Memories

This year marks my 54^th Christmas.  That seems like a lot when I spell it out yet I’m hoping I still have a few more ahead of me. Some of the years I have no memory of at all, some memories run together, and still others stand out very clearly.

There was the year we were robbed – the one and only time I would have received jewelry someone broke into our house and stole the diamond necklace as well as jeans for Peter, socks for Melissa and Kelsey and a variety of other unremarkable things.

When we were new parents – still students, W thought he was going to get a big bonus like they gave the year before, instead he got a coupon for a turkey. He went out and bought the girls a Flintstone bowling game and me a People magazine. That was the year we put the Christmas tree in the playpen so the girls couldn’t play with the ornaments.

The worst Christmas was a lesson well learned and one I’ve never forgotten.  Sometimes anticipation is the very best part of any situation.

Left alone for a couple of hours Suzanne and I began to discuss what we thought we were getting. We knew where our mom hid her latest purchases and I, letting my curiosity get the best of me,  decided to take a quick peek. I only saw one thing, a mohair sweater – all the rage that year,  and I shared this news with Suzanne.  Suzanne being the very pious Catholic girl she was (emphasis on was) decided that her knowledge of this forced her to share with our mother my sinful behavior- not quite sure why she had to do that but the consequences were big for me.

My mom made me look at every present she bought and she wasn’t pleasant about it. I found out a week before Christmas morning that I would receive Bonnie Bride, a red pleated skirt to go with that mohair sweater and new pajamas. Not only was I in trouble for looking, I had a real let down Christmas morning when I knew exactly what I was getting. 

It seems I often end my post with some remark about how blessed I feel . . . I hope this doesn’t come across as insincere for truly, I do feel blessed.  This Christmas will be special because I get to spend it with my children and grandchildren. The two little ones are still a little too young to really understand all the fun they’re going to have but just the same, it adds to the beauty of the season.