About 30 family members had gathered at Townsend Community Center, but Willie Collins’ grandson, Darius, had not yet arrived.
It wasn’t as though this was the first time Darius’ arrival had delayed the family Christmas celebration.
“I went into labor with Darius on Christmas Eve,” his mom, Deborah Donald, recalled. “I went to the hospital, but they sent me home. The next morning, I knew he was coming.”
Darius Collins, who would be the first of Deborah’s five children, arrived around mid-day on Christmas Day 1986.
“I don’t even remember when we wound up having our Christmas dinner,” Willie said.
A few minutes later, Darius arrived, throwing his hands up in surprise as his family greeted his arrival with a spirited “Happy Birthday!'”
The birthday/Christmas party was on.
“I’m definitely surprised,” Darius said as he surveyed the room, decorated in festive Christmas colors and a long buffet table of holiday foods, as well as a table crowded with birthday presents. “I thought I was just going over to Grandma and Pop’s (Willie and Jesse Collins) and was ready to dig into some ham or something. This is way more than I expected.”
As a young kid, Darius said he was a bit mystified by the scale of his birthday celebrations.
“I thought, “Wow, my birthday is a really big deal,'” he said. “Now that I’m older, to me this day is more about Jesus’ birthday than my own. It’s still kind of cool to be born on Christmas Day.”
Christmas Day arrived warm and sunny in Columbus.
The city streets were largely empty and few people were spotted outdoors, despite the pleasant weather. Signs of Christmas celebrations were apparent mainly by observing the number of cars parked in driveways, homes with six, seven, eight cars signifying large Christmas gatherings.
‘Star Wars’ and Chinese food
Convenience stores and a few fast food restaurants were open for business, as well as Peking Restaurant, which for the Pekofsky/Anthony family is one part of a longstanding tradition that actually began with American Jews — Chinese food and a movie.
On Wednesday afternoon, Gena Anthony paused with a group of her family members memories outside the Malco Theater in Columbus to pose for a selfie in front of the new “Star Wars” movie poster — “The Rise of Skywalker.”
“My nephew had sent us a selfie in front of the movie poster in Florida so I decided we had to send one back,” said Anthony, who along with her husband, Billy, and relatives Mel and Jean Pekofsky and Steve Swetz had just finished watching the movie.
From there it was on to Peking Chinese Restaurant, for the second part of what has become a tradition.
“I don’t really know how long we’ve done this,” Gena said. “I think it may have started when the first ‘Star Wars’ movie came out.”
Watching the latest “Star Wars” movie is also a tradition for the father/son tandem of Roy and Tucker Finch, of Reform, Alabama.
Roy, 50, said he, too, has always made watching a “Star Wars” movie part of his Christmas tradition, which for him would have started at age 8.
His 14-year-old son, Tucker, joined the tradition in 2015 with the release of “The Force Awakens.”
The Tuckers had arrived early to buy their tickets.
“Really, we didn’t have to get here early,” Roy Finch said. “This is the best place to watch a movie because there are always good seats.”
A Christmas Day walk
There were only a few cars parked at the Columbus Riverwalk.
Glen and Karen Spell, of Covington, Louisiana, were taking advantage of the weather if few others were.
Were they working up an appetite for a Christmas meal or walking one off?
“Both,” Glen said. “We’re between meals.”
The Spells were spending Christmas with their daughter, Cali Rhett — “the new dentist in town,” Glen said with a touch of pride in his voice.
Before arriving in Columbus, the Spells spent Christmas Eve in Memphis with Karen’s family.
That means Christmas meals in two days. Turkey overload?
“Not at all,” Karen said. “I’m from an Italian family so turkey isn’t a part of our big celebrations,” she said.
“And I think we’re having prime rib tonight,” Glen said. “Too much turkey isn’t a problem.”
Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 32 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
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Related Photos
Gena Anthony snaps a selfie in front of the "Star Wars" poster at the Malco Theater in Columbus. She is joined by, from left, Mel Pekofsky, Jean Pekofsky, Gena's husband, Billy Anthony and Steve Swetz. Going to a movie followed by a late lunch at Peking Chinese Restaurant has been a longstanding family tradition. Gena is sending a selfie from the movie in response to her nephew, who sent a selfie from the theater in Florida where had just seen the latest "Star Wars" movie. Photo by: Slim Smith/Dispatch Staff
Tucker Finch, 14, and his dad, Roy, continued their Christmas tradition of going to see the new "Star Wars" movie on Christmas Day. Each of the last four "Star Wars" films has been released on Christmas weekend. Roy Finch said he also saw the original "Star Wars" film, released in 1977, on Christmas Day when he was 8 years old. Photo by: Slim Smith/Dispatch Staff
Glen Spell and his wife, Karen, took a walk at the Columbus Riverwalk Wednesday afternoon between Christmas Day meals. The Spells are from Covington, Louisiana, and are visiting their daughter, Cali Rhett, for Christmas. Despite spending Christmas Eve in Memphis and visiting Karen's family and two meals on Christmas Day in Columbus, there's no worry of turkey overload. "My family is Italian, so there was no turkey and tonight we're having prime rib," Karen said. Photo by: Slim Smith/Dispatch Staff
