I had a really great childhood. I always had the safety and security of a home, always food on the table, good parents, friends and relatives. We were country kids, used our imagination for play, climbed trees and did chores. My parents gave us the best that they could provide and by no means was my family wealthy.
There are many great memories for holidays -- laughter and fun, excellent food, tales of tipping over outhouses (never cattle) and other high jinx rather than high-end ticket items or other commercialization.
Before I get to my favorite memory, I need to explain about my father. He was a wonderful man, kind hearted, no nonsense, down to earth, very hard worker and one of the smartest men ever despite no formal education. He had a rough childhood being born in the depression, a mother who passed away when he was very young and an alcoholic father. The kids were split up and passed around to other family members. He never had a Christmas as a child. He and my mother always did.
It was Christmas Eve 1979. My brother and sister were both home and I was 19 and still living at home in Bismarck, North Dakota. Brrr. We been out running around in different directions and were home for dinner. We had just finished and were relaxing when my dad said, “Feed the dogs, do the dishes, close the drapes, it will get dark quicker.” The big kid that he was wanted to open his presents! I remember that I got him an air corn popper as they were just out on the market.
I would love to hear about your favorite Christmas memory.
There are many great memories for holidays -- laughter and fun, excellent food, tales of tipping over outhouses (never cattle) and other high jinx rather than high-end ticket items or other commercialization.
Before I get to my favorite memory, I need to explain about my father. He was a wonderful man, kind hearted, no nonsense, down to earth, very hard worker and one of the smartest men ever despite no formal education. He had a rough childhood being born in the depression, a mother who passed away when he was very young and an alcoholic father. The kids were split up and passed around to other family members. He never had a Christmas as a child. He and my mother always did.
It was Christmas Eve 1979. My brother and sister were both home and I was 19 and still living at home in Bismarck, North Dakota. Brrr. We been out running around in different directions and were home for dinner. We had just finished and were relaxing when my dad said, “Feed the dogs, do the dishes, close the drapes, it will get dark quicker.” The big kid that he was wanted to open his presents! I remember that I got him an air corn popper as they were just out on the market.
I would love to hear about your favorite Christmas memory.
Annie, Cody and Copper
11 comments:
That is such a cute story and your dad sounds like a great man....probably a good part of the reason you've become such a wonderful person yourself! ;-)
My childhood Christmas memories are vague but I recently discovered just a handful of photos of myself and two brothers as small children...one was a photo of me on Christmas morning riding on a bouncy horse, the big ones with springs that make you feel like you are really riding a horse and I have a wide open smile!! I am sure I was very happy that morning!;-) All of my really best memories are of my own kids Christmas's and there are so many! Lots of "re-newed" yard sale toys and hand-made gifts and they couldn't have been happier!!
God Bless and Merry Christmas!
My favorite memorie of christmas was one my parents sday was their worst financially. We had a great childhood, really never wanted for anything but this year my parents could only afford two presents each for my brother and I. I was so excited when i woke up to the living room filled with balloons. They were everywhere. All over the floor. So the presents we did have we had to find under the blanket of balloons. I got a cabbage patch Pony and a micheal jackson doll that year. It still makes me smile when i think of all those balloons. Have a great weekend!
A wonderful story. Your dad sounds so cool. Making the most of his own relationships with his own kids when he had so little as a child himself. So glad he had joy as an adult. I think because I grew up on alcoholic family, I have vague memories of childhood. I,like Kelly, have far more memories of all the awesome Christmas days with my own children. But with a new baby this year - the first grandchild - from my daughter, it will certainly be one of the most memorable!
Such a wonderful memory!
I remember my dad would take me and my brother out to look at Christmas lights and one year I thought I saw Santa in the sky and my father drove through the neighborhoods to hunt him down.
Each year with my girls is such a treasure!
Happy holidays!
Love your story, Annie! I have a lot of great memories but they seem to run together. Now I want to sit down and sort them out. Thanks for the inspiration to do that! Merry Christmas!
Thanks for sharing your wonderful memories Annie. I've been inspired to think of my own favorite holiday memories.
My first thoughts are of the special things my parents did to prepare for Christmas, the people that were invited to share dinner with us.
What a wonderful story!
My favorite story is when I was 10. We were moving from Plummer, ID to Helena, MT in the winter storms of '96 (I kept asking my mom if we were going to die on the passes. I still haven't lived that down!)
We couldn't move into our home yet so we stayed with my grandparents. It was the best because we got to spend tons more time with our extended family (since they all live in Helena). It was wonderful and my Grandma was so sweet making cookies with us! I'll never forget that Christmas and the extra time we had with family. Plus all of that snow to play in on Christmas!
Annie, that was a sonderful story to read. It is so nice to hear how much your dad enjoyed Christmas with you growing up.
I loved all the others' stories as well.
I already shared mine, of me and my siblings getting a puppy for my Dad on Christmas morn.
I do remember 2 of my favorite presents from my parents. My first sewing machine and my first type writer. :-)
Thank you for sharing that wonderful Christmas memory. Bismark, N Dakota. Boy, a winter wonderland!
I loved the background story equally as well. So wonderful that your dad had a happy adult life. Really, I had a wonderful childhood and each Christmas was special growing up, but the one that always stands out in my mind is the year I was pregnant with my first child. My husband and I were flat broke, but I had managed to save up $20 and hid it in my jewelry box, so that a couple of days before Christmas we could afford to buy a "Charlie Brown" Christmas tree (they always dropped the prices a few days before Christmas, and by then, the ones that were left were very picked over). A week before that, my brother and sister in law drove up with the most beautiful tree I had ever seen! That was the most thoughtful, memorable gift I have ever received!
Annie and Diana, what an absolutely brillant idea for a blog post! I have LOVED to read all these wonderful Christmas stories -- can't thank you enough! My Christmas memories are all good -- what a blessing! My dad worked on the farm with his dad to make the money for mine and my brother's toys each year, and we were spoiled properly lol My favorite memory is sneaking down the stairs each year in the still dark morning to peek around the corner to see if Santa had come... And he always had :)
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