I originally wrote this post December 22nd of 2010. Some of you might remember it...it is one of my favorites...I hope you will enjoy it, too! I've done a little editing, to bring it up to date...
I love this old (over 50 Christmases ago now) photo of my sister and I
(I'm on the right) with Santa! My parents always made the holidays so
fun for us...I remember my father decorating~ putting up our trees with
colorful lights and ornaments, tinsel, and OH... the bubble lights! How
they fascinated me! Dad always enjoyed decorating the outdoors~ he
would put foil on the front door with a big red bow and greens we cut
ourselves, and transform the column poles in front of the house into
candy canes. Our window panes were lit and decoratively sprayed with
snow spray and stencils~ we lived in the south for much of my childhood,
but you'd never know it by looking at our windows...I can still
remember the scent of spray snow!
My most special gifts were handmade by my parents~ Barbie and troll
clothes, a dollhouse and big doll furniture, and a fun toy box with
Dad's hand painted characters from the Sunday Comics...
My mom did
crafts with us and had fun art supplies~magical glitters, stars, and
construction paper for cards, trees, and chains, and I remember making
lots of special cookies~ especially cut-out frosted sugar cookies with
sprinkles (dad did the spritz). She made a VERY special apron for
cookie baking- an appliqued and embroidered Santa face with a big
pompom. My sister and I spent many fun hours using it like a mask and
pretending to be Santa. Over the years, and many moves later (my father
was in the Air Force for over 20 years) the Santa apron was sadly
misplaced.
Two brothers arrived when I was older, and Christmases
became even more fun watching them through little ones eyes. We took
many snowy evening drives to see Christmas lights, and played Christmas
music on the stereo! Here's a photo of the four of us... you might
remember the furry hats in the late 60's...I LOVED that white hat!
Around this period of time my father was gone for a year in Vietnam~ a
hard time for my family...
One day several years ago, I received an unexpected package in the mail
from my mother...it was THE Santa apron!! She had found it, quite by
accident, in a storage barrel out in the garage! She worked hard to
clean it up and gave it a new fluffy white pom pom! I had wished for it
for so many years! Needless to say, it reduced me to a blubbering
girl, and is my Christmas treasure today! It takes me right back to
being a young girl again...
I think the things I do for Christmas today are directly influenced by
my childhood memories...I love to have the outside of our home
decorated! For the last 40 Christmases, my dear husband has decorated
every year (and I know it's not his favorite thing to do). It has been a
gift of love to me, our children, and now grandchildren, and I am so
grateful for it! Thank you sweetie...XO
And to my sweet parents...I know many miles separate us this Christmas,
but we are with you in spirit...thank you both for so many wonderful
Christmas memories, for always being there, and for being the best
parents a girl could have! I love you both! Merry Christmas!
Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas with those you love, as we
celebrate our Savior's birth... I hope you make some of your own
memories this year!
Until next time...I'll be baking
cookies and wrapping presents...the kids and grandkids are coming
Christmas Eve and I am so grateful they'll all be here! I'll be back to
posting after Christmas! A big XO to you all! Merry Christmas!
Until next time...
