Christmas memories

...I am not as good as my sister about remembering things from our childhood. Let's just say that I wasn't the most observant child and I was also pretty self-absorbed. (Many times, one could find me in front of the mirror, admiring myself). But I try, especially around Christmas, to think back on all the traditions and memories that made the holiday so special to me.

Crafts.
I take after my mom. She is the one who started the Christmas craft tradition. One year she bought wooden letters in our names, pink ribbon and hot glue and viola! we had--names on a ribbon that we hung up by the tree.

Another year we fashioned wire hangers in a circle and tied hundreds of yarn bows to make a wreath. I remember getting tired of that one quickly. Each time I thought we got close to finishing, my mom would squish the bows together and there would still be so much wire left to cover. We gave them away as gifts.

Open House.
Each year, we would go to Winona's Flower shop for her open house. It was just a mile or so from our house so it was easy to get to. There would be punch and cookies and that is why Casey and I went. We would look around at all the plants and flowers and eat cookies and punch. I remember Mom buying a red mailbox with greenery that opened and closed to music one year. We liked that one.

Luminaries.
Each year Mom would remark how much she liked luminaries. Each year we would not get them. Of course, Dad was right when he said that no one would see them because we lived in the country.

Christmas Cookies.
Chocolate Crinkles, Spritz, Sugar Cookies. So many good cookies. For many years, our church would hold a Cookie Walk and my mom would go on a baking frenzy and the one thing we hated was we could not eat the Chocolate Crinkles. Then the day of the cookie walk, since my mom helped, we could not get a box of cookies until after it was over. And guess what? The Crinkles were gone! We were so disappointed. But, Mom would always make another batch for us. She must have loved us or something.

Advent Calendar.
The beloved felt Christmas tree with the pin-on ornaments. Beautiful and lovely, hung up on the wall beside my parent's bedroom. Casey and I would conspire on how to work it so that me (or him) would be the one who got to pin the star on the tree on Christmas Eve. We never forgot to do it. Now in a new house, my mom still hangs up the calendar and my heart rejoices when I see it.

Christmas Eve.
Getting dressed in our Sunday best (even better, more sparkle) and going to church for the Christmas Eve service. My favorite service of the year. There were candles that we lit at the end. The lights would go down, we would light the candle in our hands and sing "Silent Night." As a child, I knew this was what Christmas was all about. Everything else was fun and nothing would be the same without it, but I knew it wouldn't be Christmas without Christ.

After church we would go to Granny's. So much family, so much laughter and fun, so much good food. One year I received a big doll and Casey received his first golf clubs. My doll had a beautiful pink dress. Another year all the great-grandkids received hand-knitted slippers. Mine were yellow. The thing about my great-grandparents house was they had a huge, white church all lit up in their front window. I loved looking at that. Another reminder of why we have Christmas.

Christmas Morning Photo.
As you probably have seen if you read Krista's blog, my mom would make sure and get a photo of us on Christmas morining, looking very sleepy. She was great at getting those shots just like she was great at getting shots of us blowing our candles out on our birthdays (cheeks blown out, eyes closed). All lovely memories now.

I wonder what my kids will remember about their childhood Christmases. Whatever they remember, I hope those memories are just as happy as mine and remind my boys that Christmas is about being with your family and celebrating Jesus. And creating fun and eating. That too.