Favorite Holiday memories as a child.

[Fathom5]

What are some of your favorite memories of the holidays from your childhood.

I can remember one year a few days before Christmas when I was about 12 years old. My grandfather always used to pipe Christmas music outside through a loud speaker system. One night some friends and I were sledding after dark, there had been a lot of snow and it was continuing to fall in these large softly falling flakes. It was so peaceful and still, with just the sound of the snowflakes as they came straight down and hit the ground. We could hear that music echoing through the neighborhood as we were sledding.

I remember we all just stood at the top of the hill, not saying a word and looking out over the snow falling on all the houses, hearing that music and thinking that everything was perfect, it was Christmas, there was lots of snow and I was having the time of my life with my best friends.

Oh for those simple day gone by.

I hope everyone has one of those memories to draw on.

 

[geno]

Wow - great description Fathom!

Mine would have to be seeing the look on my mom's face whenever she got her christmas present from me. It was just me and her in our house, so she was the only one that I got to see open presents on XMas morning.

 

[Fathom5]

And doesn't it make it all worth while when you find the "perfect" gift that she least expects.

 

[Yeeny]

I have so many wonderful memories of Christmas with my father. He was always so cheerful, and would lay in bed beside me Christmas Eve reading me Twas' The Night Before Christmas. When he was done, he would stay there beside me and help me listen for Santa and the reindeer before I fell asleep. I remember how peaceful and safe I felt, knowing Santa was coming and my father was watching over me.

 

[UG]

I was about 5 when Dad was up on the roof on Christmas eve with sleigh bells pretending to be Santa landing on the roof.

After the divorce, I fed mom to the reindeer.

=8^o

 

[UG]

...Resisting a re-write of GirlFriday's fatherly Christmas experiences.

 

[toph99]

don't have any

 

[Yeeny]

Resisting a re-write of GirlFriday's fatherly Christmas experiences

I can just imagine what that would be.

 

[Fathom5]

GirlFriday that's a wonderful memory. I hope my daughters will look back on me in years to come and have such fond memories.

 

[Isla]

We have it on video... it was the last Christmas I believed in Santa. I was 8 years old, going on 9.

My mom would arrange everything very creatively, so that when we got downstairs, there would be an 'area' of presents for each of us. I got a Snoopy toychest and it was filled with all kinds of neat toys.

The best present of all that Christmas was a wire-haired fox terrier puppy, though. Unfortunately, he didn't live very long (hit by a car) but he was the sweetest thing ever.

There was also the Christmas that my parents stretched the budget to get me a pair of speed skates. Precision Blue Duster wheels, Hurricane trucks, Nike sport boot... wooo hoooo!

Now I am making new favorite memories, watching my children enjoy Christmas. I must say, I never realized just how fun it was for my parents to watch us, but now I know.

 

[Elita1]

I have been blessed with many wonderful Xmas memories growing up.
Now that I have a little one my favorite was seeing her at 4 months, barely able to sit up yet, tearing through her wrapped gifts with the skill of an old pro
And of course she ignored her toys after 5 minutes and played with the paper and bows for hours! We caught the look on her face when she was opening her very first gift. Oh the joy and excitement in her eyes even though she was so very young is just one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.

 

[unxpurg8d]

My best Christmas ever was one my parents probably felt the worst about. Dad had just lost his job and they had NO money for presents so Mom made most of them. She went to the thrift store and got me a Barbie and sewed the most beautiful clothes for her, then wrote a poem about her being loved by another little girl before me and it being my turn to take care of her. Mom also found a big baby doll and made a sleeper and matching blanket for her out of the prettiest rosebud flannel she also made a quilt for me from. Oooh, and I got Trixie Beldon books - also preloved. I didn't get many presents that year, but I remember every single one and we kids thought it was the most wonderful Christmas ever.

From that I've taken the tradition of getting my kids ONE really special present they want and will appreciate, a few other things, and then I work on making the Christmas holidays special because we're with each other. We make cookies, candy, sit around and play board games, TALK to each other - and hopefully later on they'll remember the time we spent together rather than tons of toys they broke a week later.

 

[Buttzilla]

i came home on dec 24 9:30pm last year to see my family for the holiday.
i came home and nobody was there they all went to christmas mass without me. i just couldn't believe it...i was so sad. they even locked me out and i had to climb in through my parents bathroom window that was 2' by 3' and was like 8' off the ground. i eventually threw on some nice cloth and rushed off to church. man when i got there there was like a thousand people attending. finally i spotted them out and boldly walked over to where they were sitting. when my mom saw me she started crying haha i was so close to tearing..sigh...we aren't that affectionate to each other. it was just that look in her eyes, it just cried i'm so glad your home.

 

[Aquaman]

My favorite memory of the holidays, is waking up on Christmas Day to a 'White Christmas' (does not happen often here). Later, gathering with the family for a nice breakfast and sledding in the afternoon.

It's kinda hard now because my parents and 5 sisters live in different parts of the country.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Fathom5]

Thanks everyone for sharing you're stories.

unxpurg8d very touching. It's a wonderful lesson you learned that you pass on by spending so much time with you're kids to make the holidays special.

Now if we can only see that little 8 year-old Isla on video tape.....

 

[veryape]

My most memorable Christmas memory was when the Rhode Island Department for Children Youth & Families took me and my suiblings away from my parents on Christmas Day due to abuse and neglect. Ah,I will always cherish those holiuday memories. It truly was the best thing that could have ever happened to me.

 

[Fathom5]

Hmmmm, veryape I'm not sure how to take your post.
All I can say is I'm sorry for what you endured as a child and hope life since has been happy and rewarding.

Wishing you Happy Holidays from my daughters and I.

Fathom

 

[unxpurg8d]

I now have another favorite Christmas memory. My son, who's been a royal pain in the posterior for the last three years to the point of my contemplating moving without leaving a forwarding address, has been working really hard at a part-time minimum wage job and the last month was mysteriously broke all the time. I just found out why! The evil child whose sole hobby seemed to be attempting to make my life a living hell up until a few months ago came home and handed me my Christmas present early. He'd saved the whole month to buy me a gold bracelet - $265.


I'm STILL all teary 'cause not only is this the first present I've ever gotten from the child, but I know how long it took him to earn the money for it, and how tough it is for a 17 year old to NOT spend money. It's NOT how much he spent, it's all the thought and work that went into getting this for me - the mom who thought "I hate you, leave me alone" was her name for yearrrrrrrrs now.


So all you parents out there who have the shovel ready for burying the body in the back yard, don't give up hope! There really MAY be a human being inside that teenager somewhere! :Q

 

[Regine]

It was either New Year's Eve or Christmas when I was only about 5 years old. I got a tiny sip of Champagne, but then after I finished that, I drank the rest from my Grandfather's glass. I remember that I got really dizzy, I can't remember if I got sick though.

 

[Fathom5]

That's wonderful unxpurg8d. Merry Christmas. He "gets" it.

 

[Isla]

Woooo hooo, unexpurgat8d!

That's a very, very good sign. Ten years from now, it could be a ticket for a cruise... You did good and he wants you to know it.



lol toolgirl... champagne is my worst enermy. Goes down easy but oh, what a price to pay!

 

[kduncan5]

I have lots of good Christmas memories too, but I think the memories that come more readily to mind are the ones of hunting down all the Easter eggs that were hidden all over the place! I think it was the challenge of the hunt, and the victory of discovery! -kd5-