Among Friends

[jeanlake]

Parents worked - lower middle class family - maybe upper lower class. Mom was white collar, dad was blue. Frugal family so we knew the value of most everything. I was amazed how generous my parents were. 4 gifts -- One big gift, pj's, clothes or coat and gloves, drawing goodies or board games. Grandparents lived 1000 miles away with no aunt/uncles local. Just us five. Mom passed when I was 12. My dad tried to make holidays special but he grieved for a very long time. Sad home. Loved the awe of Christmas during childhood. Enjoyed Christmas when my children were little. Surrounding by extended family and we made it fun. Enjoying the grandkids now, but good grief, they have a lot. My goal is to keep focus on kindness and simplicity. We deliver meals Thanksgiving morning and take long walks in nature Christmas Day. Almost obsessed with keeping it simple.   

[VenturaHighway]

I miss my Mother and Father, the big family dinners

The food I miss is suet pudding. I have the family recipe but not making it.

Even though our family is small, I make every holiday special

[QVCkitty1]

I really miss my mom, always, but especially this time of year. She loved Christmas, and whatever our circumstances, she made it magical. Mom was German, and although she became American as apple pie, Christmas brought out the German in her. What I wouldn't give to hear her singing " stille nacht " in her wonderful, but not so great voice. My dad could be the grinch, and worse, but mom always saved the day.I love Christmas because of my mom . ❤️🎄❤️

[Catiele]

I loved my childhood Christmas. It was always so special thanks to my parents. My Dad always bought new ornaments every year. I still have some of them on my tree. They are unique. We always had enough presents but not everything we wanted. Would like to go back just once.

[alicedee]

My childhood Christmas memories are all great......magical, fun times with lots of love, excitement and anticipation.   I enjoy going online looking at pictures of vintage decorations and the site that has scanned old Christmas catalogs full of toys, etc.  Lovely trips down Nostalgia Lane!

[viva923]

I miss it yet I don't.

My memories were OK about childhood xmas but yet some where NOT good. 

The year my dad tried to "frock" the evergreen tree (live one). the white frocking went everywhere except on the tree. My parents wound up screaming at each other, and the 4 of us and we got punished for this misadventure.

We didn't get toys. We got underware, clothes we could wear for school, socks.  We would get books

I don't remember any toys we really got, if we did get a toy what i do remember it was for my sister and me (we were the younger 2 kids) We had to share our toy.  My 2 older sisters got clothes too can;t remember what they got as a "toy" I know it was not a toy but maybe a book.

[drizzellla]

My parents made Christmas so special. When we went to bed on Christmas Eve, the house was like it usually was. But when we woke up Christmas Day the house was transformed. We believed Santa brought EVERYTHING! The tree, decorations, presents and the huge train set up. We each had our own set of trains. So there were two platforms set up. Each year Santa added a new building to the set. 

Mom and Dad would just be crawling into bed as we were waking up.

[blackhole99]

Christmas was always a big hassle for my family, we had money for food, but gifts were a financial burden for my parents. After my Mom died we quit getting together on the holidays and now since we are all in our 60's we really just don't bother. I'm really ok with that, unfortunately we had so much strife in our family growing up we just prefer to leave it all behind.

[Catty2]

I miss the people - my grandparents and parents, and being a child when life was so much less complicated.  I am thankful to still have family to celebrate with, though.   

[ID2]

I really have no memories of my childhood Christmases. All I remember that we had our whole family (huge at that time) over to our house for a big dinner. Everyone drinking, talking, having a merry old time. Everyone is dead and gone now. I will have a grand total of 7 for my Thanksgiving dinner.