Christmas Memories

Like other special days in our lives, Christmas, New Year and the days around them tend to invoke my very vivid memories of my fifty-mumble Christmases. Daddy never talked about his childhood Christmases (stupid me, I didn't ask), and Mother's biggest memory was of the time they all got some candy, and her older sister hid hers in the sewing machine drawer so that when their brother ate all of his, she could retrieve hers and eat it in front of him. He beat her at her own game by finding the hiding place and consuming the goodies, then laughed at the sister when her big moment fizzled.

My Christmas memories are divided by the places we lived. Lexington, a snowy city when I was young, California and warm Christmases later on, and Arkansas and the decorated staircase banister. Hunting for Christmas trees every place we lived, until I married a man allergic to evergreen. Through all of those years, Mother was baking and decorating. She made fruit cakes (and you haven't had fruit cake unless you've had one baked in October and given a "little drink" every few days until Christmas), fudge, divinity, marble divinity, cookies. And those are just the sweets. Midnight Mass, the big breakfast on Christmas morning (which drove my wanting-to-open-presents husband nuts as we were finally ready for "The Tree" at 11:30 when Mother realized she didn't have film for her camera and sent Daddy and me out to locate some). In earlier years, there was always one unwrapped gift waiting to surprise us as we entered the room. Mother loved Christmas and the wonder, and her devout belief in the religious origins and adherence to many Advent customs (Advent wreath with, yes, daily prayers, and I used to get up early to go to daily Mass with her) didn't prevent her from enjoying the secular traditions. When Darling Daughter was about 7, I asked Mother when I stopped believing in Santa. My then 77-year old mother turned wide eyes on me and said, "You don't believe in Santa?" And that was the last word on that!

Once we had our Darling Daughter 26 years ago, many Christmases were spent at our own home, although there were a few during which we traveled 876 miles to my Mother's. Each time, Dearest Husband declared that never again would we traverse snowy and icy roads for Christmas in Arkansas, but he gave in and we would go back. I have so many memories of Christmases the past 26 years. There was the year our Darling Daughter needed a nap during the opening of presents, the time she'd rather play with the bows than the gifts we bought her. The time Santa's Helper at the Mall told her that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were boys' toys and she asserted, "Girls, too!" I was so proud! There were years she hounded us out of bed at 6, then the years we had to haul her out at 10:30. The year we gave her Dad a Razorback Beanie Baby, the year we gave her a red Tommy coat, the year she and I wrapped "Apollo XIII" in a BIG box so Dearest Hubby wouldn't know he was getting it. I remember movies a lot. We always had a new one on video to watch, and then, after our Darling Daughter got a job at a movie theater, we actually saw a movie on Christmas Day while she worked. Just being in the same building meant Christmas together. More recently, DD's had to fly home and Christmas has meant DH's compulsive collecting and decorating. Picture the house from "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation," only inside.

And now, 2009, a new set of memories begin: our first with our Wonderful Son-in-law (hereafter just Wonderful Son; the genie in me wishes precise definitions of relationship, but my heart just thinks Son). He came to visit during the Christmas season shortly after we met him, but left to be with his family for the big day. For a while, I couldn't remember if he was with us for Christmas Day that year or not, since I associate that year with his visit. I remember him making snow angels and decorating cookies when he was here. And snuggled up asleep on the couch with Darling Daughter. Last year, his responsibilities prohibited him from being able to come up and we missed him, but this year, we get to have the pleasure of his company.

And, of course, coming up with DD & WS will be Fabulous Grandson, making his first Christmas appearance anywhere. And we get to share it. What will the future hold? FG decorating cookies along with Dad. DD reading to FG? FG helping DH with the Village? More snow angels in our yard? Noisy toys? Games? Visits to their house for Christmas, watching his Mommy & Daddy tuck him in several times on Christmas Eve? All that and more. Like a kid on Christmas Eve, I can't wait.