Christmas 1970
We assemble the silver tree,
our translated lives,
its luminous branches,
numbered to fit into its body.
place its metallic roots
to decorate our first Christmas.
Mother finds herself
opening, closing the Red Cross box
she will carry into 1976
like an unwanted door prize,
a timepiece, a stubborn fact,
an emblem of exile measuring our days,
marked by the moment of our departure,
our lives no longer arranged.Somewhere,
there is a photograph,
a Polaroid Mother cannot remember was ever taken:
I am sitting under Tia Tere’s Christmas tree,
her first apartment in this new world:
my sisters by my side,
I wear a white dress, black boots,
an eight year old’s resignation;
Mae and Mitzy, age four,
wear red and white snowflake sweaters and identical smiles,
on this, our first Christmas,
away from ourselves.The future unreal, unmade,
Mother will cry into the new year
with Lidia and Emerito,
our elderly downstairs neighbors,
who realize what we are too young to understand:
Even a map cannot show you
the way back to a place
that no longer exists.
Summary of “Christmas 1970”
- About the Poem: Sandra M. Castillo’s “Christmas 1970” is a poignant reflection on displacement and the bittersweet nature of starting anew. Published in her collection My Father Sings to My Embarrassment (2002), the poem is not simply a festive Christmas scene. It explores themes of loss, memory, and the challenges of building a life in a foreign land after migration.
- Central Idea: The poem centers on the first Christmas celebrated by a family after immigrating to the United States, likely from Cuba. It captures the disorienting feeling of being “translated” – both literally in terms of language and culturally – and the struggle to reconcile the past with a present that feels unreal. The poem suggests that while a new life can be built, the ache of a lost home and the impossibility of returning remain.
- Key Aspects to Know: Understanding the poem benefits from knowing that it is rooted in the lived experience of Cuban refugees and immigrants. The seemingly mundane details—the silver tree, the Red Cross box, the Polaroid photograph—become imbued with emotional weight, representing both practical necessities and the psychological toll of displacement.
In‑Depth Analysis of “Christmas 1970”
Understanding the Opening Stanza
The poem immediately establishes a sense of artificiality with the “silver tree.” Unlike a traditional evergreen, a silver tree is manufactured, reflecting the family’s constructed new reality. The phrase “our translated lives” is concise, suggesting a life altered, reshaped, and perhaps diminished by immigration. The tree’s branches, “numbered to fit into its body,” evoke confinement and the need to adapt to a new, predetermined structure. The line “place its metallic roots / to decorate our first Christmas” shows metallic roots as a forced grounding in a new, unfamiliar place—contrasting with the organic roots of home. The image of the Red Cross box is impactful. It represents aid and survival, but also dependency and the lingering reminder of the circumstances that led to their departure. Castillo writes, “Mother finds herself / opening, closing the Red Cross box / she will carry into 1976.” The repetition emphasizes the enduring weight of exile. The box is further described as “an unwanted door prize, / a timepiece, a stubborn fact.” This metaphor elevates the mundane object to a symbol of their unwanted fate and a constant reminder of the life they left behind.
The Polaroid and the Weight of Memory
The second stanza shifts to a specific memory captured in a Polaroid photograph. “Somewhere, / there is a photograph, / a Polaroid Mother cannot remember was ever taken.” This introduces the theme of memory—its fragility, its selective nature, and its potential distortion. The fact that the mother does not recall the photograph is significant. It suggests a deliberate attempt to distance herself from past pain or a subconscious suppression of difficult memories. The speaker, however, vividly remembers the scene: “I am sitting under Tia Tere’s Christmas tree, / her first apartment in this new world.” Tia Tere’s apartment becomes a symbolic space—a small, fragile haven in a foreign land. The description of the children’s clothing—“I wear a white dress, black boots, / an eight year old’s resignation” and “Mae and Mitzy, age four, / wear red and white snowflake sweaters and identical smiles”—is telling. The speaker’s “resignation” hints at precocious awareness of altered circumstances, while the younger sisters’ smiles suggest lingering innocence. The image of the children smiling “on this, our first Christmas, / away from ourselves” is heartbreaking, underscoring the emotional distance between present reality and a lost homeland.
Loss, Acceptance, and the Unreal Future
The final stanza brings a somber reflection on the future. “The future is unreal, unmade,” suggests uncertainty and the daunting task of building a new life from scratch. Mother’s tears, shared with the elderly downstairs neighbors Lidia and Emerito, express a collective understanding of loss. The neighbors, who “realize what we are too young to understand,” embody the wisdom of experience and acceptance of painful truth. The poem culminates in a powerful statement about the impossibility of returning home: “Even a map cannot show you / the way back to a place / that no longer exists.” This is not merely a geographical observation; it is a meditation on irreversible loss and the enduring pain of exile. The map—symbol of direction—becomes useless because the home they seek has vanished, replaced by memory, longing, and an uncertain promise of a new beginning.
Literary and Poetic Devices at Play
- Imagery: Castillo skillfully uses imagery to create vivid sensory experiences. Examples include “luminous branches,” “metallic roots,” and “red and white snowflake sweaters.” These images enhance the poem’s emotional resonance.
- Metaphor: The poem is rich in metaphor. The silver tree, the Red Cross box, and the map function as metaphors for displacement, loss, and the impossibility of returning home.
- Symbolism: Various elements carry symbolic weight. The Polaroid photograph symbolizes the fragility of memory, while the children’s clothing reflects their emotional state.
- Enjambment: Castillo uses enjambment—continuing a sentence or phrase from one line to the next—to create flow and momentum, mirroring the ongoing experience of displacement. For example, “Even a map cannot show you / the way back to a place” demonstrates how enjambment builds suspense and emphasizes key ideas.
- Diction and Tone: The poem’s diction is precise and evocative, contributing to its somber and reflective tone. Castillo avoids sentimental language, opting instead for an understated, authentic portrayal of the family’s experience.
“Christmas 1970” is a powerful and moving poem that explores the complex emotions associated with immigration and displacement. Through vivid imagery, metaphorical language, and thoughtful exploration of memory and loss, Castillo creates a lasting portrait of a family grappling with the challenges of building a new life while cherishing the memory of a lost home.