More Christmas Memories

Okay Christmas is literally a few days away, I can't believe it. So of course I was thinking about Christmas memories again. Some of my memories are sad, some are hilarious, some could rival anything the Griswolds would EVER think up. But most of all there is a feeling that comes from thinking through these memories: warmth. Not necessarily the warmth of heat from a fire, but of shared hearts and love for each other.

Christmases were always filled with laughter and much celebrating, still is in our family even though its getting harder for all of us to get together anymore. The the picture on the left was a Christmas morning with my brother and I posing with our "loot" I mean gifts, when I was nine years old. Barbie dolls, sewing machine, etc. My brothers helicopter and guitar. Gotta love it. And the picture on the right was taken of my brother, my little cousin and I when we were at my Grandparents house on Christmas eve. This picture was taken in the living room, thus the "fancy" furniture that you really didn't sit on any other time of year, ha ha ha! Just kidding. But it wasn't used that much except Christmases and Birthdays. I think this was yet another year for a Griswold"ish" memory. My Grandparents house had a small den that had a bedroom adjacent to it. This particular Christmas my Grandaddy decided after looking at the wall and seeing all of us crammed in the den that it was time for it to come down and expand the den for all the family to fit in. So of COURSE there was no time to lose, the hammers came out and the wall started coming down. See..told you. Lampoons Christmas Vacation.

Then my mom's parents divorced so we started having not just 2 Christmases but three. The Pic 2 the left is one of my 6th grade year with my brother, and cousin Candy. Also did you notice for me (and not my brother, ahem!) it was necessary for me to have a dress up dress for Christmas. Why? When my brother didn't have to dress up?? Actually it was all the women. Notice the other pic my mom is in the red dress, that's a LONG red dress and my aunt is next to her in a long skirt and sparkly shirt. Yes Christmas always equalled dressing up :-) as did Easter. woo hoo! love those traditions, many of them have died away.


I guess the saddest Christmas as a child wasn't really too very sad, just different. It was the year we lived in Kansas when I was in middle school. This was the first Christmas that I remember that we didn't spend with the Grandparents. At first we thought we were going to have to spend it with just the 4 of us and our neighbors who weren't able to go home for Christmas either. But my Aunt Louise and her family were able to come down from South Dakota to spend it with us. Below is a pic of me and my cousin Debbie. Notice I was FINALLY able to just wear comfy clothes, whew! We actually had a white Christmas that year too. Lots and lots of SNOW. My Aunt's family almost didn't make it.

Well, as you celebrate this year and look back on Christmas' past what are some of your favorite memories, traditions, crazyness??

Above all I pray this Christmas is FILLED to overflowing with joy and wonderful new beginnings and blessings.