Christmas Memories

Well, I thought I would post about our Christmas when we were children. I have a few pictures that were in a scrapbook that I made, so I just picked up my camera and took a picture of each Christmas page. My mom has the original pictures lost in her basement somewhere, so this is the best I could do!

My mother used to read Christmas stories to me with such expression!

 Little Golden Book collections. I loved looking at all the colorful pictures. I also loved watching all the Christmas shows. One in particular was the animated show "The Little Drummer Boy". I would get all fuzzy and warm when Aaron came to play his drums for baby Jesus because he had no gift to bring and I think that's why to this day I love the song Little Drummer Boy. I received a record player for Christmas one year and the single of Little Drummer Boy and I just thought that was the greatest thing! I listened to it over and over! Rum pa pum pum, me and my drum....

Me and my middle brother Mike.

When Rudolph the red-nose reindeer came out, that was my next favorite to watch. What a classic, even today! I have collected a Bobblehead Rudolph, Santa, the Abominable Snowman and Hermie the elf who wanted to be a dentist. The figures look exactly like the characters in the show. I also have a Jim Shore collectible of the Snowman and Rudolph. I've collected quite a bit of Christmas STUFF through the years. Now I just need another room to store everything. Every year I see something else I'd like to have! I think maybe it's a .....sickness....?

When we were kids, Christmas was always a happy time of the year. We were very fortunate. We always had all kinds of goodies to eat and lots of candy. I remember the colorful ribbon candy, so pretty to look at, but just didn't like it. Hershey's kisses....mmmmmmm....still my favorite! My parents would go to Amish country and buy different kinds of cheeses, pepperoni, crackers, etc. Lots to eat!

I would get so excited about decorating the Christmas tree and even to this day, I still love decorating my tree! I'm one of those early birds that some people think are a little ridiculous, but I'm the one doing all the decorating and need time to do it in, so I put my tree up the weekend before Thanksgiving every year, and Thanksgiving weekend we do the outside decorating.

My brother Mike, me, and in the far right bottom, my youngest brother Dan. Oh, we were having so much fun!

I remember my Dad and Mom would get our tree around the middle of December. We always had a fresh tree for many years. Ahhhh...the smell of fresh pine, nothing like it to remind you of Christmas. I couldn't wait to help with the tree, but my Dad would always let it sit out in the garage for a couple of days to let the branches drop before we did any of the decorating.

Then the fun began. My Dad would always do the icicles...those silver wrinkled ones that you could throw on in bunches, unlike the smooth looking ones they make today. But my Dad was very particular about how he put them on, so they always looked nice. And the bubble lights...oh how I loved those lights!

My brother and I, and my Dad and his brother.

Ornaments, candy canes, garland, and when it was finished, we would sit back in delight and enjoy the beauty of our Christmas tree! This is exactly what I do today. I love putting the tree up early and enjoy looking at it and the soft light that comes from it. It only comes once a year and it brings with it memories of Christmas magic from the past.

Christmas memories are something to cherish forever. My parents always made sure it was a magical time for us! I hope your Christmas memories were wonderful too!