Share your Christmas memories

My best Christmas memory is that every Christmas Eve my family would turn off the lights and sit in the living room with the Christmas tree lights on and listen to The Walton's Christmas album. It was the original one that came out in 1975 that told the Christmas Story out of the book of Luke and they sang Christmas carols in between the Scripture readings. I'd love to get a copy of that record for my family.

Yep, those Waltons. I did bid on it at ebay, but didn't win it. and it is only available on record, and I don't have a player...bummer.

KrispyKrittr wrote:
Is this it?

http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B000CK9LE4/ref=nosim/105-8874461-6201234?SubscriptionId=09FVDRT8TEJ64C2A7Y02

Walmart also has it for about $10.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4169111

Krispy

Nope, that isn't the one. but I do have that one and it is a good one...not the same though. and I got it for $4 at Big Lots.

:-P

yeah, me neither. that's why its a bummer. :-D

Funny you say that, I wondered if some people were afraid to share some of their memories because of what others might think...

I remember last christmas, seeing my children, their second christmas, but first one they could open their presents themselves. And thinking how precious gifts of life God has given me and i remember the food my wife magically cooked even thou she did not have so much to work with how she so gave her all for me and the kids with what we had, and seeing her looking at us and seeing us dig in to the ffod she had so given her time and effort to make us

thinking of those moments make me cry right now.

How blessed i am to have such a wife and children.

I remember when i was about 6yrs old celebrating Christmas with all my family including my parents,grandparents,uncles,aunts and cousins.
We all lived in the same street just different houses, we would all gather together to eat and just being together. The love of being with family was so sweet. i do not remember much about the gifts..i think because for us it was about celebrating the birth of Christ and just being together as a family. Since we used to celebrate the "three kings" day in Feb.
the gifts were giving out to the children on feb. instead.

We moved to the US and lived here for years now. so, i do miss being with my grandparents and cousins..oh, how much i miss them!!!
"c"

My Dad became a JW when i was six so i really only remember one Christmas as a child, but it was enuf to subsequently make me hate being a JW amongst so many other things like no more birthdays and alienation from my favorite aunts and uncles on the holidays because all of a sudden they were now heathen and worldly ... It was a totally awful early childhood experience, but i would always secretly celebrate Christmas in my own way, bringing home little twigs of Canadian Balsam to smell ... Canadian Balsam scent still sends me into Christmas mode reminding me mostly of my Aunt Cleo's trees, before she went haywire in the 60's/70's with those toilet brush limbed mod metallic trees ...

i actually love the holiday, the season, even tho i know it's no where near the day of Christ' birth and has a touch of pagan in it's origin, but what i've always truly loved about the holiday was that folk became so pleasant, nice, jolly, etc ... Of course that has much waned in these hellified times in which we live, folk trying to have Christmas without Christ, without even the mention of His name ... Things have certainly changed in America since the 50's ...

Anyhow i guess my favorite Christmas had to be when i was 27, as it was the first time i was in a position to flat out full fledged celebrate Christmas after having escaped all things JW and i went way overboard then, and for about the next ten years or so ... i still love the season, but much of my enthusiam for all the gift buying and trimmings along with my youthful vim and vigor has waned and i find i now moreso fully reflect on the reason for the season as pretty much summed up by Linus on "A Charlie Brown Christmas" ...

[b]Luke.2 -
[8] And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
[9] And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
[10] And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
[11] For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
[12] And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
[13] And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
[14] Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.[/b]

I remember being about 8 years old and so excited at seeing eggnog at the shelves of the stores. Then being able to drink the eggnog at Christmas eve. This was pre-saved days in my life.

Christmas with my children now is always fun. My children are 4, 2 and 1. So needless to say, there is not much sleeping in my house anymore for us parents.

My favorite current memory of Christmas is watching my 4 year old son talk to grandpa and grandma (wifes side) about Jesus and explaining to them why we celebrate Christmas as the birth of Jesus.

It is great to see my son minister to my in-laws, who on the most part shut me down anytime I talk about the Lord. They listen to my son and hear his words. I know that the Lord blesses these times in my sons life, even if grandpa and grandma don't want to hear it. My 2 1/2 year old is starting to talk to grandma and grandpa about Jesus as well. Even though she knows little about the Lord, you can see His love in her. These are my favorite memories of Chirstmas...watching my children grow in the Lord and become sons and daughters of the living God.

May the Lord raise up all my children to contend for His name.

Only just seen this thread. Where has it been hiding?

I guess we all have so many fond memories of Christmas that we sometimes don't know where to start.

But for me, it goes back to when I was a child of about 9 years old.

Dad had bought these chocolates, and we children loved chocolates. We could have them, but not all on one day and have them all gone.

So, Dad put them high up on a shelf where we could not reach them. Well, were not supposed to reach them.

Night came. My 2 sisters 'volunteered' me to go downstairs and sneak out one of the big bars of chocolate.

I did my utmost to get up and down the creaking stairs without being heard, got back to bed with the treat, and remember Mum's voice booming out, 'I hope you haven't taken the fruit and nut'
which was her favourite chocolate.

Unfortunately, I hadn't. I got a horrible bar of plain chocolate which tasted like a laxative and worked like one too.

On to today. I have a confession to make. I still like to watch the movie 'A Christmas Carol' about Scrooge.
It's just one of those movies I like and about the only decent thing you can watch at Christmas.

Oh well, Merry Christmas everyone!

Done my brother ... :-D

Quote: 'My southern drawl keeps creeping in.'

Don't worry, there are worse sins!

God bless.

Of course... who doesnt love "It's A Wonderful Life"?

One of my favorites as well. I watch it every year. :-D

I was spoiled growing up with TONS of gifts as a child I have to admit. ;-)
I think all the special memories are those of ALL my family that were together and now have passed on.
I think we need to treasure those special times of family being all together at Christmas because we dont know what will happen in a years time.

On a side note: I feel sorry for all the legalists who dont celebrate a joyous time as Christmas.
...sorry krispy I couldnt help myself.

Share your Christmas merories ... hhhmmm which memories to share a happy ones, a sad ones, good or bad. We all have those :-D i like to share the time my daughter called me a liar at the age of 6 because i did not tell her the truth that there is no santa claus :-D she cries for hours and that hurt her not because santa is not real now but the fact i follow the tradition i grew up with, we still celabrate Christmas with the fat fellow, but still have the tree and lights and goodies and family parties, we celebrate the birth of Jesus. but with the children understanding of why Jesus born.
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERY ONE

I have soooo many christmas memories, none bad- all good! I especially have wonderful memories of spending time at my grandma's house. I loved her and now she has passed away. I loved her house and her christmas tree, I loved the music she played and the dinner she always fixed. She was a picture of 'hospitality' that i didn't get anywhere else. She was really my only family except for my parents and my younger brother.

One of my favorite things to do at Christmas was lay under the christmas tree and look at the lights. My parents usually let me sleep in a sleeping bag under the tree one night before Christmas every year. I felt like I was in heaven (though I am sure heaven is much better :)

My favorite funny memory (which is not too funny to my Mother) My mom bought my Dad a watch one year and wrapped it up and put it under the tree. My dad knew what it was and on Christmas Eve he carefully unwrapped it and took the watch out and then carefully wrapped it back up. In the morning we opened the presents just like always and he opened up the package that was supposed to have the watch in it and he pretended to be surprised that there was nothing in it. My mom freaked out! After about 5 minutes (or more) my Dad finally told her what he had done and she was more than a little upset with him! We all still laugh about that today! :-)

My newer memories are of my own children at Christmas. There is a little song/saying that I always sang to them before they went to sleep on Christmas Eve because they couldn't sleep- "The sooner you sleep, the sooner you wake..."

We always have a birthday cake for Jesus and we use this time to show our children about giving. We usually choose a family to give Christmas presents and dinner to. This year we are looking into an orphange and a restoration home for people trying to stay off drugs. Yes, we do these things even when it is not Christmas, but it does make this time more special and meaningful. It is wonderful to bless others who may not get to experience a nice dinner or a few new clothes for Christmas.

Have a blessed Christmas everyone and may you all create wonderful memories this year, for yourself and for your children :-)

In His love, Chanin

Every Christmas Eve my mother’s side of the family would gather at my grandmother’s house to celebrate Christmas. Our traditional meal that night was seafood gumbo that my grandmother would prepare. Those who have tasted Louisiana cuisine will know that it is very flavorful – quite possibly the best food in the country. But not my grandmother’s. And the jokes about the gumbo would start about 2 weeks prior to Christmas Eve. But everybody would still eat the obligatory bowl of gumbo.

One year while we were all giggling over our bowls of gumbo, my uncle got up from the table with his bowl and left the room. He returned moments later with a sheepish grin on his face and an empty bowl, with sounds of a flushing toilet in the background.

10 years later, we are still laughing about this.

But my favorite memories are of when my sister and I were little and we would finish opening our gifts and then it was time for us to watch our parents exchange gifts. We could hardly wait because each year my dad would get my mom some beautifully extravagant piece of jewelry. He loved to give her things like that and watch her open them. Of course she would always take them back because I’m sure they were more expensive than we could afford back then. But I remember the wonderful feeling of knowing that my parents loved each other and watching my dad demonstrate that through his gift giving.

Danielle

Quote:
Y'all need a dog... they are quieter than a toilet flush... lol

Ya reckon he would even snif it? LOL

Hey, Krispy, this is a fun thread. I had so much fun reading others' stories....the benefit is that it awaken some of my own.... so here goes.

Christmas was always a fun, wonderful time in the year for as far back as I can remember. It was a time of the year when other serious things were selved for a while and concentrated on doing pleasant, wonderful things. ALWAYS.

As a child I loved to draw pictures of a stable with Mary, Joseph and a manger. I am sure Mom threw these pics away, or maybe I did, but wish I could have just one now.

We always spent time with our extended family. Mom came from a family of five and dad from a family of eight. So this meant there were lots of cousins to play with, lots of food to eat.

My parents did not believe in Christmas trees so we never had one, but I loved it when we were with Dad's family - they always had one and they were so beautiful, especially Aunt Ida's.

Family time: lots of food, laughter, and just plain enjoying each other. Gifts were exchanged which to us children was the high point of the day...I still have a china tea set my cousin Harvey gave - it is still in the box.

One day when I was fifteen I sat back and observed the social interactions of my maternal family: the fun, the noise and decided that IF I ever get married I will want five children and have a lot of noise also! Well, I got married and in time had five children but did not have to wait to long to have a lot of noise! Hey, I loved it and miss some of that noise now!

My maternal grandmother would always peel apples after dinner for whoever wanted one. Can still see her sitting in the living room, attired in a large apron with a large granite bowl on her lap..

And the food: one dish I remember above all others.. and that was tapioca pudding. It was made with large tapioca, whipped cream and candy bars, like Baby Ruth. Fortunately, my aunt Rose told me how to make it. Today my family enjoys it and my nieces and nephews call the tapioca 'fish eyes', an excellent description.

Then there was Christmas caroling. When we were in the youth group, this was an important part of celebrating. Since it was quite large the men improvised in transporting all of us...The men of the church would take a farmer's bob truck, clean it out and put straw/hay bales around the sides for us to sit on. Then it was covered with tarp. A small ladder or stool was used for us girls to get up and down from the bed. Now it was so very cold, but we did not mind. It was fun to go sing for people, give them fruit plates or baskets and spread cheer. I am not sure who benefited the most: we or the recipients. Today the youth use vans and are sorely deprived of the discomforts of chattering teeth, shivering bodies brought on by cold...

We always celebrated Christmas with our children. One memory still irks me a tad bit although it really is funny - now figure that out! We had purchased tennis rackets for our children, wrapped them up and added them to the pile of gifts. Our oldest son, Lynford, had borrowed a friend's metal detector so he took the thing to see if he could figure out what was in those packages...and he succeeded!

Then there was the year our son-in-law Matthew had endured several surgeries for a ganglion tumor on his big toe. This meant a loss of income because of days missed at work...I was so humbled when my family came along and said, why do we not forgo the exchange of gifts and instead give them gifts of money that they can use however needed? It was done and there was one family that really appreciated us! (Perhaps I should inform you that Matthew was married to our DD who died and has remarried. So he really is no biological kin to us: he is the father of two of our grandchildren.)

Have a blessed Christmas!

ginnyrose

Krispy, just thought of another one....

Christmas season 1996 .

Our only daughter, who was 25 YO, had died in January 1996. I had accepted the fact God called her home and was glad she was ready to go, and that she really is with the LORD. But as a mom, I still missed her on ocassion, especially now with Christmas approaching and knowing she would not be here and that I would no longer receive ANY gifts from her. I loved her gifts! She knew me so well and her gifts were always just right.

Now Christmas was a few days away and I had to resign myself to her absense...yes, LORD... :-o

On Christmas day my entire family met at my parents house...likely at least 25 persons there. Gifts were exchanged, paper and boxes, ribbon strewn everywhere. I was sitting on the floor observing the fun everyone was having and just enjoyed watching their happiness, thrill and delight when my sister came up to me with a large flat box wrapped in plain white paper. She said, "Sandra, this is for you." I said, "for me?" The box was very unusual, but I accepted it and proceeded to open it.

I was speechless when I opened that box: it was full of 13" quilt blocks embroidered by many ladies for a friendship quilt. They were so beautiful! (Let me describe to you what I am talking about: a friendship quilt is when many different ladies embroider something on a plain piece of cloth. These are then taken and sewn with a sash into a quilt. It is the most beautiful quilt one can ever have: it is totally an original. No two are ever alike. To have one is a real honor.)

Sister Helen told me Regina had started this project for me but when she was striken, she was force to lay this aside. After her demise, her mother-in-law was going through her stuff and found this, so she gave it to Helen and told her to proceed with this project and give it to me. I was totally ignorant of this ongoing project until it was presented to me!

A few days later, I was sitting in the living room, going through this stash of embroidered blocks, filled with awe of the work, time invested in creating such a beautiful piece of handwork...just for me, of all people! Suddenly, I was overwhlmed with a wonderful sense of love -it started at my head and flowed all the way through my body to my feet. I was so loved and knew God did care about me and that he was interested in me and He saw to it that I did get one more gift from our daughter. And it was so perfect!

This incident has erased all doubt, all questions in my mind about God calling her home. This was just another reminder of his love and care for me, the mom.

Have a blessed Christmas, ya'll!

ginnyrose

I have also enjoyed reading some of the Christmas stories, here is a few of the memories that I have from Christmases past:

My Grandfather is German, and some of his traditions have been mixed into our family gatherings - especially at Christmastime. My favorite was that our family would have Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve. It always consisted of Brautwurst, hot dogs and saurkraut plus other various foods - kind of wierd - but it makes a unique and therefore endearing tradition! On that same night the family would gather around in the living room of my immediate family's home and my Grandfather (or my Dad) would read Luke 2. Although I remember being so impatient to open the presents, it brings back memories of love and joy thinking back on those wonderful times of reading the story of Christ's birth. After the story was over, we kids would tear into our presents and pass out the adult's presents.
The next day, since we had already had Christmas dinner, my immediate family would stay home and play games or do puzzles together.
Having a Christian family, Christmastime wasn't just one of those other holidays, it was a time to really celebrate Christ's birth and enjoy the fellowship with one another. I am thankful for that.

Mikah

That is hilarious, Joy, thanks for sharing it!

Mikah