A Christmas Memory

The faded smell of Navy perfume reminds me of Christmas. This reminder of such a treasured holiday comes simply because of a gift that my sister Corrina purchased for me one year. It was a relatively normal sort of gift, and not one that most people are generally excited about, but to me it meant so much. I remember that for weeks before Christmas she would tell me how much she hoped I liked her gift, and would try to give me little hints so as to keep me in suspense. When the day finally came, I was truly surprised, for there, snuggled between the giant mounds of wrapping paper and still unopened gifts, was a small square package. I remember holding it in my hands and feeling so special because she had picked it out just for me.

Up until that point I was doing really well at containing my excitement. But I was so curious that I tore off the carefully wrapped paper and looked with awe at my newest treasure. It was what I had secretly wanted but yet never told anyone about. I remember running my fingers across the top plastic cover and opening up my very own, and very first, makeup kit.

The colors of the blush and eye shadow were just right for my complexion; dark browns, faded pinks, and soft maroons. Alongside the eye shadow was a tube of lipstick that was a slightly darker color than I liked, but it didn’t matter. Along with the kit came eyeliner, mascara, brushes, and a small bottle of Navy perfume. I had never heard of Navy before and as I gently took the small glass tube from its resting place I felt a surge of excitement. I silently hoped it would smell nice so I wouldn’t have to explain to my sister every day why I wasn’t wearing her gift. The top of the glass tube had a dark blue lid that made a small popping sound as I took the top off. The scent was captivating! I was impressed that my sister knew so much about me, and put so much thought into a gift that others mocked her for getting. She knew me inside and out and knew, the second she smelled the perfume, that I would love it. And she was right.

That small bottle of Navy perfume was only worn on rare occasions. This was not something that I wanted to waste, and I made sure that I double, triple, and quadruple checked whether the situation warranted the use of my precious Navy perfume or not. School dances, dates with boys, job interviews, Sunday church…you name it I second guessed it. It wasn’t that I was afraid the perfume would run out, nor that I wanted to keep that heartfelt memory of my sister bottled up with the unique scent of the perfume. It was the thought she had put into such a gift and how extremely well she truly knew me. She knew me much more than I even knew myself.

On more than one occasion when my sister and I were going out for the evening she would say “Why don’t you put some Navy perfume on? It smells nice on you.” These were the exceptions. Even though I had wrestled with myself a few moments prior to leaving the house and had decided not to wear the perfume, Corrina could always make me change my mind. I would smile at her and then race back to the house to dab a little bit on my wrists and occasionally behind my ears. When I would come back outside she would always say “That smells so good on you!!” She could always make me smile and feel good about myself.

By the time I was 19 I was ready to go and see the world, and my small perfume bottle would be one of my favorite travel items. Long after the original perfume had been used I had purchased my own small bottle of Navy and toted it around with me where ever I went. It was like a toothbrush to me! I had to have it. The first trip I ever took away from home was a summer job in New York. I lived in California and had never even been in a plane before, let alone across the country. Without hesitation I packed that small perfume bottle filled with the elegant cologne. It would be the one thing I could use to reminisce about family and friends while I was so far away.

I remember one day, while I was in New York, I had an extremely difficult day. As soon as the day was over I went home and locked myself in my room where I dug through my suitcase and personal belongings to find the delicate bottle. I searched through pockets and bags, flipped through drawers and dressers, and scanned through piles of papers and souvenirs, but the small bottle was nowhere to be found. For a moment I panicked. It wasn’t that I was going to hyperventilate if I didn’t have the Navy perfume. It reminded me so much of my sister and the many times we had laughed and shared our deepest sorrows and strongest fears. It was the one thing I had that could immediately take me back to times spent ditching school and sitting out in front of the CigMart waiting to see if they really did open at eight o’clock in the morning. Or the days we would walk to school in the rain and avoid all the people trying to splash us with the puddles. It would bring back the times I would talk to her for hours in the dark, even though she would be asleep. It brought back the sad times when the only thing that could cheer us up was a bag full of Oreos and some Cranapple juice. It was more than just a small perfume bottle. It was a scent full of memories that helped me through my days.

I raced through the house trying to gather all my belongings and account for the missing Navy perfume. It took me well over an hour to find the bottle, and when I did I cried. I cried for the many times my sister’s heart was broken and how sad I was that I couldn’t fix it. I cried for the painful memories of walking through the desert, leaning on each other, and sometimes carrying each other while cactus needles stuck out of our feet in massive amounts. I cried for the happy times when we helped each other survive the constant stresses and pressure of high school. I cried for the times when we would sit on top of the dog house in our backyard and watch the cars drive by when we were sick and longing for the breeze to cool our faces. And I cried for the moments of tranquil peace when my sister and I would escape to the small pool in our backyard and swim for hours while we talked about our future.

I was saddened by the thought of losing such wonderful memories in a place where I was only a visitor. It’s funny to put such emotions into an inanimate object, I know, but it was an object that was very dear to my heart. That bad day was nothing compared to how lost I would have felt had I not been able to find the perfume. My relationship with my sister was so strong then and still strong today.

It’s been years since I have thought about the Navy perfume. The years have come and gone by so quickly at times and so slowly for others, that what may seem so important in one moment is all but forgotten in the next. I started thinking about all of these memories when I walked by a perfume counter in one of the local shops in my town. A distinct scent permeated my senses and took me back to times I had long suppressed. The Navy perfume was the most prominent bottle on the shelf and I was drawn to it immediately. I fully expected a small tube to fall out of the box I had opened up, but to my surprise a large bottle emptied into my hands. I was troubled by the large quantity of the perfume. To me, it seemed like way too much for one person to handle. I tried to imagine the amount of memories that would come back to me if I had a bottle that size included in my first makeup kit. I am sure I would have felt overwhelmed since the small tube my sister first gave me was almost too much for me to handle then. Still, the memories of New York and all the times with my sister fluttered back to my mind, causing a playful smile to cross my lips.

My sister and I are still very close and have shared so many things with each other. I couldn’t be happier with the joys and pains, the happy times and the sorrows that I have had with her. How interesting it is to me to remember the first moment our relationship became closer! That Christmas morning is so clear in my mind now, and will be for years to come. There is nothing like walking down memory lane with a good friend, some nice memories, and a tiny bottle of Navy perfume.