What do you remember about Christmas when you were young?
I remember this a bit vaguely. But stashed in a drawer at my parents’ house, my family still has those outfits that my grandmother made for us. 
I remember Christmas pageants at church and with my home school group. There was that one year when I wore a giant star cut out of poster board and fringed with gold garland, with an itchy hole for my face. Not my favorite Christmas pageant. Then there was the Christmas play when I had the lead speaking role . . . and dissolved into uncontrollable giggles during my big soliloquy at the pivotal moment of the show.
I remember my family’s Christmas gift-opening marathons. We’ve always opened gifts one at a time, and when I was young and there were lots of toys under the tree, that meant we unwrapped presents for hours. Our all-time record was the Christmas when we were still opening gifts after four o’clock and my mom said we had to speed it up because she had a turkey to finish roasting.
I remember Christmas Eve candlelight services, and how much hot wax hurts when it drips through the paper guards and onto little fingers.
I remember getting out our Christmas decoration each year, hanging our favorite ornaments that we’d bought and received over the years, and setting up the little Dutch wooden figurines my mother had. And then playing with them along the bow window sill all December. But that stopped once we got a cat, who thought anything left on that window sill was her personal toy.
I remember classic Christmas albums. In fact, I still don’t believe that it’s officially Christmastime until Andy Williams has proclaimed it the most wonderful time of the year.
I remember spending every evening in front of the tree with a mug of cocoa or hot cider and our favorite Advent calendars. That might be my favorite memory.
I love how every Christmas is a chance to revisit our childhoods. And I always wish it would last just a little bit longer. December has flown by this year — and so has all of 2013. I’m going to do my very best to savor what’s left of it!
Do you have any Christmas memories that really define “Christmas” for you?
~ Laura
I remember how your brother made paper ornaments that he knew you would hate to see on the Christmas tree; and I remember that when you were younger than two, you innocently pulled off the tree your sister’s homemade Christmas wreath made of shellacked pretzels and bit off what you must have thought would be a tasty bite. Mom remembers that you loved helping her wrap presents, and when you ran out of things to wrap, you made tiny paper bookmarks (only about 2 inches long) using white typing paper that you quickly snipped into irregular shapes, writing on each one a different Christmas message such as “It’s snowing!” Then you wrapped each tiny bookmark separately in Christmas wrapping paper.