D and J Enterprises: Remembering 1989

"The Velvet Revolution" is the what we call the events of November 1989 that ended the 41-year Russian occupation of Czechoslovakia. My relatives in the Czech Republic refer to the Velvet Revolution as "The Change." My second cousin, Jarda, and I have been penpals since the early 1960s. We had grown up in parallel universes, Jarda behind the Iron Curtain and me here in the USA. I still remember reading about the Velvet Revolution in 1989 and wondering if things were really going to change. I had spent nearly 30 years writing carefully worded letters to Jarda, knowing that they would be censored and read by the authorities, and also knowing that my letters might not even make it to him. We limited our exchanges to weather, studies in school, general information about birthdays, hobbies and other very mundane topics. But we always kept in touch. Near Christmas time in 1989 just after the Velvet Revolution, I received a package from Jarda with no letter or explanation. However, the contents said it all. During the Communist occupation, religious expression had been totally suppressed. When I opened my package from Jarda, I discovered this beautiful corn husk nativity set. It still remains my favorite Christmas decoration. Here are a few photos.

I spent New Year's Eve 2005/2006 with Jarda and his family at their home in Moravia. They had a similar nativity set in their living room. Any corn husk nativity would be special to me, since I practically grew up in a corn field, but this one from the Czech Republic will always be a remarkable treasure.

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Christmas came late this year to many families in the Midwest. Our family finally got together at Kristi and Paul's house in Omaha on Mon. Dec. 28. Here are a few of my favorite photos.