This is the 9th year in a row I've posted this story; each with a little change here and there but all pretty much on the same line. I'm not writing "A Christmas Carol" here. Nothing of the sort. I think of Cram's as just a place I would like to visit on Christmas Eve; a place of service and good will. Cheer's with snow perhaps. Anyway, I revisited this post from a while back and Cram's General Store to find that all is well, they have a fair amount of snow, and on this Christmas Eve, my guess is they will be flying around getting ready for tomorrow. Aren't we all?
"Well its still early morning here but technically Christmas Eve but that somewhat means sunrise to a lot of us. In Marquette, Michigan, way up on Lake Superior, they are having a white Christmas at Cram's General Store.
Growing up in Michigan and going "north" (and Cram's is about as far north as you might care to get), I never had the pleasure of a Michigan winter like they have year in and year out - if for no other reason than you couldn't get there 'cause of the snow. It appears to be going to snow tonight, Christmas Eve, as the Cram's usually keep things shoveled off as is northern "courtesy".
Cram's General Store is your friendly Big Bay grocery and hardware store,
eager to serve you and proud to offer:
Full Line of Groceries ~ Fresh Meats ~ Baked Goods ~ Produce ~ Soda
Orgill Hardware ~ Gasoline~ On & Off Road Diesel ~ Oil
Lotto ~ ATM ~ Fax & Copy Service ~ Movie Rentals
Beer & Wine ~ Spirits ~ Ice
LP Gas ~Snowmobile Parts ~ Auto Parts
Postcards ~ Gifts
Hot Snacks ~Subs
Full Line of Groceries ~ Fresh Meats ~ Baked Goods ~ Produce ~ Soda
Orgill Hardware ~ Gasoline~ On & Off Road Diesel ~ Oil
Lotto ~ ATM ~ Fax & Copy Service ~ Movie Rentals
Beer & Wine ~ Spirits ~ Ice
LP Gas ~Snowmobile Parts ~ Auto Parts
Postcards ~ Gifts
Hot Snacks ~Subs
In less than a day, Cram's will open for Christmas breakfast and we wrote them to see if it was "really" open this morning. We are waiting a response to confirm that Joe and Kathy will start the day or if we, if there, would have to find some place else. The cafe notes proudly:
The smiles at our Hungry Hollow Cafe welcome you for home cooked breakfast and lunch. We feature homemade soups daily along with lunch and breakfast specials. Try our famous homemade pastie for a true yooper treat. Our portions won't leave you hungry!
I can well imagine Cram's at daybreak on Christmas morning, coffee mugs steaming and a grill hot with potatoes and bacon. Kathy is all cook and fuss and Joe isn't all too happy about working around Christmas time but Cram's is all about responsibility to provide any number of vital services to the community so he takes up his day with the sure knowledge that he is needed. And that's the ticket on Christmas morning. Being needed. Being necessary.
No moralizing here. Not on Christmas Eve morning with grand kids soon on the prowl, a fire to be laid and set, and rain hopefully to clear so toys can go "outside please with that" and we can put smiles on faces and offer nice words. That is our responsibility. We need to be needed by a child or an "other". We need to be necessary.
Kathy and Joe are still asleep or they would, I'm sure, being hitting the "respond" tab to our email. Me? I'm all excited by Christmas.....planning on how I can be of "vital service" these fine days; these day of days".
Magnificent.
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