Holiday

[151949]

Our childhood Christmases were all memorable, even though we were poor and did not get a huge stack of gifts. We would get a gift from Santa and one from our parents. As the day progressed and grandparents and aunts and uncles arrived there would be more small gifts - things like coloring books and paper dolls or boxed games & puzzles. We thought those were fabulous presents! My Mother would spend weeks before Christmas getting ready - baking and baking. Mostly stuff to give as gifts but there was more than enough for our family too. My Grandpap always took us into Pittsburgh to see the store windows and the local radio station that set up and did all sorts of antics in a store window to raise money for the Children's hospital.Then we would go and he would help us buy a gift for my parents.help us meaning - he paid for it.

[Mominohio]

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@151949 wrote:

Our childhood Christmases were all memorable, even though we were poor and did not get a huge stack of gifts. We would get a gift from Santa and one from our parents. As the day progressed and grandparents and aunts and uncles arrived there would be more small gifts - things like coloring books and paper dolls or boxed games & puzzles. We thought those were fabulous presents! My Mother would spend weeks before Christmas getting ready - baking and baking. Mostly stuff to give as gifts but there was more than enough for our family too. My Grandpap always took us into Pittsburgh to see the store windows and the local radio station that set up and did all sorts of antics in a store window to raise money for the Children's hospital.Then we would go and he would help us buy a gift for my parents.help us meaning - he paid for it.

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Doesn't it seem that the more simple the holiday was, the better the memories?

I think we have gotten way off track, with so much at the holidays now. We seem to over do everything from the number/price of the gifts, to the decor, to the number of people we think we have to give gifts to (the hairdresser, the mail man, the bus driver........thank you Q), the number of trees we put up, and on and on.

Maybe because it is the past, but it does seem that the fondest Christmas memories are from simpler times.

[Constance2]

I agree, mominohio.  Society as a whole seems to have gotten way off track and are focusing on material things more than those that are truly important.    I can recall few gifts I ever received through the years, but I can recall Christmases spent with family and/or friends and fun experiences.  We can run around like chickens trying to get everything done during the holiday, and it's an unnecessary burden we place upon ourselves.  

[151949]

Christmas has definitely gotten way off track with all the materialization -- gifts, gifts gifts and more gifts. One of my favorite memories from my Childhood Christmases is going to church on Christmas eve with my grandparents. They went to a church that still did much of the service in german. I would sit next to my grandma and she would sing the hymns in the german of her childhood. I still know all the words to all the versus of Silent Night in German, and it is actually much prettier in German - the language it was written in.

[cater]

Constance2, please may I say I have read so many posters tell about their memories of their parents but I have to tell you that yours is the most beautiful written and it reads that it came from your heart your Mom would be bursting with pride if she could have read what you wrote from your heart.

[Constance2]

cater, thank you.  You made me cry, but I appreciate your kind words.  

[Mama Mia]

I was nine years old and my Mom was at the Rochester, Mn, Mayo Clinic. She had been there a long time, for me, having had surgery and radiation for breast cancer. I missed her so much.

On Christmas Eve my Dad said he had to leave for a few minute. He came back with my Mother, who had taken the bus all the way from Mn to SD where we lived. It was so joyous and wonderful to have her home again. How she did it, but she brought me this beautiful white voile, lace trimmed long sleeved blouse for me.

It was my last good one. She was only home a few months and then hospitalized for two years before she died. No hospice then.

mm

[Constance2]

Oh my goodness, MamaMia.  You were so very young to lose your dear mother.  I'm sure you have many wonderful memories of her that you treasure still.  

[FastDogWalker2]

When my husband was in AOCS (Aviation Officer Candidate School in the Navy).  He had been away for 3 months and I was SO excited to see him!  After 35  years of marriage and 30 years as the wife of an active duty Naval officer, 3 months seems like nothing, but at the time it was a long time to be separated!

[apple1964]

There was one X-mass that sticks in my mind more then the others. I was 10 years old and had to have my tonsils taken out. My B-day is  the week before X-mass. I was waking up from being in recovery when I saw all of my family in attendance a big b-day cake and X-mass decorations all over the room [that was not there before] They all sang happy b-day to me and then everyone started singing X-mass carols. The nurses heard it was my b-day and even brought me comic books and candy. It was a wonderful experience for a little girl who was scared and shy. And as I was being wheeled out of my room to go home all the nurses and even my doctor were singing along with me to shes a" jolly good girlfriend" [they changed the lyric for me]  I made a lot of wonderful friends that day!