Sister Beverly Anne LoGrasso of the Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland shares some of her fondest childhood memories of the Christmas season.
One of the best thrills of the Christmas season -- and in close competition to a visit with Santa for my younger sister Barb and me -- was the night my father would announce at supper: “Tonight we go to Nela Park.” Nela is an acronym for National Electric Lamp Co., which was housed in East Cleveland.
My sister and I would eagerly clear the table and do the dishes so that we could jump into the car with my parents on a dark, cold wintry night to join the bumper-to-bumper stream of cars from East 152nd Street to our street, Noble Road in East Cleveland, which led to Nela Park.
When we crossed Euclid Avenue, the excitement increased, because we knew that, depending on the length of the line of cars ahead of us, we would see the Nela Park Christmas light display.
Nela Park, a 92-acre campus founded in the 1920s, has more than 20 buildings which house General Electric innovation, research and manufacturing divisions. It is listed as a Historic Place on the United States Department of Interior National Register.
In 2023, the Nela Park holiday light display celebrated its 99th year. The display featured nearly one million LED lights illuminating a Santa gnome village, toy soldiers, a replica of the National Christmas tree in Washington, D.C. and other seasonal images.
In stark contrast to my father’s invitation to view the Nela Park Christmas display, was the night my father announced that my sister and I had too many presents. My jaw dropped. How could anyone have too many presents? My generous Aunt Yoli and Uncle Jim, who did not have children, had dropped off several gifts and placed them under our Christmas tree.
After my aunt and uncle left, my father then announced that my sister and I should each pick out one gift that we would deliver to the Rosemary Home for Crippled Children run by the Sisters of the Humility of Mary in East Cleveland.
Devoid of Christmas spirit and boiling with anger, my sister and I grudgingly, but dutifully, complied and climbed into the car on a freezing cold winter night. My heart was as frozen as the ice on our windshield as we drove down Euclid Avenue. I grumbled quietly to myself: “Why doesn’t he donate one of his presents?”
My father waited in the car and instructed us to bring our gifts, ring the doorbell and donate them. My sister and I grudgingly complied. The snow fell softly as we rang the bell. A beautiful and kind Sister of the Humility of Mary answered the door. We explained to her that we were donating our gifts to the children.
She exclaimed: “How kind you are! And generous! Come in from the cold! Have some hot chocolate.” My sister Barb and I gleefully complied and left my father in the winter cold. Sister served us hot chocolate and cookies while praising our generosity. She achieved a total conversion of our cold hearts by her simple words and acts of kindness.
Perhaps, during this Advent/Christmas season, we might take a lesson from her example of the simple acts of everyday kindness that lighten the load and brighten the day of our fellow travelers on this journey.