Christmas Candle Fire
She began to prepare for her yearly Christmas party. She usually started thinking of whom to invite, what to serve, buying all the decorations and goodies around early November.
Two years ago at Christmas she had one of her parties. She remembers it so well. The usual friends and neighbors were invited. Dinner was prepared days ahead. There was turkey, stuffed peppers, mushrooms, mashed potatoes, sweet potato pie and all the trimmings. Everyone always checked to see what desserts were made. There was Aunt Fran’s fruit pie, Mom’s pumpkin pie, cookies and chocolates. The smell of cinnamon filled the air. The different aromas put everyone in the Holiday mood. The pine and wood aroma in the fireplace lingered throughout the house. The sounds of Christmas carols filled the air.
Everyone ate dinner, talked and did a lot of laughing.
When dinner was finished the guests started moving away from the table and going into the living room. Mom said dessert would be ready after everyone had a chance to digest. Mom sat around for a while and talked to catch up on things with the friends she hadn't seen for a while.
While everyone was having fun in the living room, someone said they smelled smoke, like something was burning. We looked everywhere and as one of the men got up to use the bathroom, he walked by the dining room. He saw the candle fire on the dining room table and yelled to tell us the fire was in the dining room. The tablecloth caught fire from the candle; it fell over like it was cut in half. It was probably a defective candle. It was a small fire so John was able to put it out by banging his hands on it. Mom and John had to open doors and windows to get the smell out. There was soot on the walls and chairs. It sure could have been bad if we didn't smell the smoke when we did.
After the fire was out and the excitement died down Mom gave everyone a drink and blessed the Lord that all was fine. Every Christmas the fire is remembered and we never leave a room alone with candles burning. One other remembrance of that fire was the pretty tablecloth Mom had bought special for the party. It had Christmas bells and angels on it. It was burnt in the area where the candle burnt so Mom cut it, shortened it and now we use it for a small server. Everyone likes burning candles and the wonderful scents but Mom gets very nervous since that candle fire.
Some of Mom's friends joke about it now, when they are invited they ask if they will be sitting by the fireplace in the living room or the one in the dining room.
She began to prepare for her yearly Christmas party. She usually started thinking of whom to invite, what to serve, buying all the decorations and goodies around early November.
Two years ago at Christmas she had one of her parties. She remembers it so well. The usual friends and neighbors were invited. Dinner was prepared days ahead. There was turkey, stuffed peppers, mushrooms, mashed potatoes, sweet potato pie and all the trimmings. Everyone always checked to see what desserts were made. There was Aunt Fran’s fruit pie, Mom’s pumpkin pie, cookies and chocolates. The smell of cinnamon filled the air. The different aromas put everyone in the Holiday mood. The pine and wood aroma in the fireplace lingered throughout the house. The sounds of Christmas carols filled the air.
Everyone ate dinner, talked and did a lot of laughing.
When dinner was finished the guests started moving away from the table and going into the living room. Mom said dessert would be ready after everyone had a chance to digest. Mom sat around for a while and talked to catch up on things with the friends she hadn't seen for a while.
While everyone was having fun in the living room, someone said they smelled smoke, like something was burning. We looked everywhere and as one of the men got up to use the bathroom, he walked by the dining room. He saw the candle fire on the dining room table and yelled to tell us the fire was in the dining room. The tablecloth caught fire from the candle; it fell over like it was cut in half. It was probably a defective candle. It was a small fire so John was able to put it out by banging his hands on it. Mom and John had to open doors and windows to get the smell out. There was soot on the walls and chairs. It sure could have been bad if we didn't smell the smoke when we did.
After the fire was out and the excitement died down Mom gave everyone a drink and blessed the Lord that all was fine. Every Christmas the fire is remembered and we never leave a room alone with candles burning. One other remembrance of that fire was the pretty tablecloth Mom had bought special for the party. It had Christmas bells and angels on it. It was burnt in the area where the candle burnt so Mom cut it, shortened it and now we use it for a small server. Everyone likes burning candles and the wonderful scents but Mom gets very nervous since that candle fire.
Some of Mom's friends joke about it now, when they are invited they ask if they will be sitting by the fireplace in the living room or the one in the dining room.
