Favorite Christmas Memory

Holidays always fill us with a wave of nostalgia (and far too many pieces of pie if we’re being honest.) What’s your favorite Christmas memory?

Patty

That’s me on that Christmas cheesin’ in a poinsettia dress with my aunt’s dog Princess

My favorite Christmas memory is probably the year I got a bike.  I was about six or seven and I remember writing letters to Santa and not so subtly dropping hints to my mom and grandparents about just how much I wanted a bicycle.  On my mother’s side of the family at the time I was the only grandchild so to say I was spoiled on Christmas is an understatement.  I woke up Christmas morning and opened tons of presents under the tree but no bike.  Then, our usual tradition was to have Christmas supper with my grandparents where I had another mound of presents to open.  I remember frantically scanning for my bike but it wasn’t there. To my credit I was a sport about it and opened all of my presents and thanked everyone but in the video I’m visibly upset about something.  After asking a few questions about what presents I liked most and if I got exactly what I’d wanted, my grandfather told me that santa had dropped something off downstairs for me.  When I got down there there was the most perfect bike with matching tassels for me.  It’s hands down the thing I think of when I think of the Christmas spirit!

Shauna

This is the exact journal that came in the backpack in the 90s!

I love Christmas so much, it’s hard to pick just one favorite memory! I’d have to say one of my favorite memories was when I forgot to tell Santa what I wanted. We had visited Santa at the mall and once I sat down on his lap I got nervous and forgot to ask for the only thing I actually wanted: a Britney Spears backpack that came with a journal inside. When we got home from the mall, I realized I had forgot to tell him. A few days later when I came home from school there was an message on our answering machine from an elf at the North Pole! She told me that Santa knew I forgot to ask for the backpack and he’d be sure to put it on his list. When my sister and I woke up on Christmas morning there was a Britney Spears backpack with a journal under the tree! My parents still to this day don’t know how the elves got our phone number.

Sue

Christmas is a big deal in England where I grew up. Even now there are no trains running on Christmas Day and virtually all the shops are closed. Other than emergency services everyone is seriously enjoying the two-day holiday of excess! Families plan for this all through the year and traditions are held dear. I’ve never lost the excitement of the holiday and still decorate like a person possessed. For me, my fondest memories are all about the food and the silly family games. I never realized just how hard my mother worked at Christmas. she single handedly shopped for all the presents for us and all the cousins, wrapping and delivering them all. She wrote out all the cards, decorated, cooked and baked for a house full for two days. Because her oven was small and she had a part time job, all the cooking began at noon on Christmas Eve when she baked the sausage rolls and mince pies. Then the turkey went in very low to cook overnight. The turkey came out and the leg of pork went in. Neither my mum or grandmother liked turkey! She made at least 5-6 different veggies and we always had Yorkshire puddings and great gravy! My brother and I would fight over the crackling (the crispy skin on the pork) and we still do, often resorting to tricks to get the last piece. Then early evening we would all gather around the table for a game of cards. Money was involved – nothing more than a few pennies, but the competition was fierce. My grandmother was the biggest cheat…this little white-haired old lady was shameless. My brother made reckless bets and we all got really rowdy. This went on for several house and them mum and my grandmother made the sandwiches for supper along with the sausage rolls and mince pies. The TV was only on for the Queen’s speech, but then it was all about family time. I miss it.

Jillian 

My favorite Christmas memory is of me and my younger brother and sister yelling out our back door every Christmas morning after we have opened our gifts, “Thank you, Santa!!” My dad insisted we do this (for his amusement) even after we all learned the truth about Santa’s real identity. I think we finally ended that tradition just a few years ago.

April

My favorite memory was switching it up from the traditional A Christmas Story on Christmas Eve to watching the whole entire first season of American Horror Story with my Mom and Sister, yes it’s not very festive by any means but it’s now one of our favorite shows after that night!

What’s your favorite Christmas memory?