Friendship
Friendship is the most significant themes in "A Christmas Memory." In author Truman Capote's short story, which was inspired in part by his own life, details a relationship between a young seven-year-old boy and his elderly cousin. Their bond, despite their stark difference in age, is incredibly strong and seemingly breakable only by death. Their friendship shows how solid friendships can defy age and typifies some of the most important characteristics of Christmas: giving, patience, love, and kindness—among several other equally positive attributes.
Prohibition
Prohibition—or the systematic banning of alcohol through a constitutional amendment in the United States— plays an important role in Capote's short story. It is also an important theme in the story, which takes places in the 1930s. Buddy, the young child in the story, and his elderly cousin save up every year to afford ingredients for fruitcake and alcohol—specifically, whiskey. Because the story is set during prohibition, the duo must buy their whiskey from a bootlegger who scares them (and could be violent). Additionally, that bootlegger gives them bathtub, or homemade, whiskey which is much less safe than whiskey they would have purchased from a large manufacturer, for instance.
Prohibition is included as a theme to illustrate how foolish and nonsensical it was. Instead of obtaining their alcohol from a reasonably safe place, they obtained their alcohol from a dealer who was less than reputable. But they obtained alcohol regardless.
The Magic of Christmas
Understandably, the magic of Christmas is a major theme in Capote's short story. Capote portrays some of the positive things related to Christmas. For instance, Christmas inspires friendship, camaraderie, and kindness in the young boy (Buddy) and his much older cousin. And over the course of the short story, the two learn the true nature of Christmas and what friendship is really about.
