I remember Christmas in Gunlock, the program Christmas eve, the singing, the reading of Luke 2 and the Nativity; Santa coming and giving all of us a present, the one we opened Christmas Eve. Walking out of the church in the dark brittle cold and looking up at the blanket of stars, our breath small white clouds and our feet crunching.
I remember hanging up one of Dad's white socks and finding an orange in it on Christmas morning.
One Christmas there was a Bride Doll with golden hair and a beautiful smile, another a little cupboard with shelves and drawers, full of dishes.
But most of all I remember the feeling of Christmas, the excitement, the family, and the love!
So long ago. . . and still here in my heart.
What do you remember about Christmas?
13 comments:
lu.. i love that post! one thing i will always remember and love about christmas is our christmas eve party with the bowlers.. alot of great memories!! i love our family so much and feel so blessed to be a part of it.
ps.. i love that picture!!!
This is a great picture. One of my favorite Christmas memories was when I wanted a bike for Christmas and you guys said we couldn't afford it. Then, Christmas morning, after the presents were all opened, Dad told me to go out on the front doorstep to get the newspaper and my new bike was there. My kids love that story.
I love this post too!!! How fun to read about Gunlock Christmases -and about your bike, Mike!
I remember my Grandma's voice reading from the Bible every year(as the narrator of our family Christmas "pagent").
I remember getting "Heart Family Dolls" one Christmas morning (any one else remember Heart Family???)
I remember laying on our sheep rug in front of the fire place with my dad - every Christmas Eve - listening for Santa's bells.
I remember so many special, often teary-eyed Christmas morning moments with just me and my mom and dad. As the only-child-still-at-home, my parents sure spoiled me rotten, but their most important gifts weren't monetary. Just showers and showers of love. Love so abundant that it still fills my Christmas cup to the brim.
OK. This post most have caught me in a nostalgic mood - I better stop! But HOW FUN to remember. Christmas is made of memories, isnt' it?!
Okay, I guess it is time to add my Christmas Memories.
I like Lucinda remember vividly hanging Dad's white work socks on the little shelf that divides the living/dining rooms. (We didn't have a fireplace)...getting oranges and nuts...sometimes we would get a watch or a small gift.
I remember when Mother got frustrated with us looking at all of the presents under the tree before Christmas, so the next year she decided to not put any names of the packages. So it was fun opening random presents and she would have to say...oh, that is for Ed, or Phoebe etc.
Seeing who in our extended Lytle family could get up the earliest and come to visit the others...It seemed Uncle Andrew won quite often. The Lytle Christmas morning breakfasts.
Grandpa Bowler (Dad) reading out of Luke...when we started our traditional Christmas Eves.
Taking the kids to see the 4th ward "Santa" who gave out sacks of hard tack candy and nuts.
Making a video of Christmas for the Trumans (every year) who usually didn't get to come home for Christmas and never sending it to them :)
The list could go on. Thanks for the post Lu...that was fun!
I remember turning on the Christmas tree lights early Christmas morning and sitting with Suzy while we waited on pins and needles for 6:00am, when we could wake Mom and Dad.
i love lauries comment of the brown paper bags filled with hard candy and nuts!! haha..oh the memories of christmas eve's past in st.g. haha, and the movies for the trumans. classic.
i remember being a little upset about the first year christmas eve was in gunlock...now i wouldn't have it any other way...although at the rate we are growing we probably should have it at the church.
i remember the "private property" signs or better yet..."keep the hell out" sign for grandpa. i will never forget grandma & grandpas face as he opened those.
i remember every year me, abby, and ashlee peaking at the presents trying to patiently wait for everyone to finish eating so we could open them...(i think that ended two years ago)
who could forget the anual cousins pictures...that pretty much never end.
i could go on and on of all the fun times. love our family very much! we are so lucky to have eachother. thanks bowlers for all the memories, and thanks lu for the great post.
I love that picture mom!
I remember the making of the videos...Christmas was coming!
I remember wrapping everyone's presents (including mine) and loving it because I got to see what everyone got before Christmas.
I remember the moment my mom told me there was no Santa....driving from Bountiful to see Pheobe in Provo, an overcast day, and mom telling me that Santa couldn't bring me a Cabbage Patch Kid because there was a big fire in their warehouse...to which I responded, "how come they get to see Santa and I don't?"...then came the explination. I was Truman's age. I remember being really sad but waking up on Christmas morning and it was as wonderful as ever!
And, my favorite memories of Christmas was putting up all the ornaments...the homemade ones from eveyone in the family along with the ones with our birth years on them...and now that I re-read the Santa realization memory...it sounds a tad bitter...it is NOT a bitter memory, just one of the clearest I have. :)
Great to read so many comments that bring back so many of my Christmas memories. I remember that we used to get a big puzzle and put in on the dining room table. Those days we were all home from school and work, we would occasionally sit down and try to put a few pieces into the puzzle. Often times, several of us would be there putting pieces together and laughing. There was always a sense of accomplishment to get it all finished.
Two years ago before Christmas we were in the Hospital in Salt Lake when Wes had his operation. Dad and I took a walk around the hospital while Wes was in surgery. In the Huntsman cancer institute we found a waiting room that had a large, unfinished puzzle. Because we didn't have any pressing engagements, we sat down and worked on the puzzle for a while. Funny how you can find comfort in such simple things.
Anyway, I bought my family a puzzle this week.
Thanks to all of you for sharing the moments that make Christmas for you.
Love you all!
And Mark, finding comfort in the simple things, may be the answer to the puzzle of life is just that: "Wherefore be not weary in well-doing for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great." Spending time with the family, taking care of each other with a grateful heart, that is all that matters. Oh, Suz, you were always a grown up and sometimes I forgot you really weren't yet. So sorry. My best advice to all of you is to do what my friend Patsy Wall does, never, never, never agree that our Santa friend is not real.
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