Memories of Christmas the most wonderful time of the year

Christmas 2010, I can hardly believe that I will be celebrating my 57th Christmas. As I was sitting with my 2 year old grandson Mason watching Santa Claus the movie, I started thinking about how Christmas and the Christmas holiday have changed since I was his age.


While I don't have many early childhood memories I do remember some of my early Christmas. Most are fleeting glimpses of people and things but I do remember being held by my grandmother Hanks as we gathered around my mother at the piano. I remember feeling and hearing her sing as I sat on her lap. Her gentle aged hands helping me to lead the rest of the family as we sang Christmas songs.

Christmas morning holding my grandmothers hand as we waited for the living room door to open. Asking her if Santa Claus had come and what was that bright light that kept shining from the bottom of the door? When my older brother Jim opened the door those questions were answered.


Yes Santa had come and had left presents everywhere. My grandma Hanks laughed with glee as my older sibling rushed to get to their stockings. Each stocking was stuffed full with an apple, an orange, nuts and candy. Candy canes poked out the top. My stocking was so full that I could hardly lift it. Grandma Hanks helped me lift it on to the couch and together we emptied it reveling all of its hidden treasure.

Sadly this was to be the last Christmas that grandma Hanks was to spend with us as she passed away the following year. I will always remember her kindly face and the love that I felt sitting on her lap.


That bright light, it came from my father's light bar as he filmed the entrance of his excited children into the living room where Santa had deposited so many wonderful gifts. That light was a part of Christmas for many many years. When the light shone under the door it was time to enter that magical place that was the center of our Christmas celebration.


Another of my fondest memories is the month leading up to Christmas. Christmas was my mother's favorite time of the year. The day after Thanksgiving was dedicated to the beginning of the Christmas season. It was very different then not like today where my wife and daughters spend the day shopping beginning very early in the morning. All to get the best Black Friday specials.



On the Friday after Thanksgiving my father and my brother George would spend the day getting down the trunks that contained all of the Christmas decorations and get the decorations ready for another Christmas season. The colored strands of lights where laid out and the bulbs all checked. Then my brother with my help would string them on the eves of the roof. Mom would always come out to check our work to make sure all the bulbs where lit and no two colors where next to each other.


After the outside decorations and lights were placed and approved by mom. The family would get in the car and head for the Christmas tree lot. This was always a magical time for me. I can remember the smell of the trees, the crunch of the pine needles underfoot as my little sister and I searched for the perfect tree. Mom was very particular about the tree. It had to be tall and full. After my mom approved of the tree my dad usually had to cut a foot off the bottom and a foot of the top so it would fit in the living room. Once the tree was home and sat in a bucket of water over night, the tree was placed in the living room and my mother would supervise the decorating. "Big ones on the bottom small ones on the top" she would always say. As we sorted out the Christmas decorations my dad would put the lights on the tree. Once the lights were placed my sister and I got to decorate the rest of the tree.



During the late 60's another tree made an appearance, an aluminum Christmas tree with a color wheel to replace the strings of lights. We had that tree for 3 Christmas before my mom decided that this modern tree was just not right for Christmas and back to the tree lot we went.


The year before I left home my dad purchase an artificial pine Christmas tree. This was to become the last Christmas tree my parents ever purchased. My mother enjoyed this tree as long as my dad would go to the tree lot and get extra boughs of pine to be used in the house.



My children enjoyed many Christmas's with that Christmas tree in both my parents' home and mine and it holds special memories for them. Before my mother left this life she gave that Christmas tree to my oldest son Shane. Which was used every Christmas until it was lost it in a garage fire in 2005.


Christmas changed once I left my parents' home. I married, divorced and remarried. Each of my wives and children added their own Christmas traditions to mine. Now on Christmas day after Santa had visited and gifts exchange we enjoy the tradition that my wife Dawn has, of all the family that is here going to the theater to see the latest movie.


A couple of days before Christmas I try to watch all of the different versions of A Christmas Carol much to the dismay of my wife and children. But I enjoy Scrooge and his story.


I am looking forward to Christmas this year as my grandsons Mason, Gab, Sonny, and Ronnie will all be old enough to really enjoy Christmas.


For it is truly the most wonderful time of the year.


Merry Christmas.