Christmas memories...
By Laurel (L_B)
@Happy2BeMe (99380)
Canada
December 16, 2016 5:03pm CST
This year I find myself thinking more about the Christmases past. Missing my parents, my grand parents and all my uncle and aunts who have passed. Christmas was such a big thing back then. Christmas eve they would all drop by our house to visit. There are so many memories of those years gone by.
For weeks before christmas the house smelled of fresh bread, cookies and pies. There were so many treats but we were not allowed to have any until Christmas Eve. There was always so much excitement. We would wait anxiously to open that one gift on Christmas Eve. We would hang our sock before we went to bed with the anticipation of Santa's arrival.
We would be up early Christmas morning, usually around 4am. We would run and jump in my parents bed and show they what we got from Santa. They would come downstairs with us and we would open our many presents. Socks were filled will an orange at the toe, an apple, nuts, candies, and a banana and grapes hanging over the top.
The turkey would go in the oven shortly after. Oh that smell of turkey cooking. Christmas day was our big family get together. We would have visitors throughout the day and evening,
I miss those days. Christmas just isn't the same these days. It is still fun and memories are made but life was so much simpler back then. It wasn't about the money, it was about family and spending time together.
Feeling sentimental this evening...
22 people like this
25 responses
@LovingMyBabies (85288)
• Valdosta, Georgia
16 Dec 16
My memories from Christmas when I was younger was very special as well. I too miss that part of my childhood. We went to visit my aunt every year, the whole family would gather there, exchange gifts and eat way too much. Lol.
It was fun. I'm sad that my kids won't have such great memories when they get older... It's just us.
5 people like this
@Happy2BeMe (99380)
• Canada
17 Dec 16
But they still will have memories that they will treasure.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116936)
• Anniston, Alabama
17 Dec 16
You have to make those memories now.
1 person likes this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
16 Dec 16
Your post made me happy kind of sad because it brought me back to another time, my grand parents, Mom and Dad, the old House, aunts, uncles, cousins and relatives some of them are no longer around, yes it was like a magical time leading to Christmas up to the New year.
I think its now our turn to give the young ones good memories, this entered my mind when I woke up from the magical dream
4 people like this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
17 Dec 16
@Happy2BeMe that's the reason perhaps why it's not that fun anymore for us, we already have our fun memories. We will have to make it fun for the younger ones so they would make it fun for others when their time comes
1 person likes this
@Happy2BeMe (99380)
• Canada
17 Dec 16
You are right. Now it is our turn so in years to come they will remember the times they spent with us.
2 people like this
@Happy2BeMe (99380)
• Canada
17 Dec 16
@louievill that is such a great way to look at it. Perhaps our parents felt the same way. I wish I could ask them. 
1 person likes this
@marsha32 (6631)
• United States
16 Dec 16
My brother and I used to get up super early on Christmas. I did the same with my own children.
It's not the same for the grandkids as we get them all on Christmas Eve and the other parent gets them later than night then for Christmas morning.....sad.
3 people like this
@Juliaacv (51197)
• Canada
17 Dec 16
You have some really rich memories, I share many of them.
We always had a glazed ham for supper on Christmas eve, and we went to midnight mass.
We were allowed to open just 1 gift before we went to bed after mass, and the rest weren't opened until my parents were up on Christmas morning.
My Dad would drive his parents, who lived beside us, to morning mass and then when he picked them back up to come home, the priest would come with them and we'd have a nice big brunch together.
And then in the afternoon we'd have my mother's side of the family in, and there would be gifts and food and of course that huge turkey. And on Boxing Day we'd do it all again but with my Dad's side of the family. More gifts, cousins and another turkey!
And I never grew tired of it either.
3 people like this
@Juliaacv (51197)
• Canada
17 Dec 16
@Happy2BeMe Until a few years ago my Dad's side of the family gathered on the Sunday in between Christmas and New Years-my aunts and uncles and cousins. But my mind always wandered back to our childhood days and of course that was when you missed my grandparents and my Dad who was the first to go ahead.
1 person likes this
@Happy2BeMe (99380)
• Canada
18 Dec 16
@Juliaacv yes they bring back so many memories and emotions
1 person likes this
@Happy2BeMe (99380)
• Canada
17 Dec 16
Beautiful memories. We had our big Sunday school concert the Sunday before Christmas. I always had my own recital to do. As we got older Boxing Day was at my sisters. I agree you never tired of getting together with family. So many cousins I haven't seen in years.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (180721)
• United States
17 Dec 16
Yes, Christmas back in the day was defintely more fun! Now it just seems like another excuse to spend money, and get upset when you feel your expectations aren't being met. I think the key is to remember the reason for the season. and try not to expect anything!
2 people like this
@zebra2222 (5268)
• United States
17 Dec 16
I can understand how you would miss those special memories.
2 people like this
@Beatburn (4286)
• Philippines
3 Jan 17
@Happy2BeMe Did you have a good Christmas?
1 person likes this
@Happy2BeMe (99380)
• Canada
3 Jan 17
@Beatburn thank you for asking, yes I did.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
17 Dec 16
I try not to go back in my mind to years past, they were good but bringing the up too often is too depressing - it works the wrong way...strange. In our house Christmas isn't about the money - it's just us and we are happy.
2 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
17 Dec 16
I miss grandpa around this time of the year, because of the holidays.
2 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
18 Dec 16
@Happy2BeMe worse for some than others for sure.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116936)
• Anniston, Alabama
17 Dec 16
That is what we got in our stockings, fruit and candy, one silver dollar.
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
17 Dec 16
I get that way at this time of the year. I imagine it seemed so much simpler and happy because we were the kids and had none of the stress of cooking etc.
2 people like this
@1creekgirl (41428)
• United States
17 Dec 16
You are very blessed to have such wonderful memories. Merry Christmas.
2 people like this
@Happy2BeMe (99380)
• Canada
17 Dec 16
Merry Christmas to you and your family as well.
1 person likes this
@Happy2BeMe (99380)
• Canada
17 Dec 16
So sorry this will be a difficult one for you. 
1 person likes this
