Memories of Christmas' past...

[Disneyland Daddy]

Many of us have so many wonderful memories of Christmas - I have many that come to mind.......but I guess one that sticks out in my head is a recent one - Christmas 2005.

My Dad's side of the family gets together every Christmas Eve - and it's a huge festivity......we eat homemade tamales, etc. Earlier that year, my wife and I proposed to all the adults that instead of a usual 'draw names' gift exchange, that each couple brings a nice gift and we have sort of a 'white elephant' or 'dirty santa' game, where one couple gets a gift, then couple two goes and if they like that gift, they take it, and couple ones goes...etc and so on. Well, we did this and it turned in to a hooting and hollaring good time. All of us were hoarse by nights end - and we usually get together around 5:30pm - and wildly enough, we were still having a rip roaring time at 11pm - and we usually have all headed home by 9pm - so suffice to say, this 'game' idea was great and everyone had a great time.

I recall seeing my Grandma Teresa. She was sitting in her wheelchair, all dressed in her Christmas 'red' and all dressed for Christmas.......Grandma had just undergone surgery a month earlier to remove her 2nd leg - both lost due to diabetes.

Anyway, Grandma was just watching the whole time.......and was hysterical with laughter as her sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren and their spouses went crazy with the fun of the loud gift exchange. She was in 'heaven', to put in mildly. Her face radiated at the sound of LOUD. In Grandma's house, "love" was spelled L O U D.

I recall after we cleaned up all the mess of the fun, Grandma asked me "Mijo - what a fun game. Are you going to do it next Christmas?". I said, "Yes Grandma - I think we will." She replied "Good Mijo - it was lot's of fun and had me laughing. I'd like to see this again."

Grandma died 6 weeks later during a routine dialysis.........................I'll never forget the warm glow of her radiant face as she sat with such excitement watching her family celebrate Christmas togther.

Do you have a special Christmas memory you'd like to share with us? Maybe you have one - maybe you have many....do share and let's remember......Christmas past

[MWalton]

That story is precious, David.

[SusieP.]

Aww, I miss my grandmas too. Let me see if I can come up with a good story to share...

[Disneyland Daddy]

I guess it was Christmas 1975. I gather that because I wasn't in school yet, but was still very 'aware' of things.

After the 'festivies' with Dad's side of the family, Mom, Dad and my new baby brother and I went to Mom's parents house to spend the night for Christmas. I vividly recall Grandma Ginny helping me get a plate with cookies and some milk for Santa.......and we left if on the little table in the livingroom next to the Santa statue - because Santa would see that Statue and would know the cookies and milk were for him.

I remember being so excited filled with anticipation of what the next morning would bring.

I remember waking up and running to the livingroom and what did I see!? I saw the plate with a little bit of cookie left and a maybe gulp of milk left in the glass.........and I was in awe - complete awe. "Oh my gosh - Santa was here and he touched THIS cookie and THIS glass of milk!" - I thought to myself in my 4 year old mind. I think I'll never forget that Christmas....

Thank you my late Grandma Ginny for helping me make that memory....

[MollyTrolly]

David, that is a wonderful story and although not christmas related reminds me of my Grandma. I won;t get into th details but I was being punished by my Moms husband, and my Mom was trying to help me and it turned into an episode of I Love Lucy. My Grandma laughed more than I had ever seen her (and she wasn't much of a laugher). She passed the next day but even at the young age of 8, I still remember her laughing herself silly, and it was great she left me with that memory.

Unfortunately last Christmas was a tragedy for my family and this year will be the first dealing with everything. So for us, we are just trying to work on Christmas's of the future and trying to let the past heal :-).

[I Heart Disneyland]

I recall after we cleaned up all the mess of the fun, Grandma asked me "Mijo - what a fun game. Are you going to do it next Christmas?". I said, "Yes Grandma - I think we will." She replied "Good Mijo - it was lot's of fun and had me laughing. I'd like to see this again."

Grandma died 6 weeks later during a routine dialysis.........................I'll never forget the warm glow of her radiant face as she sat with such excitement watching her family celebrate Christmas togther.

Oh goodness, David. I started to cry at the end there. That is really such a special memory. Your grandma Teresa sounds like a fun loving, wonderful lady!

[Experiment626]

I think it was either '90 or '91 when New Kids on the Block was the latest craze...well my cousin who's about 5 months older than me had a lot of power over me so she convinced me to like the boy band. I was 7 or 8 so I didn't really know anything about them but because of her insistent urgings, I decided I loved them too. Anyway, for that Christmas eve, my same cousin convinced me to try and open up one of my Christmas gifts that night instead of waiting until the morning. Well, every so often I went to a little box that had my name on it and I kept tearing little pieces of wrapping paper off the box until I got caught. Needless to say my mom was soooo pissed off at my cousin! All for a stupid boy band...

[Sorcerer's Apprentice]

That was a very touching story. Thanks.

[knittingknerd]

Aw DisneyDaddy!

When I was in the 4th or 5th grade I said I wanted Babysitter Club books for Christmas. Now I was reading like 2 books a day and was addicted to them. I woke up on Christmas, totally psyched thinking I was getting certain books. Santa didn't know what ones I had so instead picked up the whole series. I had read about half at that point. I got 100ish BSC books all wrapped. Santa's wife/my mom didn't know about this had a little "Santa should have known to ask me what books she had..." And because I was so into the books my parents had told every relative to get me the books. I think I ended up with 120 books that year. The whole series up to that point including Super Specials.

[Alice's Wonderland]

I was adopted when I was seven and our first Christmas together my dad was so sad to hear I didn't believe in Santa. He insisted on leaving milk and cookies out on Christmas Eve. When I woke up Christmas morning, part of the milk and cookies had been eaten, there was a letter from Santa, and there were footprints made in the carpet from the fireplace to the tree and back and they were filled with the real fake snow. My dad says look Santa was here! I was soooo confused.

[aimster]

Back in the early 80's I wanted Barbie's Dream House. Christmas morning, I opened up all my presents in the living room, then I headed back to my room to get dressed. I stopped dead in my tracks when I started to pass the den/my toy room. Inside was Barbie's Dream House. I didn't even see it earlier! I of course went totally nuts. LOL!

[Disneyland Daddy]

I went to see my Grandpa Rex in the hospital on my 29th Birthday - Friday, December 1, 2000. He was pretty chatty and thrilled that I had come to visit him on my birthday - when I should be out having fun. He and I talked....we placed his dining order for the weekend and gave it to the nurse...and now and then he'd go in and out of listlessness......very strange. When I left that day, he said, "David, I love you honey." I said, "I love you too Grampa." He said, "I bet I love you more." I said, "Oh yeah? Wanna arm wrestle for it?" He said, "Ok - you win." We laughed and I said, "I think it's a tie."

Grandpa Rex Nickler died two days later. The last words spoken to me by him were that he loved me and that I loved him........so sweet. That Christmas was so strange without him........no one to play Cribbage with or to play endless games of Gin Rummy.........no one........

[I Heart Disneyland]

This is a silly memory, but, a memory nonetheless!!!!

When I was about 7, I remember going shopping with my mom for Christmas, and then my dad for Christmas. Each of them bought slippers for the other, and I remember thinking it was SOOOOO funny that they'd both bought slippers for the other one! I don't know why it was so hilarious to me, but, hey...I was 7 !!!

[Brain Toad]

My Christmas memories are only bits and pieces.

I think it was 1994 or 1995 when Santa brought me my first Star Wars action figures which jump started my collection. I was so excitied to get those. It was C-3PO, R2-D2 and a Stormtrooper, not the best figures, but I still loved them.

One year when I was 13, my parents got me a new stereo and The Beatles CD "1". I was more excitied about the Beatles CD than the stereo and I remember hugging my mom and telling her how much I loved it. A very odd thing for me to do, as I was 13 and 13 year old boys usually don't hug their moms, at least in my mind.

I'm sure this year will be filled with some fun memories, as its the first Christmas for my cousin's 6 month old daughter (my "niece") and it will be really fun to see Christmas through her eyes.

[I Heart Disneyland]

Just thought of another one, this time my kids. My son's "big" present one year was a new Gameboy. This was when they were brand new, and I think cost $99.00. Anyway....we bought it, and put it away and one day on the way to driving my kids to school, my daughter says to her brother, "You're gonna love your present...you're gonna play it..." then she stopped, and started bawling. She realized she'd totally given away his "BIG" present for the year! I felt so sorry for her as she was such a tender heart!