What is a significant scene in "A Christmas Memory" that depicts the main purpose?

This short memoir contains a number of significant scenes that help to illuminate its purpose, which is capturing the essence of what Christmas was like for the author as a young boy. This story discusses a particular Christmas season, beginning in late November and ending on Christmas Day, and also hints at events that took place weeks, months and years later: in describing the Christmas memories the author is painting a picture of his childhood...

This short memoir contains a number of significant scenes that help to illuminate its purpose, which is capturing the essence of what Christmas was like for the author as a young boy. This story discusses a particular Christmas season, beginning in late November and ending on Christmas Day, and also hints at events that took place weeks, months and years later: in describing the Christmas memories the author is painting a picture of his childhood and honoring his elderly cousin who was an important fixture in his upbringing. One purpose of the story is to demonstrate Buddy's point of view and perspective on life as it must have been influenced by his cousin and friend.

Several scenes stand out as important here: certainly the events surrounding the baking of the fruitcakes is significant, and they span a number of days. These activities including gathering pecans, then going to buy other ingredients with what little money they have (the Fruitcake Fund), buying whiskey at a special secret place, and then four whole days of baking. Buddy describes these activities in a way that shows he looks forward to them every year, and they seem to define the holiday season.

The scene where Buddy and his cousin go out on Christmas Day to fly the kites they made and gifted to one another is also important, perhaps even the most important scene in the story. In this scene, Buddy's cousin admits she has changed her mind about God and religion, and realizes that she does not have to wait until death to see God, and that she sees Him all around her in everyday pleasures and pastimes. Buddy also states that this was their last Christmas together, and that admission gives the entire story context, in terms of his relationship with his friend defining his childhood and creating his most potent memories.