Christmas Memories

[Cireus]

Since my family spent the day putting up our Christmas tree and doing all that fun schtuff, I started thinking about my own Christmas memories. My oldest son, Alex was asking about traditions we had when I was little, and so I thought it'd be neat to share some of those things here!

I think the most vivid memory I have was when I was three or four. I woke up and heard someone downstairs, and, thinking it was The Big Guy, I slipped down there to spy. Well it was my daddy putting togther a rolling baby carriage for me-something I'll never forget. Daddy, you see, never had much patience when doing stuff like that, yet there he was, scowling to be sure, but putting together that buggy because he wanted me to be surprised on Christmas morning. He must have heard me, and he looked a little guilty (I didn't understand that look at the time. I do now. lol), and he said that Santa didn't have time to put it together for me, so he said he'd do it.

That was one of the best Christmases ever from my youth ...

How about you all???

[semikarmic]

I do love christmas, my father was just as impatient as yours I am sure haha. So the job that my father and I had was to get the Christmas tree and put the lights up outside the house. I can be a pretty choosy girl and when it came to a tree, I was about as reasonable as 5 year old who has been told they can't go to Disney World everytime haha. So my father would let me walk around for hours in the woods looking for the perfect tree, if that didn't work, we would eventually go to a tree farm, spend a few more hours looking for that perfect tree, and presents could not go under the tree until I put my angel on top. Now that I have been away from my parents for 4 years now, I really cherish going home for Christmas more than I ever used to.

[InuYoukaimama]

I may have shared this with some of you last year. But, it still holds true as one of my fondest Christmas memories.

Years ago, I was a young child. *(old enough to know that daddy was Santa and not old enough not to still hold out hope that Santa was real)

We were at Gramma and Grampa's house on McGinnis Street, for Christmas. My dad still had the old Datsun. Mom wanted something from the store. I suspect Peppermint ice cream *(another old family tradition). It was Christmas eve and dad had to run to the store.
I offered to go with him.
We were driving down McGinnis and my dad always had the window down. We could hear the faint tinkle of bells overhead.
My dad stopped and pulled the car over and hung his head out the window. Looked at me, with wide eyes and told me to roll down my window and look up at the sky.
You could see the twinkle of lights and hear the tinkle of sleigh bells.
To this day, I really believe that I might have seen Santa.
My dad, to this day, still tells me we did see Santa's sleigh that night.

If he pulled a fast one on me? I never saw it and he's never admitted to it. He still tells everyone that we heard Santa's sleigh bells.

[OROsan0677]

Okay, this isn't exactly a Christmas memorie per se, but it does happen somewhere around that time.

Every weekend after Thanksgiving my dad takes the Christmas Tree, that shed needles like a real one, might I add, and puts it together. As he is doing this he first pops in Home Alone and me and my family will sit and watch the movie as he puts up the tree, and the lights as well; which I sometimes help with. After we watch Home Alone we either watch A Christmas Story, The Santa Clause, or Miracle on 34th Street.

I really love doing this with my family, because no matter how many times we've watched those movies, they are the only ones that seem to get us all to sit down in the living room and actually be a nice quiet family; which is more often, not what we are...well nice maybe, but certainly not quiet lol.

[cjflutterbye]

There was a Christmas when I was maybe 11, which would make my brother Eric was 16 and Douglas was 18.
Eric had let me shake, at will, the present that he had for me. For over a week I shook the living daylights out of that six by six by eight inch box. It would rattle - but only in one corner - and it was very light - but felt 'full'
I was very confused, and Eric was very amused by this.

Christmas morning - I open that box, and it practically exploded. Eric had jammed about 10 Nerf balls into it, along with about 10 super balls.

After the presents were opened, and everything cleaned up - my brothers and I had a massive all day Nerf ball fight in the living room - for some reason - we didn't leave that living room all day - just kept piffing each other with Nerf balls.

It was one of the simplest presents that I have ever gotten, yet I have one of the best memories of my brothers because of it.

We all still talk about those Nerf balls to this day at 40, 45 and 47.

[Crimson]

Hm. I don't have too many noteworthy christmas memories.., but the one that stands out the most happened a few christmases ago. At the time, I was working at Wilson's Leather, a jacket store. I took my older sister there one day, just to show her where I work. While there, she found one jacket that she absolutly fell in love with. Unfortunatly, she couldn't afford it, and it was a bit of a downer for her. A few days later, my manager told me about this huge discount the employees were getting. We got a 10% off, but there was a sale going on that was around 20% off. And then, for the holidays we got another 10% off. So with some layaway manuvering, I was able to get it for 50% off. It put the jacket into an affordable range for me, so I grabbed it. My sister was elated when I gave it to her, and she wasn't expecting it all. She wore it all day (and even found a jacket for her dog that somewhat matches it.).

I have yet to ever find a present for her that topped that year, and I'm wondering if I ever will, honestly.

[StefiKittie]

Since I’ve been with my boyfriend I have happier Christmas'. It’s nice to go to his house every Christmas and hear laughter and joy before I even walk in the door. I can’t dwell on the past or my memories, I can only make happier memories with the ones I love now .

[ghostwrider]

My best Christmas memory was that of my daughter's second Christmas. My husband was on deployment to Okinawa, Japan. Her face lit up like the 4th of July when she heard her Daddy's voice over the phone. She was then visited by the Man in Red, who was her Uncle Harry, helping out the Big Red One. Harry, my brother, brought presents to her that my hubby had given Harry to give to her. That Christmas, my husband and my brother really proved to me the true spirit and meaning of Christmas-love.

[Aluminum]

My best Christmas memory is... .... ..... I fell asleep once. Just in the middle of everything.

[Sasami86]

I'd have to say the best christmas for me was my last Christmas in Germany. I was five. I remember it so well cuz my cousins and I played soccer in the snow at the local soccer field. Plus we shedded down the hill at the back of the field...sigh...Those were good memories. ^^

[cat_chan]

I think Christmas is my favourite time of the year. After die divorce of my parents we (mother and younger brother) created our own Christmas traditions. Every year a few days before the special day (in Austria it's the 24th) we're going to buy a not ordinary Christmas tree ^^. My mother likes special grown trees, like the branches are only grown on one side of the trunk or something like that.
When I was a child, my brother and I became rivals in who is allowed to decorate the tree. The solution was one year for my brother and the next year for me and so it's until now.
We're also cooking together, singing and reading stories and that's the best time for me, just to be with my family.
And every year on the next day we have a reunion with the whole family tribe and celebrate once more. XD

[darkparagon]

I don't really have any note worthy memorys of christmas, but I love the time I spend with my family and friends, singing, reading storys, dancing and cooking, eating and all the other stuff you do at christmas.

[kamp]

all my christmas memories are filled with frustration and fake sincerity. but it was nice reading about everyone else's lovely memories.

[neji-erstaunlich]

well i don't have any special Christmas Memory but i like the Christmas because all my family goes to my house...we pass there all the days giving presents, singing, playing games related to the Christmas(with my cousins), we do the Christmas tree all together...we cook turkey(family traditions)...
well we do all together and i think that is the best we can do...^_^
i love Christmas...

[darkangelthn]

It's nice reading about so many other's happy Christmas memories. However, I myself don't have that many happy ones. Most of my Christmas memories are those that sadden the heart, and prove that Christmas has become too commercialize.

[sueroxmysox]

Christmas of 2006 when I missed my father terribly and my cousin and neice came to the rescue. I spent 4 days with them, laughing and joking, cooking and decorating and singing Temptains, jackson 5 and The Whispers Christmas compilations off key--oin purpose. They REALLY kept me form going under and I'll always be grateful for that! And i got a Spongebo Throw pillow, too! What a great holiday!

[shoujo22]

My favorite Christmas memory would have to be Christmas 2002. I had the best Christmas break and actual Christmas holiday ever. It was one of the last holidays that my entire family had spent together. At the time, both my brothers, me, and my sister were still living with our parents. Of course we didn't get many gifts, because my fam isn't really big on that, but I'm so close to siblings...I had so much fun just being around them. The four of use went out a lot, watched movies together, played video games (etc.). My parents cooked awesome meals right up to Christmas day, and even went out with us a few times too. I'd also just met my Japanese language teacher.

That was the most awesome holiday season ever.

[sakurawar]

..hmmp..
..can't remember my happy memories in christmas..
..with my family..
..i have an anmesia..