Ginger Spice OR Old-Fashioned Christmas Candy

Yesterday, when I received my chapstick in the mail, it was a 4 pack and I immediately tried out the Cocoa Mint.

I tried the Ginger Spice cut this morning because it sparked my interest. After I applied it to my lips and rubbed my lips together to spread it around, I immediately thought of my Abuela and the Christmas candy she had in a jar at her house every year.

That was the candy and if I remember correctly, the jar looked similar to this:

The bottom of it was more dainty but the smell of this Chapstick reminds me of her house at Christmas.

I had my Mom smell the chapstick this morning and told I her that it reminded me of that hard Christmas candy at Abuela’s. She laughed and told me that Abuela really liked it! She told me that she thought she’s first received it from the Good-fellows at Christmas When she was young.

It is only now, as a woman and a single mother that I truly understand how extremely strong she was! You see, my Abuela had no family here in Michigan except for the man she married. I call him, “The man she married” because I never knew him.

Over the years, my Mom has told me that he left their family when my Mom was 15. He left my Abuela with nine kids (The youngest one was five) and when he left, he turned off all of the utilities and took the family car. My Mom has told me that it was through the Grace of God that she made it happen for her and all of my aunts and uncles.

My Abuela died in 1989 when I was 7 years old. I knew that all of my aunts and uncles loved and respected her! The whole neighborhood respected my Abuela!

I know firsthand how difficult it is to raise a child by yourself but I only have one instead of nine and I have the love and help from my family. I was seven when she died and she was my height.