My Christmas tree is full of memories. This little snowman was made for me by the young daughter of one of our preachers more than twenty years ago, but I still think of Ana every time I hang it on the tree.
That’s how Christmas memories are. They come back to mind each year and I appreciate many of you sharing some of those Christmas memory stories with me when they entered my Christmas Giveaway. I’ll be drawing the winners for the prizes of the decorative Christmas train and books on Sunday. But if you haven’t entered yet, you still have time to throw your name in my drawing hat. Just leave a comment here or send a message from my contact page. Oh, and if you want to see the prizes and details, check out my News & Events Page.
And now here are a few more stories of special Christmas days that linger in memory. First we hear from Susan who remembers a time when her big brother made it home for Christmas.
One of my favorite Christmas memories is when I was about nine. I have two older brothers, one eight years older and the other 11 years older. When I was eight, our family made a BIG move from Oregon to Georgia. My eldest brother stayed “behind” and continued to go to college in the state of Washington. So, we rarely got to see him–Christmas, and maybe in the summer. This was our first time celebrating Christmas in Georgia. It was a BIG deal. My dad had passed away the year before, and all of our extended family lived on the west coast. My brother caught the red-eye in order to be with us on Christmas morning. I remember helping my mom light every candle she could find. We had a fire going in the fireplace. Christmas carols (on records, of all things!) were playing in the background. And mom had bacon cooking on the stove. When my brother arrived at the house, I thought I would jump out of my skin! I was so excited to have my big brother back home, and to have us all reunited. That morning, it wasn’t just the candles that were glowing, we ALL were–it was magical, and a Christmas I will treasure in my heart forever.
Danielle shares about a Christmas memory not too long ago but one where her family found a way to sort of step back in time to celebrate.
My greatest Christmas Memory would have to be about 3 years ago when my mom rented a cabin for the Christmas Holiday. The cabin had no TV so it was very enjoyable. We all got to know one another more. We played games, sang in front of the fireplace, cooked desserts, went and played in the snow as well as walked to the little village. We even made our own tree. We went outside to find materials (sticks , acorns etc) to build our tree. We all had the time of our lives! This memory sticks with me because it was a great time with the family without any electronics. We got to enjoy each others company and get to know each other.
Old fashioned fun with no electronics does sound good.
We’ll end up with a story from Joyce that might make you smile. It’s about one of those very special gifts wrapped in love and hopeful expectation.
My Christmas Memory was the year my son put an engagement ring in a little Santa stocking, hung it on the tree for a surprise for his girlfriend to find after all the gifts were open. His grandfather knew about it, of course, but being elderly, he forgot and thought it was in a package under the tree. So every time she’d open a gift he’d loudly say,”Is that it?” She never did get suspicious of what he meant or at least never let on! Oh, and she did say”yes!”
Granddad must have been as excited about the proposal as Joyce’s son. I’m guessing that memory makes them laugh every time they tell it.
Check back Sunday for the last Christmas stories I’ll post this year and for the winners. I appreciate many of you putting your name in the second drawing for my new kids’ book, Freak of the Week. It will be fun to see what readers think about the story.
So thanks for reading and I hope you are looking forward to a fun and joyful Christmas. I need to be wrapping some more presents!! Or baking cookies!! Or making Chex mix or chocolate candy. Then again, I better not make that chocolate candy too soon or it’ll never make it to Christmas Day.
Comments 16
I taught preschool for a number of years so I have a lot of ornaments from kids. They still hang on my tree each year and I remember them the way they were then even though I have lost touch with many of them.
Author
I’m sure you’ve been blessed many times over by the children you’ve taught and watched grow up, Sue. Those ornaments remind you of them. I watched one of my kids’ teachers open presents from her students once. She made such a big production of it and all the kids were so happy to watch her getting their presents. She helped teach them the joy of giving.
love these stories! especially the engagement ring! and I do chocolate last too…if not…no one else would get any! Merry Christmas!
Author
Glad you’re enjoying the stories, Mary. They are fun. I always get way more than I can share forward, but I like picking out ones I think the rest of you will enjoy as much as I did. I keep putting off making that chocolate, it probably won’t get made. But I won’t be tempted that way, will I?
Finally I am putting my tree up! Once again I am getting laughs from my children when I show them some of the old ornaments. Perhaps the ones that get the most laughs are the snowmen, — that look more like brown bears. Why , you ask? They were made by my now 46 and 44 year old children. Of course they were made when they were four years old. And did I mention they were made out of marshmallows?! Hence the sticky brown snowmen!
Author
Marshmallow snowmen that lasted 40 years are pretty remarkable, Pat. Maybe you should have them make you some new ones. 🙂 I hang some that the kids made me too. The Santa head made on a wooden thread spool is getting pretty sad looking with his bedraggled cotton beard. But it’s on the tree. 🙂
I just love that you have the ornaments that were made from the kids and you are just the great Christian mom who every kids wants . So many memories and stories that you have it would be wonderful to sit at a Starbucks and listen to them It’s just wonderful and we try to do when the kids grow up but then they go on their way some are lucky enough where all the family stays together.
Author
I miss those Christmases when the kids were little, Peggy. But as you well know and all of us do, everything changes. Now it’s my sons’ turn to see their kids’ eyes light up on Christmas morning. And they, my grandkids, too are growing up. I appreciate your kind words. I did the best I could or tried to anyway with my kids. I certainly didn’t do everything right, but I loved them. And still do. That’s what kids need most from their parents. I know you had some rocky childhood years, but hope Christmases are more joyful for you now. And it would be fun to sit and visit with you over a cup or two of tea.
Such treasured memories!
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Indeed, Mary. It’s so good when we can recall those precious Christmas times and even better when we can keep feeling the joy of Christmas every year.
One of my favorite Christmas memories is from when I was probably 6 or 7. Santa Claus came to my grandparents house to see us kids.This was something very out of the ordinary for us kids. I dont remekids if he gave us anything or what was said.I just remember how special we felt that Santa Claus found time to come and see us.(About 40 years later I was able to thank that very Santa Claus for making us kids so happy, he said he just wanted to make people happy)
Author
Fun Christmas memory, Lisa. Something like that happened once when my kids were young. We were at my mother’s house on Christmas Eve when to our surprise Santa knocked on the door. Our kids were just the right age to have their socks knocked off by his visit. It was a neighbor who just decided to make some Santa visits. We all enjoyed the surprise.
Thank your Ann for the sweet memories. I have enjoyed your blog this year and looking forward to 2017 and what it brings!
Blessings! And
Merry Christmas!!
Joy
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Thank you so much for telling me that, Joy. I appreciate your kind words and hope we can share some more good times via the internet in 2017.
This year I might get to see 3 of my 4 children., if all goes well. I’m just glad I don’t have to stomp through all that snow just north of us! Got my Christmas cards done, too!
Blessings for the season and rejoice in the Best Gift of Jesus!
Author
Way to go with those Christmas cards, Paula. I did most of mine and then sort of stalled on the last few. Those people may be out of luck. 🙂 But I did buy more stamps. I hope you do get to have a great Christmas with your kids. When they are little, we can hardly imagine not seeing them at Christmas or all the time. Then they grow up and have wonderful families of their own. That’s our reward. To see them having joyful Christmases with their families.