks.  I don't mean that judgmentally  it was just what we called them in the olden days.  By the time I was aware of life, Unc spent most holidays in bed, "sick", usually Jane took him his medicine, until she got hammered, then someone else, often myself, was sent in carrying the Scotch on the rocks.  Aunt Jane drank pony beers - these little 6 ounce cans that she went through by the case.  Every year, around 3 PM my grandfather or my father and I would have to make a run to get a case for Jane - she blamed it on the guests.
.
Unc and Jane fought spectacularly.  I mean, they were quick witted and then slooshy.  And they always pulled me by their side at some point to trash the other one.  Unc and Jane had beautiful furniture and all, but not too much money.  Apparently he was a war profiteer and sold gas on the black market (he was a motorcycle racer and had "contacts" - this was always said a little scary.  He had met Aunt Jane in the heydays of Hollywood where she was a cigarette girl at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel (where the first Academy Awards were).  Unc's mother - crazy Aunt Smitty - was convinced Unc married beneath him and brought it up yearly - about the time Jane was too drunk to get up and Unc needed more "medicene".

Jane one year.  I got the couch and table too.  The couch got left in San Mateo
destroyed by Oscar the cat!  The couch had lights in the back.  Amazing!

.
Back to the house, if you see the furniture remember this was in the early 1960s, and most of the stuff was bought in the 1940s.  It was beautiful at the time.  Unc also had glass panels made for the shower that was a full sized naked woman, that had little holes where the nipples would be.  Quite the scandal for a 6 year old Scooter!
.
Unc loved my mom because she would drink with him - also my entire father's family loved my mom more than my dad.  A different story, but understandable.
.

Jane started cooking early, but never finished in time.

By the time dinner was ready, Unc and Jane were screaming at each other and we all usually beat a hasty retreat.  The idead was to have dinner, open presents and have a good-bye drink.  By the time I remember going it was open presents so we could leave right after dinner.  Then arguments started, at some point Aunt Smitty would announce that Jane was drunk and had burnt the bird and we would all slink out as the screaming started.  I actually remember eating one year and being shocked we were really eating dinner - Unc had passed out, and Smitty was in Fresno - so we just  all left Jane asleep in her chair surrounded by her ever present chihuahuas.  Oh yeah, Jane had the meanist little freaking chihuahuas you ever saw.  They are in a picture or two.
.
It sounds chaotic, but I LOVED going to Aunt Jane's.