One Christmas morning back when I was around 6 years old my two brothers and me got up to open our presents and my younger brother found a bit of cotton that must of come off one of the Christmas ornaments. It was on the floor by the gifts. He told us that he thought it was a piece of Santa’s beard that must off came off when he was putting our gifts under the tree that night. I loved that Christmas because of this and I’ve always remembered it.

When I was a kid , say some 20 yrs ago… my brthers and sister and I were sitting in the livng room on Christmas Eve. All of a sudden a knock at the door signaled the four of us to go see who it is… and to what did wondering eyes see…. Santa and his eight tiny reindeer (that were actually cows) in our front yard! Santa had a big red bag filled with presents for us all! I will never forget that day, and never figure out how it was pulled off or for that matter who Santa was (nor will I ask) but it will always be remembered as one of the best!

It was Dec. 9th, 2004.

I opened my email to find a long awaited msg. My “1st” son, that I had placed for adoption 28 years before, had sent me an email allowing a freeflow conversation to take place between us. Just months before he had requested his files be opened at Catholic Charities. That was a Holiday Season I will never forget. Christmas Eve as we left for Church I found out he had gone and met his great gramma in the nursing home with his adoptive mom, and he was “welcomed” into the family. He was willing to meet with me after Christmas! I think I was hanging on Santa’s sled as he flew around the world that Eve delivering presents. I remember trying to open my mouth to sing hymns that night at Church. I couldn’t speak or sing, tears just rolled down my face that whole service. I got the best gift ever. And 6 years later, it’s still good, the gift that keeps on giving for us. No “Returns” there !

Once upon a time when I was barely 9, my parents could barely afford to give my younger brother and I Christmas dinner and gifts. They never asked for help, but Christmas morning a group of people knocked on our door bearing a feast and a truck load of gifts. I knew my parents were worried we would be sad, so when the blessing knocked at our door.. I smiled through tears knowing that my parents were happy! God Bless!

My favorite Christmas memory is form only a couple years ago. My siblings and I live in four different states an we get together every other Christmas with our families. I had always been the single one since I’m the baby but a couple years ago was my second Christmas with my husband and we were getting together with my family. All 15 of us piled into my brothers house for Christmas.We began like we always did singing Christmas carols. I remember my nephew who at the time was only 2 belting out away in the manger! So cute. Then we all gathered together and opened gifts. The kids were so excited about everything they got and the looks on their faces were priceless. The best memory is that we were going to play a joke on my husband that year. He always wanted to be in our family photo and so we planned that when my brother said we were taking picture #1 that we would all have straight faces and only my husband would smile. We had trouble with the camera and so we took picture #1 like five times and the best part was my husband was clueless. after a bunch of pictures my brother printed one off his computer brought it out and showed everyone the “best” picture. My husband looked at it and was like “Hey no one is smiling.” We all laughed about it for a long time and till this day that picture is still framed and will probably never be replaced. My husband is just hoping we don’t do the same thing to him this year!

My best holiday memories are the ones I’ve spent with my sons (now 17 & 23). We would bundle up, grab the weenie dogs and head out to the Christmas tree farm to cut our own tree. We lived in Indiana, so it was always cold during the holidays .. which I love! Sometimes there would be snow on the ground. My boys, the dogs and I would walk through row after row, enjoying the smell of pine, the crispness of the air, and starting a tradition with my boys, as my mother had done with me. Once we found the tree of our dreams, we would drag it back up to be processed and while the “men folk” took care of the tree .. my sons and I would go into the cabin and have hot chocolate and steaming hot coffee with cookies. MMMMMMMM. Santa was always inside, as was a beautifully decorated Christmas tree. The wonderful smell of coffee filled the air as we warmed our hands near the stove. I would love to have the Tassimo coffee maker for my home. I love the holidays!

My favorite memory is the Christmas we sent my husband on a scavenger hunt all through the house looking for his gift. We would leave clues like “Go to the kitchen sink, which is where your gift is I think” It took a while to come up with all the rhymes. What was funny was that he had recently been in an accident and injured his knee so the poor guy had to hobble around up and down steps. The kids had a ball with this. He enjoyed it immensely despite the “handicap”. The gift was just the icing on the cake!

I love to be sentimental and romantic. A couple of years ago we had told everyone that we would not be able to go home to Buffalo for Christmas. We drove up and surprised everyone on Christmas Eve. All I could think of the whole way way is “I’ll be home for Christmas” and kept singing it in my head. It was a great trip!

My favorite Christmas memory was 12/25/03. My brother had been in a coma following a car accident. Although doctors thought his chance of survival was very minimal, he miraculously started to regain consciousness on Christmas Day. This led to a full recovery. That was the best Christmas gift I could have ever hoped for.

One Christmas Eve, when we traditionally have our children and grandchildren over for dinner and presents, we had a visit from Santa! While we were downstairs in the family room, we heard footsteps and a hearty “HO HO HO” from the living room! We all ran upstairs, and my grandchildren, who were ages 7, 5, and 4, ran to the fireplace! There was a package in the fireplace with a note from Santa! It was addressed to them, and said that they had been such good children all year that he was leaving an extra special gift for them. A Karioke Machine!
The oldest grandchild went to the patio door and looked out and said “I saw him, I KNEW it was HIM”. My middle grandaughter started crying! She was scared! And the youngest grandchild asked me to read the note over and over and over! What a wonderful memory for all of us! (We still have the letter and read it every year)

My favorite christmas story is when I was around 8 and my mom said sorry we can only have food for Christmas no toys not enough money. And then around noon there is a knock on the door and I saw the policeman and started to hit him and said dont take my mommy she is all we got. He hugged me and said we arent going to take your mom and brought in a big box filled with toys for everyone, even my mom. That turned into a great year. But all I wanted was my mommy.

One Christmas when I was young my parents put us 4 girls to bed on Christmas Eve and when we awoke Santa had come, but while there was snow outside, there were also snow prints in our house of where Santa had walked and filled the stockings and
put the gifts under the tree, it was so magical and amazing….there was no doubt “there was a Santa” after that.

I remember when I was in single digits, we had our annual children’s Christmas program at church. I struggled to sing songs and get through my lines in front of the whole church because I was and still am, so very shy. It was so cool to be in church at night, with candles lit and everyone dressed in their Sunday best in the colors of the season. When we got done performing, the deacons would come out with huge shiny bowls of red apples and small boxes of candy and everyone. That tiny box of candy and bright red apple was so worth going through the “butterflies-in-your-stomach” performance. My sister & I still talk about it today, more than 50 years later, and we both thank God for those simple pleasures and memories of our youth.

Christmas time has always been such a magical and wonderful time for me. My favorite memory as a kid is just remembering the feeling of pure excitement as we got ready for bed on Christmas Eve. Mom and dad told us that if we were awake and saw Santa he wouldn’t come to our house anymore. So I would squeeze my eyes together and sit in bed with my heart pounding with complete excitement. When I had to get up and go to the bathroom I would walk with my eyes all squeezed together hoping that if Santa WAS there that he would see how hard I was trying to NOT break the rules and accidentally see him. So now as my own kids are age 8, 6 and 2 yrs…my heart still pounds with anticipation and excitement on Christmas Eve as the kids are giggly and restless with anticipation of the day to come. Even better yet we always jingle “sleigh bells” near their window about 10 minutes after we put them down to bed…and each year they wake up telling each other stories of how they heard Santa. LOVE the excitement of this time of year!

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My favorite holiday memory…deciding on Christmas Eve 2005 that we were ready to start trying for baby #2. Our daughter was almost 4 at the time and ready for a sibling. My husband and I had a good night talking and praying about our future. And just a few short weeks later we were pregnant with our sweet boy. He was the best Christmas present I could’ve ever asked for.

My favorite Holiday memory.. well.. way back in 2010.. i won this brewbot off of mybargainbuddy.com.. oh wait..

in 1987, my son Jon was born on Dec 19th.. My favorite Christmas was having my 2 year old Steve getting to know and play with his new baby brother Jonathan..

I can’t choose. Every year I spend the holiday with my family. We get together at Mom’s house and have a wonderful time, walking down memory lane and remembering silly times, sad times and happy times. Then we eat a fabulous dinner and open gifts.
They’re all magical and memorable. I love them all.

My favorite holiday memory was the year my mom put mine and my brothers Christmas present out early and they were huge. Being from a single parent lower income home our Christmas presents were never huge so this gift had me dreaming and wondering for weeks before Christmas. My brother and I debated for many hours over what they could be. Christmas day finally arrived and we opened our big boxes. Inside were tons of small gift wrapped presents. At first we were disappointed then we realized how many presents we got and it was great opening them all instead of just one.

I’ve had 64 wonderful Christmas’s but my favorite has to be 4 years ago when we had our first Christmas with our new yorkie puppy Cricket. Children and grandkids are great, but this little one has made our life complete. She has a Santa treat stocking where we give her a biscuit each morning of December counting down the days until Christmas -after only one morning she knew to go ask for her treat where it’s hanging!

Also, since our grandchildren are now 11, 15 and 20, she is the only “child” in the family now and makes our Christmas time so special -she even is great friends with my daughter’s two greyhounds (well after letting them know who’s boss first:)

My favorite times are of on Christmas morning, when the 2 grandchildren will call to see if Nana and Papaw are up so we can celebrate together. Both grandchildren will sit on Papaws lap and read the Christmas story from Luke chapter 2. We will then open gifts and it is such a joy to see their faces light up as they open their gifts.

My best Christmas ever was the year my daughter had broken a figurine of a seal that belonged to her grandmother that she liked to hold. This figurine had been purchased YEARS before and was just a run of the mill dust collector but my daughter loved it so.
Her one wish from Santa was for the elves to replace the seal….(YEAH!)

I was able with the help of EBAY to find that exact seal…UNBELIEVABLE.

We placed it on the mantle right in front of the fireplace…that next morning she KNEW there was a Santa!

That moment was the best ever!

My wife and I would only a little time At the Dixon Christmas Reunion and I had ask my brother-in-law to cut me a small cedar tree for a Christmas Tree for us to take home that same evening. We get there in time to eat and exchange gifts and no tree cut! Lazy azzhole. We took the saw and went to a field of cedar trees and I wander out into it and find a tree and cut it. I look around and I have no clue which way I had come with a clear cold sky. I used the moon to keep orientated to the edge of the field and worked my way around to the road. I ruined my dress pants and socks in the briers and was exhausted. I never asked my soon ex- b.i.l. for any favors.

My Favorite Holiday Memory: When I was a little girl we always went to my Grandparents house for Christmas. I loved going there because she was an incredible cook and hostess. She would make homemade rock candy that was to die for, she always made them in different colors and flavors. My Grandma was the best! She was so talented in the kitchen, the aroma’s that filled the house, the Christmas Music and her White Artificial Christmas Tree that had the rotating color lamp shining the primary colors on it! I loved sitting down for Christmas Dinner at her big dining room table that sat over 20 of us. I will never forget my Grandmother. She passed away 6 years ago of Alzhiemers and yesterday was her Birthday! Happy Birthday Grandma and thank you for all the wonderful Christmas memories!

Last Xmas I bought 2 marshmallow shooters and wrapped them up with no clear idea of who would receive them. Should it be the kids (my kids, my nephews & nieces range in age from 25 – 8) or my brothers (ages 48 – 40) or maybe my father?

Packages were piled high, but everyone was worried about the 2 w/o names on them. After the gifts were opened I said I brought 2 extra cause I was afraid somebody was bad and didn’t get anything. I asked who had been bad & my 2 youngest brothers immediately confessed! The mystery gifts were opened, the brothers took aim & chaos ensued – marshmallows, wrapping paper & hilarity! We found marshmallows for about a week! Some kids NEVER grow-up!

One of my favorite Christmas memories was the first Christmas after we adopted our daughter, Lily, from China. Seeing the Christmas celebration through the eyes of a two-year-old child who had never experienced anything of that kind before was amazing. Watching her open present after present knowing that she had previously had so little touched my heart. Beyond the gifts, food, and festivities, however, was the fact that Lily, who only months earlier had no family, was surrounded by so many family members, each who loved her unconditionally.

My favorite Christmas memory is not actually mine, but has been told again and again by my Father. He was 8 years old Christmas of 1941, his Mother had to go to Pennsylvania because her father was dying, his father had pneumonia and was very sick, and my Dad and his three sisters (all under 10 , at the time) didn’t have money or any food in the house other than some bread his Grandmother had left them. They were really scared and sad. Then Christmas Eve, The Goodfellows ( charity) showed up at there door with a Christmas tree, full Christmas dinner and a dress and doll for each of the girls and an outfit and a wind-up Pluto dog for my Dad, he said a neighbor had told someone at the newspaper about them, and they in turn contacted the goodfellows , who saved their Christmas. I love that story and my dad still tells that story every year, only now to my son, who is 7 years old.It reminds me what Christmas really is about and to think of those who are less fortunate.

When I was about 8 my mom and step dad left me and my younger brother in Florida with her best friend who we called Titi (Aunt) Maria. They went to New york City to look for work and an apartment and were suppose to send for us by the end of the summer. The summer turned into the fall and we had to start school in Florida that year. I remember in one phone call from my mom that she promised we would be home for Thanksgiving. Things were hard for them and they couldn’t find work let alone an apartment so we were still with Titi Maria come Thanksgiving.

Years later I was told that the plan was to have my mom and step dad send $50 to Maria to buy us Christmas gifts, but again, this did not happen. Anyway I remember my Titi Maria crying into the phone one morning making a lot of calls. A few hours later we were in what I remember as a school gymnasium in a really long line straight down the middle of the gym. She has me and my brother and her own three kids with her. Finally it was our turn and a nice woman with a clipboard sent me to the girls box and my brother to the boys box and I saw the most adorable stuffed puppy with a red heart and the name Clara written in white on the heart. I fell in love and grabbed it.

When we got home my Aunt put two wrapped gifts under the tree, one for each of us. When Christmas morning came my brother and I both had Two gifts to unwrap. One from the nice lady in the gym and one from my Aunt. But I can’t even tell you what they were because all I had eyes for that Christmas and for many years to come was my Clara Doggie. because I was so young it never occurred to me that the dog was not named Clara but that he had once belonged to another little girl whose name was Clara. Ahh youth.

Anyway, now with the commercializing of Christmas and the fact that kids these days (mine included) seem to feel so entitled and are hardly ever satisfied with small token gifts, I fondly remember that Christmas and my favorite Dog, Clara. A simpler time indeed.

Back in 1970 – my brother, David (who was a Down’s Syndrome child) was getting very excited about Christmas – he was 12 at the time. My husband and I hired a Santa to go to my parent’s house and visit David – we even put some gifts outside the house for him to put in his toy sack. When he arrived and rang the doorbell – David went to open the door – the look on his face was priceless!!!! He was so shocked to see Santa standing there – he was speechless – which was NOT normal at all!!! Santa stayed and visited with David for about 30 minutes – David had a blast talking to Santa – listening to his stories – then opening the actual gifts that Santa brought him!!! After that visit – he talked about Santa all the time – like Santa was his best friend… David passed away when he was 17 – we are so glad that we were able to do this for him – till he died he talked about Santa and his visit. Still miss him ALOT – especially at this time of the year – Love you, David!!!

my favorite memories are pretty simple. Just spending the holidays with my kids, making christmas cookies and having hot chocolate and having the kids decorate the tree. I hope my son makes it home for the holiday this year- he just graduated boot camp a couple of months ago and is not sure yet if he’s going to get to come home. I hope so… that would sure add to my holiday memories.

while family Christmas get togethers can’t be beat, one of the most rewarding things is to surprise those less fortunate with gifts for their children. I try to find a family who is struggling to put gifts under the tree each year and make special Christmas memories for their children. Santa-like deliveries of gifts done annonomously is the best.
Happy Holidays to all!!!

My favorite holiday memory was from about four years ago. My whole family was getting together for Christmas which is difficult to do with our different jobs and living in different towns. The evening everyone was to arrive we had the first snowfall that my town had seen in about 100 years. It was nothing compared to what people get in the north, but we had a good 3 feet and it snowed all evening and all night. It was beautiful.

Needless to say, my brother, sister, their families and I ran out and played like we were kids again. We laughed so hard and had a magical evening. We thought it would disappear by morning and that it would just be a happy memory.. but we woke up to what looked like a winter wonderland.

The snow stuck around for several days and many snowmen were made!

One of my funny memories of Christmas was in 2004. We had just moved from Spain and were staying in a hotel in New Orleans (our next duty station). My daughter was 5 months old and I wanted to get her a excersaucer from Santa. I went out and bought one not thinking about how we were going to get it together. My hsuband called the front desk to see if somone had a screw driver. No one did. So, my poor husband put it together with a pair of tweezers. It took him forever but she did get her excersaucer.

One of my favorite and funniest Christmas memories happened when I was a child. My brother, sister and I were playing around the tree when my sister wanted to be an airplane. My brother started swinging her by her leg and arm as she screamed with delight. He lost his grip on her and she went straight into the tree. My mom was in the bathtub and came running out in a towel with her hair dripping wet.
This was one of the rare times I wasn’t in trouble.

One year when I wa sixteen, and had just begun to drive. My grandmother and I went to cut a Christmas tree. We lived in a small town in Texas, so we drove a few miles outside of town on a small county road, whemy grandmother asked me to pull over. She had spot tee the tree she wanted. In the past we had cut trees fromm the land owned by my great uncle, but this land was not owned by family. At my grandmother’s direction I began to chop down the tree. A couple of minutes passed when up the road came a slow driven truck, and out popped the owner lf the land, catching us in the middle of chopping down his tree. My grandmother turned beet red! I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t very well continue chopping down his tree. Suddenly, the landowner, an elderly man, reached for my axe, and said sopmehting along the lines of “now here’s how to handle this.” he chopped down the tree in about thirty seconds, tied it on top of my car, wished us a merry christmas, flashed a big fin, and was off!

I have memories of my Dad playing Santa. Around midnight, xmas eve, he would dress up with his boots and cotton beard, running outside around the house, ringing a bell yelling ho-ho-ho. Then he’d come in with his pillowcase full of gifts. This became tradition. He did this for his grandchildren and great grandchildren. Fond memories!!!

When I was little, around 4, one of our family friends called me on Christmas eve and pretended to be Santa Claus. He told me that he was on his way, but that he was concerned about the ice and snow on our roof. He suggested that maybe I ought to get someone out to deal with it. Of course, that someon was my dad and I was not about to take NO an an answer and risk Santa not coming. I didn’t care the temperature, our roof was going to be clean.
Not sure what pay-back my father ever had to that neighbor, but I’m sure there was one

One year, when we were very young, my 8 brothers, sisters and I pooled our money to get our Dad a lined raincoat for Christmas. When he opened it he teared up and put it on. The rest of the day he wore that coat even while carving the turkey at dinner. It is a memory that all of us treasure
and although we lost Dad 15 yrs ago it is a Christmas past that comes up in conversation every year.

My favorite thing about Christmas growing up was that my parents kept the spirit of Santa Clause alive for so long….it kept the mystery and fun of Christmas alive for us. We have kept this tradition alive for our daughter as well. She never knows what she is getting for Christmas because until “Santa” comes, she only has a couple of gifts under the tree. We love doing this and the surprise on her face when we come home and all those gifts just magically appeared under the tree.

My favorite Christmas memory comes from two years ago. I always tried to make Christmas special for my husband. He came from a family with 5 stepbrothers and 2 sisters. His father and stepmother did the best that they could, but many years there was very little celebration. They didn’t have a Christmas tree and presents were practical and few. Tim was a Christian and understood the true meaning of the holiday and said that presents weren’t that important, but was the biggest kid in the house on Christmas morning! Two years ago he wanted a martin house. At 100$ it was expensive for us, but I wanted him to have it. The joy in his eyes on Christmas made it worth any sacrifice. Tim is gone now, and I’m facing my first Christmas in 9 years without him. He died last summer after a short bout with cancer. I will always treasure every memory, but watching the light in his eyes on Christmas mornings was always the best!

Too many great memories to pick just one. The kids reactions to getting the gifts they wanted are priceless every year. One of my favorite quotes from my 8 year old a few years back was “is this day for real”. So cute! Happy Holidays from our family to yours!!

One Christmas morning when I was about 8, a tiny black kitten appeared on our back porch. I got her inside, warmed her up, and named her Mary….”Mary Christmas” to be exact! She was a part of our family for many, many years –and one of the best “presents” I ever received.

I recently lost my husband this past April in which im really trying to adjust. This brings me to one of my fondest memory. When we got married we didnt have much money to spend on expensive rings. We had bought some bands and this was good enough for me just knowing we became one. This past Christmas my husband surprised me with a diamond Ring after 20 years of marriage. In March i was thankful to have had my last vacation with him which was Las vegas. This is where it all began and had gotten married. This will be my first Christmas without Bob and I will remember the look on his face when I opened that gift from him. It wasnt the diamond, it was the whole meaning behind the ring he bought me. I love him and will always remember last years special Christmas.

I have always loved Christmas. As a child I would start at about 3 a.m. asking my parents if we could get up. This continued every half hour until they would finally give in somewhere around 5:00. Now that I have a daughter of my own, I am still counting down the minutes until it is time for her to get up.

I remember when we used to stay up late, go to midnight mass and play bingo & uno. Fun times.

I remember when my young daughter got an American Girl doll – Samantha – for Christmas. She was so excited that she was literally speechless!

When we found out that my mother was dying of brain cancer, we wanted to make her last Christmas so very special. She was one of those kindergarten teachers that everyone loved. She wore every macaroni necklace that any child ever gave her and made each child feel special and loved. We put an ad in the newspaper and invited all of the “kids” she had taught over the years to come for cider and cookies….the house was filled laughter, and the scent of cinnamon and cloves and a special glow of warmth and love, the likes of which I have never experienced. It still makes me cry just thinking about it. Those people could never have given her any better gift….unless you count the macaroni necklaces :0)

Christmas as a child was always magical, but the best Christmas memory was last year. Decorating the house inside and out and seeing the little eyes of our grandchildren get so BIG when they saw everything lit for the first time and seeing the magic in their eyes, that is the best memory!

I would have to say my favorite memories of Xmas are yet to come. I remember my own childhood memories of getting up early to see what Santa had brought, but now I look forward to my own children’s reaction and enjoyment more than anything.

Christmas of 2000 is one I will never forget, my daughter’s father had left for basic training in October and I temporarily moved to California because my grandfather was terminally ill. After my grandfather passed I did not know how we were going to make it through christmas. It was my daughters first Christmas and her daddy was going to miss it and everyone was sad because of our loss. This turned out to be one of the best Christmas’s of my life because my boyfriend surprised us just days before christmas by showing up unannounced and on christmas morning he asked me to marry him. We have been together for nearly ten years now and that was my favorite!

I miss the Christmases of past when my now grown daughter was little and still believed in Santa Claus; there is nothing better than seeing a child’s face on Christmas morning thinking that Santa magically gave her all these presents.

My favorite memory is when I was a child and my adult brother walked in the front door on Christmas Eve, dressed exactly like Santa Claus, carrying a bag of goodies! Needless to say, I was thrilled to death. A sweet memory from Christmas past that I won’t forget.

My favorite holiday memory just happened this year! I thought it would be my grandson’s first Christmas but he is three years old now and this is HIS year. Riley was showing me the ornaments on his tree this year and he pointed to his “baby’s First Christmas” ornament and said “This is because I was born and it was special just like baby Jesus.” Suddenly I thought “He gets it!!” We wonder how to teach our children and grandchildren about the true spirit and meaning of Christmas and that it isn’t about the tree or the ornaments or the gifts but this small child took all of that and put it together and explained Christmas to me! I will always cherish this special Christmas Memory as the moment that GRANDMA “got it.”

My favorite memory is when I woke up one Christmas morning (I was 6) to see my new baby sister actually “under the tree”. Mom and baby had come home the night before while I was asleep! It was the best Christmas ever…..

My mom has always gotten the kids a “gag” gift for Christmas. Not the oh my gosh kind, but the you got me what for Christmas kind! One year my son, whom had been taking 2 to 4 cans of tuna from my mom’s house evertime we visited, was so excited when he could barely lift up the box from granma. As he opened it, I could hardly contain myself. I was already having fits of laughter! When he at last got into the box and saw what was there he literally did a back flip! A BIG CAN OF TUNA? YES! Was what he yelled! He forgot all about the other gifts as he begged for us to open it NOW! We did nothing but laugh even harder as his excitement grew at the possibilities of eating tuna all night long!

My favorite Christmas memory comes from nearly 50 years ago. My favorite childhood days were spent in the company of my great-grandmother whom I called “Mimi.” Mimi and I used to walk to the local A&P since she didn’t drive. One year…just a few days before Christmas, I begged her to buy a real Christmas tree from the lot outside of the store. We always decorated her tiny table top silver Christmas tree, but for some reason I really wanted a real one that year. She gave in to my begging and paid for what I imagine must have been about a 4-foot tall tree. She dragged the tree all the way back home. As I sit writing this I realize at that time she must have been well into her 70′s and the distance we walked must have been close to a mile. At 56 I can’t imagine having the fortitude to drag a 4-foot tree to my next door neighbor’s….let alone for a mile on snowy city streets. That Christmas remains my favorite memory. Mimi’s elderly cousin, for whom she kept house, went into his woodshop and within a half hour emerged with a homemade tree stand. We decorated with paper chains, paper snowflakes and long chains of paper dolls that Mimi cut with great patience. I always knew how much Mimi loved me, but now as a grandmother (not a great-grandmother for many more years!) myself I understand the sacrifice she made for me in the name of pure and unconditional love. And isn’t that what Christmas is all about?

Favorite memory is returning home from shopping with my mom to find that while we were gone Daddy had really gotten into the Christmas spirit! He had spray painted all the lampshades in the living room bright red and then hung bright gold garland around them. Mom had a hissy fit! We were pretty poor and replacing those lampshades after Christmas would be impossible.

Sadly the above happened on 12/4/1971…..Daddy died in his sleep a little after midnight on 12/5/1971. I somehow know that he would be so happy to have left a whizz bang special memory!

As a child growing up my father was always the joker in our house. There was 9 of us kids and my father was a mechanic. He owned his own shop and we always had plenty if “junk” cars sitting around. He and mom thought one year, the best place to hide our Christmas presents would be in the trunk of one of these many cars. Good idea, except on Christmas eve he forgot which one he put them in course, he found them but not after spending part of a very cold night looking thru junk car trunks! We were not aware of it at the time, but thru the years as we got older this became one of our favorite Christmas stories. Along with the one about him always telling us, “I think I hear Rudolph out there, look quick!” We would always run and look and he’d say “oh, he heard you and left. Better go to bed so he’ll come back.” Except the one year we all looked out and there stood a live, wild deer in our yard!! I’m not sure who was more surprised, us kids or Daddy!! We lost this wonderful man nearly 25 years ago, but these are always memories we kids share of him when we get together!

I have so many fond memories of Christmas. My routine is to have a nice cup of coffee before the madness begins of opening presents. The kids have to stay in their room till the coffee perks (LOL). funniest time was when my son swore he saw Santa the night before eating the Butterfinger we put out for him, and he heard the sleigh on our roof.

We had a very large family. On Christmas Eve Santa would come to my Grandma’s house. While we were waiting for Santa to come, We, all my Cousins, Brother and Sister and I would pile into my Aunt’s Huge closet and wait for Santa to deliver our presents while there was a lot of present building going on by the parents in the living room. Anyway to pass the long, long time it took, we would listen to my Aunt play the Ukulele, sansongs and told stories. At some point she would tell us the night before Christmas and we would look out the window to see rudolf’s nose blinking in the distance. Funny, we never noticed the radio tower antenna in the distance blinking that red light any other time of the year.

Last Christmas, my “crusty” husband whom grumbles and frowns- except when I am in his sight or his grandkids are. To see him holding them one at a time to give them “papa Jesse” time and a little snuggle. We lost my love in March and still to this day the grandkids hug and kiss “papa Jesse’s” picture every time they visit me.

Being the older sister. my brother and I went to great lengths to keep my little sister believing Santa was real as long as we could. One day, when my Mom was reaching for something in the closet. a huge roll of wrapping paper fell to the floor. My inquisitive little sister just stared in disbelief…Mom was using the same wrapping paper as Santa..coincidence????

I remember when I was really young, we had a big snow, and Santa’s big footprints could be tracked from our door to the street!

My favorite memory is my brother and I getting up at the crack of dawn to see what Santa left us. Then eating breakfast together as a family and then breaking open one of the new games Santa left us and the whole family playing and laughing. We are both so blessed that we both live close enough to our parents that we can pass this tradition down to our children. We gather our families up between 5:30-6:30 and head over to my parents so that everyone can see what Santa left them and laugh and play games until it’s time to serve lunch when the rest of our extended family arrives. It is an amazing time for family togetherness.

I know this is kinds weird but, my family as a kid loves stuffed green olives. We would fight for them at the dinner table so my parents had this bright idea. Instead of oranges at the bottom of our stockings we always had a jar of green olives. And, you better not get into anyone else jar. My kids love Jerky, so every year they get a package of good quality jerky in their stockings and Santa better not forget or he is on the notty list.

When my sister and I were little, we would go to the candlelight Christmas Eve service at our grandparent’s church. After the service, we’d head back to their farm, and every year, while we were getting our hair combed for pictures, Santa would arrive and leave our presents!

My favorite memory was last year. It was Christmas day and everyone was hanging out after the presents had been opened. The kids were playing and I was sitting at a chair missing my dad who had passed away a few years ago. Suddenly the computer (that had been recently revived after a nasty virus and had been out of commission for a very long time) started playing a video of my dad from before he got sick. I hadn’t seen the video since before he passed and it was perfect timing. I felt like he was and is still with us. It was the best Christmas present ever.

My favorite memory of the holidays is going with my dad {who has passed away now} to our woods and cutting down a real cedar tree for our Christmas tree and 1 for the one room country school My sister ,brothers and I went to. We always put on a play and sang Christmas songs for our familys at the Country school and each student recieved a gift from Santa. Oh what fun it was.

On Christmas morning many years ago my Mother opened all of her presents and recieived some beautiful jewelry, a new nighty and many other treasures. I remember her being so happy that day. As the morning wore on and all the cooking started and guests arrived, my Mom wanted to show relatives her gifts. we couldn’t find them anywhere. We tore apart the house looking for them. Finally , my Dad realized that he had thrown all of the Christmas trash into the outside incinerator, never checking the all the wrappings and inadvertantly had burned up all of her presents. She never forgot that and over the years we laugh at that memory. My Mom died last year of a brain turmor, and I wish more than anything that she was here this year to laugh at it again.

Our family always enjoyed a “meal” of hot chocolate and cling peaches when we returned home from
midnight services on Christmas Eve. The beautiful peaches were my Dad’s tradition -
a reminder of having them be the only “gift” they had during the depression, except for handmade clothes
from their mother, and handmade greeting cards. If I win the Tassimo, I will give it to my Mom, who is in her late 80s, so she can easily enjoy her hot chocolate this Christmas Eve and for many days beyond. Thanks!

I have a brother 2 years older, and a sister 2 years younger. I was always the only one to sleep in on Christmas. I would wake up around 8, and my siblings would have been up since 6. One Christmas, when I was 6 or 7, we lived in a house where my brother and I had bedrooms upstairs, and everything else was downstairs. I sleepily walked down the stairs (we have this on home video, ha), stopped in the middle of the staircase, and just stared, half-awake, at the Christmas chaos below me. My grandma and my parents were sitting back on the couch opening their gifts but mostly watching my brother and sister, who were tearing into a pile of gifts. They both shouted at me, fighting for my attention to show me what they got, including some joint gifts like a Barbie Corvette for me and my sister. It was just an amazing sight. Doesn’t sound like much as I tell it, but it’s a great memory.

I remember the ONLY Christmas I ever asked my husband for help with gifts. He and his brother, Uncle Trav, were to assemble the Little Tykes Cube Slide for our two toddlers. With about 5 big snap-together plastic pieces, of course they didn’t need to read the instructions. They finished it in record time (or so they thought) and seemed truly offended when I suggested that the almost straight up and down slope of the slide seemed a little extreme for toddlers. Trust me, those things are WAY harder to get apart and put back together the right way. Fifteen years later, all five of our kids know this classic “Daddy” story.

I think my best Christmas was my daughter’s first one, when she was 5 months old. It made me realize what the holidays were really about, and gave me the joy of celebrating it with my own family.

I remember the Christams I was in 6th grade. My father was out of town for work and would not be home until Christmas Eve. My mother took me with her shoppin and I had to help pick out the presents for my brothers and sister and my own. I veiwed Christmas morning very differently woundering how my siblings would like their gifts and not as concerned with my own. I learned that the joy is truly in the giving.

There was just one single Christmas we were able to provide 13 gifts for each of our 4 children. I can still see the draw dropping looks upon their faces! Priceless!

When I was 5 years old, I learned that peeking does not make Christmas more fun – Mom went next door and I snooped until I found my presents – oh boy! – then on Christmas morning I had to act surprised and it was not all that great!! Learned a big lesson about the fun of surprises. =:D

In 1996, in Ardmore, Oklahoma the Iron Riders Motorcycle club with the Toys for Tots program gave us much more than the toy they delivered to my young granddaughter’s hospital room. Several days before, we never dreamed that our plans and thoughts for Christmas would be drastically changed. Only 11 months old, Kailee was hospitalized with a severe baterial infection within her bloodstream. Gone were any plans of celebration, she was fighting just to live. As we prayed around her bed, there were no thoughts of gifts, only of a chance to survive.
As were prayed, a young man came into the room with a small gift for her. He thought she was 11 years old, not 11 months and the gift was for an older girl. It was one of the fashion plate paper dolls where a child colors/designs the clothing. Well, our little one loved to color and draw. When she saw the gift, her eyes opened wider and she reached out for it!!!
I think at that very minute, that gift brought a miracle of hope and healing! From that point on, she began to improve! I think of this as the Gift that Saved Christmas!!!!

When my sisters and I were little we would spend hours writing and acting out a Christmas play for my grandpa which we would perform on Christmas Eve. My poor grandpa sat through every one with the biggest smile on his face. It was a wonderful bonding time for all of us. We still go back and watch the old tapes of our plays

I had just gone on a blind date, set up by my MOM and really liked the guy. He surprised me with Limited Edition Mama and baby Gund white polar bears on Christmas day, after two dates. I kept them for 20 years!!

One of my favorite Christmas memories is when we were driving home from a family party on Christmas Eve and my sister and I where in the backseat, who was about 5 at the time. We were talking about Santa and when he would make it to our house, we looked out the window and saw a falling star, she was convinced it was Santa, we had to hurry to get home and get in bed so he could stop at our house! The excitement filled the car, we could hardly contain ourselves!

About 20 years ago, during my workaholic days, I realized I was bored during the holiday season. My friends were married and had kids, I was single and childless, so the traditional festivities were not a thrill for me. I would visit with my parents on Thanksgiving and Christmas and we would just sit and stare at each other. So on Thanksgiving day, after I had an early lunch with my parents, I went to work as a volunteer and served food to the needy. I cried all the way home and into the night after seeing so many who were not as blessed as I was. I learned to really appreciate what I have in my life and since that day I serve every holiday and other times throughout the year whenever possible. It’s the best gift I ever received and it just keeps on giving.

Christmas was always Very Special when I was growing up and Santa was VERY Creative at my house! You never knew WHAT surprise he might have in store for you on Christmas Morning… One year he got a BIT TOO Creative. That particular year what I wanted more than anything was a Sled… I got up and was quite sad to see LOTS of presents – but NO SLED. I opened all my gifts and was thankful and happy to have them – but still sad that there was NO Sled. After all the gifts had been opened and we were going to have breakfast, my father said, “What in the world is that?” “What?”, I asked. “There seems to be something ODD in the middle of the tree.” He exclaimed. Well – there, in the middle of the tree was my SLED! I was SO Excited! … However – my MOTHER was not very Happy with Santa’s Creative Idea when her tree and and good bit of ornaments got Ruined as my dad and I tried to get the sled OUT of the middle of the tree!
It was a really neat Christmas in the eyes of a Child – but Santa was a “little less creative” over the next few years of my childhood… and my Mom’s tree stayed intact.

The last Christmas is always the best. Last year the house was filled with EVERYBODY; our 3 children and their spouses, along with 8 healthy grandchildren. Love flowed and I laughed to tears when I opened my present: a goat given in my name to a family in an impovrished country to help feed them and to have extra goats’ milk to sell. How thoughtful of my family since Papa and I are so blessed and don’t need another personal gift.

My favorite Christmas memory is from our second Christmas together as a new family. Money was tight, so we didn’t have much planned. Someone dropped a Santa bag at our door one evening. They Wouldn’t tell us who sent it, and we’ve never found out. We each had a special gift. The Santa bag still sits under our tree every year.

It snowed in Houston on Christmas Eve five years ago when my husband and I were singing in three services at the church. When they told us after the first service that it was snowing out, the entire choir when outside in our red choir robes to throw snowballs and make mini-snowmen on the cars in the parking lot – what a hoot!

One of my holiday memories is going home to visit my mother. I met up with my sister prior to going home so we could arrive together. My mother went through great lengths to prepare for us including getting a Christmas tree herself and decorating it to the hilt. I will never forget that as we walked through the front door, we heard a loud crash from the living room! The Christmas tree had fallen and just about every ornament had broken including some very old ones handed down. It was a sad moment then but one we still cherish because of my mother’s hard work in preparing for us to visit.

My first Xmas away from home, my roommate decided to take me to Disneyland in Anaheim to make the day special. We went to the top of the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse to watch the sunset, and it was there that I met the love of my life, doing the exact same thing. Truly the most magical place on earth for me and a Christmas day I will always remember. (Maybe I should sell this story to Disney?)

A few years ago I was struggling with money and was a little upset that I had not gotten my 2 young boys very much for Christmas. As I wrapped their presents and set them out I was so worried they would be dissappointed. Christmas morning much to my surpirse was the best…they loved everything they got and did not even miss the extra gifts. It really made me realize that it is not how many gifts they receive it is all about the season and quality of spending time with family and friends.

Going to candle light service at 11:30pm Christmas Eve at Church. I enjoy the beautiful candles and a wonderful
Christmas Service. What a great way to start Christmas Day !

One of my most favorite memories of Christmas is when my children were 6 and 7. We bought a play structure complete with an elephant slide for outside. We set it up in the basement until spring arrived. We did the footprints of santa made with baking soda and they led to the basement and the play structure. When the kids got up on christmas morning they followed the footprints to the basement and the play structure. The look on their faces was priceless. They spent many hours playing in the structure. I sure do miss little ones in the house at Christmas. Waiting for grandkids to arrive.

Merry Christmas

About five years ago we managed to get everyone together for Christmas. Instead of individual gifts, everyone decided on having a grab bag for the adults in order to cut down on expenses (everyone but me). It was so much fun watching with anticipation as each person opened their gift and tried to guess who it was from. I had the most fun because they each had called me for gift suggestions and I was the only one who knew. The best part was that each one of them had called me to try and get me to divulge who their secret Santa was. It was hard but I am proud to say I was able to keep the secret but it wasn’t easy.

My best memory is the year when my daughters set up our Christmas tree and other household decorations as a surprise for my husband of 39 years (and their DAD!) while he was in the hospital, recovering from two surgeries within 4 days of each other. They took pictures of their handywork and brought those pictures to the hospital so he could see what was waiting for him at home. He had always been the person who did all of that work so he was thrilled that they had done that for him! That was on Dec. 1st. On Dec. 5th, he passed away from a blood clot. As upset as we were, my daughters were happy that they had done something so special for their beloved DAD!

When we were children in South Dakota, my mom and dad always had Santa at the house who was heard, but never seen. We had Santa on the roof, Santa in the house, muddy foot prints….All that occured when my mom and dad were in the room with us. Who was that man?? To this day – as adults – we still don’t know who it was. Mom and dad still say it was Santa. We have carried this tradition with the grandkids…. they still don’t realize that grandpa, uncles, dads have all been Santa and we still won’t tell the older ones that it’s anyone else, but Santa.

My best Christmas memory is of our two sons helping us decorate the tree when they were small boys; it was always quite a circus especially when the dog would get into the act dragging a string of lights across the room or getting tangled in a strand of garland.

I have many great memories from Christmases as a child but nothing has compared to spending Christmas with my own children. It has been so fun to watch my daughter burst with excitement on Christmas morning as she opens her gifts. She can barely contain herself! This year we have a baby to add to the mix so I have a feeling this will be the best Christmas yet.

My favorite Christmas is this year. I have 2 children and one with a disability. My disabled child is delayed, unable to talk, and has autism. He has not really paid attention to Christmas in the past and really did not get excited or understand it much. This year as soon as we put the tree up with lights, he was fascinated. Of course we don’t have many decorations on it as he would pull them off, but we have a few at the top and some tencil on it. Well since we didn’t put ornaments on it, my son thought he should decorate it his own way. He love eating food and he was eating a waffle and took a bite of it and went over to the tree and put it on it. that was his way of decorating the tree.

i guess one of my favoritest christmas moments was when the kids came downstairs for christmas and found they had not one but two new puppies. It was a shocker for me christmas eve to see the puppies since hubby has been against having an inside dog and now we had two

Merry Christmas to all and may God bless everyone.

It was in the early 1960′s and, as ever, my only sibling, an older brother and I were far too excited about the gifts
that were wrapped under the tree to think of much of anything else. So, without a real plan in place, we were up
on Christmas eve night after our parents were fast asleep. There were two small boxes that were expertly wrapped
and the contents were unknown to us. Sooo…we proceeded to very quietly and carefully open those presents, one
for each of us, to see what we would find. We each found a lovely Timex watch and tried them on and eventually
realized that we did not have too many hours before our parents would be awake! So we carefully re-wrapped each
of the presents with the same paper and ribbons. And we knew that when the Christmas morning arrived, we would
need to be actors worth of Academy Awards. AND WE ACHIEVED JUST THAT!!! Our parents were not aware of our
little ruse and we had acted shocked and thrilled with our lovely watches.
Not until many years later, after our father was gone many years, did I share with my mother what we did and she
could barely believe what little sneaky children she had raised!
Merry Christmas to All and may God bless America!

One of my family’s favorite Christmas memories comes from the year we moved during the holidays. Enroute we visited my Mom, who was experiencing her first Christmas as a widow. She had bought the spindliest Christmas tree any of us had ever seen. Even after we decorated the poor thing, it radiated the spirit of a Charlie Brown tree, so that’s what we called it. To this day, every year as we gather for the holidays we joke about that Charlie Brown tree and it brings back fond memories of a time together.

One of my favorites would have to be: Watching my almost 1year old (at the time) grand baby (my first) enjoy and marvel at her first Christmas. She went from one gift to the other, testing out each one. In the end (hours later), her favorite seemed to be a fisher price kidproof drum set, and gift wrap. She just loved making her own confetti. It was something to behold as she ripped paper into pieces and let them fall, giggling all the while.

First off, let me say this thing looks awesome! I’ve been asking my hubby for a Keurig for Christmas, but this might have to go on my list instead!

As for a favorite holiday memory, I’d have to say this Christmas has been the most memorible. My husband is in the Navy, so for the last 5 or 6 years it has been really hard to spend Christmas with any of our family. We have a 1 year old and a 2 year old, and we recently got stationed in Georgia about 30 minutes away from my mom and an hour away from the rest of my family! We just bought our first house in October, and we were able to eat Thanksgiving dinner with my mom, brother, and his wife. The day after Thanksgiving, we put up our Christmas tree, my mom came down and we all sat in front of the fireplace making smores, laughing and just enjoying each others’ company

I’m greatfull for my beautiful grandbabies , and children who have been a great blessing to me and my loving husband, Ray . This year I have been unemployeed and looking constantly for work . I am so blessed with my family support and the support and guidance from God . I’ve been thru some tough Christmases in the past but this year will be a time of looking forward to brighter times in the Lord . And praising God for bringing this family closer together.

Christmas has always been my favorite holiday, especially as a child. My family was especially close, and we always had grandparents, aunts, uncle, cousins and more extended family around throughout the year. But Christmas was different. Everything from decorating the house and the tree, to baking all different kinds of cookies became a huge family event. Our house was filled with music, laughter, storytelling, fun and wonderful smells of delicious food. Even though my brother and I couldn’t wait for Santa to bring presents, and Christmas Eve and Day were the biggest days for celebrating, the preparation and anticipation in the weeks before Christmas were always a lot of fun.
Now, many years later, I have a daughter of my own. My husband and I have carried on the tradition of inviting family to decorate, bake, and just have fun with us while we prepare for Christmas. There is something very special seeing Christmas through your own child’s eyes. And hopefully, someday, when she has her own family, she will have the same wonderful memories of Christmas that her mom does.

There is nothing like the joy of Christmas morning! My favorite part was the gifts in the stocking – with the tangerine stuffed in the toe of the stocking! We would sit on my parents’ bed in our PJs and there was always a lot of laughter!

I remember how much my grandparents loved to spoil us on Christmas Eve. They put thought into every gift and pretty much bought us everything that we circled in the Sears Wishbook. We had a huge dinner before we opened gifts and I remember how it seemed like the dinner lasted for hours. Most of all, I remember how much our grandparents loved us and how everyday with them was special.

My parents were very poor and one Christmas things were so bad that we couldn’t even afford a Christmas tree and I was very sad. But, on Christmas Eve, my father came home with a tabletop tree that was so scrawny that noone wanted it, so he got it for 50 cents! I didn’t care; I was just happy to have it and I always thought of it as our “Charlie Brown Christmas tree.” I’ll never forget that prayers are answered somehow.

I remember I was around 7 years old and my mother told me to go down in the basement and bring up some potatoes for Christmas dinner. I didn’t want to right then as I was having fun playing with the toys I had opened earlier. She was persistent and insisted that I go now and get the potatoes.
Unhappily, I go down to the basement so I can get back upstairs and continue playing with my toys.

When I get down there I see my Dad standing around a big piece of plywood watching an electric train going around the track. The Lionel train set was a gift I will never forget. And to this day I try and think of some unique way to hide/give my child one of his Christmas gifts.

Its really hard to pick the most special memory… I can tell you the memory that I hold close to me and that has made me such a huge advocate of creating memories with my kids with most everything we do as a family:
I was all of about 7, living with both of my Parent’s and a house full of siblings! Everyone was happy, healthy, and together. My Mom loved to bake and she and I would bake together (well, she baked, I licked the beater!): She was the best cook I’ve ever known. She would always singing around the house, and at Christmas time, she would sing carols- Our living room was always decorated to the hilt- tinsil was even strown around the walls with ornaments hanging. We have a big family, so there were presents lined up forever. My Grandma would spend the night and wake up with us Christmas Day. My Dad made his famous Chidney’s (crapes). We were together, all of us!
This would mark the last Christmas we celebrated together and I treasure it the most I suppose because as I started my family, I marked it after these traditions and memories and try my hardest to create memories often where ever we are so my kids have these times to reflect on as the years go by.
My Mom is my hero and is the center of who I am. Now she is celebrating with Jesus, and I can’t help but be envious.
What a magical time, Christmas is!

I was about 8 years old and standing outside by the garage waiting for my family to come out so that we could go to my grandmother’s house for christmas eve. As I was standing under the starlight night enjoying the snow and the cold, I heard sleigh bells and I remember thinking that Santa was delivering gifts to someone who was already in bed and that my turn would come after our family holiday celebration. We piled into our old 1950s sedan and went to grandma’s house and then home. Christmas morning I was right. Santa had delivered my gifts. My 4 brothers and sister got their presents too. Made me really beleive there really was a Santa Claus.

My favorite Christmas was 1979 when I had my first baby boy. It was a special Christmas because my husband was there also and not stationed overseas, yet again. Being in the military, one learns to appreciate the times we are all together and be thankful for all our blessings.

The year we put big bows on our 3 sheep and they all peeked their heads in through our living room patio door and I snapped a pix to capture that special moment.

When I was in 6th grade my girlfriend and I would start practicing Christmas Carols around Thanksgiving. Then the 2 weeks before Christmas we would go out as soon as it got dark and carol thru our neighborhood. Over those 2 weeks we hit just about everyone in our subdivision. Any money we were given was donated to the local food bank. When we got in high school we stopped. Neighbors would call to ask why we were no longer coming around, they missed us.

Having Christmas dinner with my Dad, I wish he was still here, but he lives on in my heart.

My Grandma’s would ask me to stay overnight to help them get ready for Christmas dinner. We would go to late church. Learning how to cook and spending special times and special memories with them was a great gift I will always cherish. Even though they are gone, those Christmas memories come back each year and I know that was the greatest gift of all.

My favorite Christmas memory was from when I was about 10 years old. We never had much money so my sister and I would ask for several things and hope for one! I had asked for a slot car track, an electronic football game (the board vibrated) and a Monopoly game. I was quite the tomboy! I was hoping to get the racetrack the most and when we ran out to the living room on Christmas morning, I could see a race track set up in one end of the living room. I ran over to it and was so engrossed in it that I didn’t even look at the other end of the living room. My mother got my attention and lo and behold, there was the football game AND the Monopoly game! I have no idea what mt sister had asked for but I am sure that she got all of her wishes too!

Most years my grandma would come over on Christmas Eve and spend the night so that she could be there in the morning when we woke up. Grandma is about as bad as the kids on Christmas, so she was usually up even before we were. My parents weren’t as thrilled about being woken at the crack of dawn to open gifts, so we had strict instructions not to open anything before they were downstairs. So the three of us kids would circle the tree, touching and shaking every gift with our name on it. One of the gifts that I touched that year started talking and crying….and it was killing me not to open it!! When grandma couldn’t stand it anymore, she went running up stairs, with the three of us in tow and began jumping on my parents’ bed! I can still see her jumping up and down in her robe and slippers! That got them out of bed!

One of my favorite Christmas’s actually may not have been for my children, but I think they enjoy also. Two of my three children came down with the chicken pox right before Christmas so we were forced to stay at home instead of going to all the relatives. Santa came early that year on Christmas eve and brought the kids their toys so we all had fun playing with everything instead of running around from relative to relative.

As a child, my best holiday memory is when my grandfather went to Chicago for a livestock sale, and came home with a solid white collie for me. Her name was Lady and she protected me from the mean old goose that liked to chase people and peck at them. She was my best friend for many years.

My parents live in Texas and my family and I live in Ohio. In 2004, my Christmas present to my parents was a round-trip flight to spend Christmas with us. I hadn’t had a Christmas with my parents since 1985. It was wonderful spending Christmas with my parents who were in their eighties. The only glitch came when my teenage son and I sat down to play Scrabble with my parents. I’m still not sure where my mother heard the word, but when her turn came and she asked how to spell a very obscene word, my son, my father and I were laughing so hard that we couldn’t speak. Mom looked confused and said, “That is a word, isn’t it?” And my father said, “That is a word, but not one we use in polite company, or in the presence of our grandchild.” My son told me afterward that he never expected he would have so much fun playing Scrabble with old people.

This is my favorite memory. When my boys were 2 and 4 years old, I was up very late wrapping the rest of their gifts that Christmas eve. When I finished, I started getting ready for bed. A thought hit me. I turned off the lights and grabbed
the jingle bells we had on a leather string and went to their door. I jingled the bells for about 30 seconds and then in the deepest voice I could muster, I said, “HO HO HO MERRY CHRISTMAS!!”
My room was right across the hall, so I jumped in bed real quick. All of a sudden their door opened and my oldest poked his little head out, and in the most wonderful, innocent voice, I will never ever forget, he exclaimed, “Santa!!!! It that you???!!!!” My heart leaped out of my chest and tears came to my eyes. My little boy went back to bed with a sweet story to tell the next day, and I was given Christmas once again through the eyes of a child. Makes me smile every time I think about it. I’m smiling now!

One of my good memories is the year my mom sent my dad out to go buy the tree. I went with him but he didn’t want to spend the ten dollars or whatever so he went to some patch of land (I can’t imagine where– the side of a highway or something? sheesh!) and cut down a tree himself, a small scraggly one. We brought it home and my mom was like, NO WAY! She said it was too small, too scrawny, too ugly, too pitiful and on and on, and she wanted him to get rid of it and go get a new one but I went nuts crying, NO NO, I LOVE THIS TREE!! And being a sappy, sentimental little one, I just cried so hard for this sad, lonely little tree until finally my mom caved and we kept it. I decorated the heck out of it too and still remember it thirty years later! Kind of like the Charlie Brown Christmas tree, I guess. But oh how I loved that runty little tree — I can still see it in my mind!

My son was born Nov.30th 2005, almost a year after my grandmother passed peacefully away and 5 1/2 months after my sister gave birth to her second son. We went to my sister’s house for Christmas–we are Jewish and celebrate Hanukkah, but her husband isn’t and they celebrate both holidays–and enjoyed a wonderful day of celebrating the miracle of life.

My favorite picture is of my son asleep on his cousins high chair tray–two babes, so innocent. I now have a daughter born in January of 2008 and couldn’t be happier! My life is truly blessed.

Mom and Dad would dip snow boots in talc and make “snow” prints from Santa. We really believed!

My favorite holiday memory was when we got our Christmas tree after an icy storm. All the trees were covered in ice and finding that perfect tree was not very easy. Since I live in the city the trees are pre-cut and with the ice covering them it was even harder to determine the quality of the tree. We finally picked one and put it in our kitchen to melt away the ice. When it finally left a pool in my kitchen we saw that the tree was right out of a Charlie Brown Christmas story. One section was empty with no limbs. We laughed at our misfortune but still enjoyed our misshapen holiday tree.

For the past 15 or so years, my girls and I have baked and decorated Christmas cookies on Christmas eve. We used the beautiful cookies to make cookie trays to give to 8 or so of our neighbors and drive around Christmas Eve delivering them and looking at Christmas lights.

happy christmas karen and happy new year. thank you for all your hard work sending me the info on all the great bargains !!!!!!!!!!!!!! i have bought the best thanks to you over all these years !!!!!!!!!!!!!! love your stories about your family and funny experiences that remind me of similar ones i have had too !!!!!!!!!!! the coffee pot looks very interesting. please i would like to try one thank you !!!!!!!!!!!!!! tassimo is one of the best on the market !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

happy holdays to you karen, family and moderators !!!!!!!!!!!!!! wrote more stuff but it did not submit so lost it all. please may i win the coffee maker thank you !!!!!!!!!!!!

The first Christmas after my divorce looked bleak and lonely. Then, like a miracle, I went home for lunch one day (something I rarely did at the time) and there in my yard was a little dog, dripping wet in the rain and looking as lost as I felt. Lucy and I spent that Christmas together and 11 years later, she is still the best present I have ever received.

I grew up in Chicago during the 50′s and 60′s when we had 3 feet of snow on the ground all winter. My father hated Christmas (BAH HUMBUG!), so he put off buying the Christmas tree until the last minute, much to the dismay of my mother, brother, sister, and me.

When I was three, we had an ice storm followed by sub-zero arctic temperatures. On Christmas eve, my father finally bundled us up and took us out to get a tree. They only had one or two left and they were bound with string. When he untied our tree, all the branches fell off because they were frozen solid! It made the Charlie Brown tree look positively full and sparkly! Also, my father decreed that a real green tree would never enter our house again!!!

The following year, my parents purchased a silver tree, which was very popular at the time. My mother even worked out a geometric pattern for the new ornaments and we, as children, never got to decorate a tree again because it had to be done perfectly according to her design. It was pretty, but it wasn’t the same as having a pine tree with the goofy hand-made ornaments that kids love to make and display.

When I was 10, my brother and sister died and we didn’t celebrate Christmas again until after my father left when I was 17. When I was 18, my mother was dying. I went home from college for our last Christmas together, not knowing what to expect.

Somehow, my mother had gone out and gotten the biggest, fullest real Christmas tree I had ever seen! She also gave me the violin I had been asking for since I was a kid (I was a music major in college).

That last Christmas together was so amazingly special! I spent hours putting the tinsel and all of the old ornaments on the tree – the antique and hand-made ornaments that had been under the house since I was three. It was absolutely the best Christmas I’ve ever had because my mom and I got to do Christmas our way! I’ll never know how she got out and got that tree or the violin, but they were both truly gifts of her incredible love for me!

I doubt that anything will ever top that very special Christmas!

my favorite christmas memories was the christmas after my son had been in afganistan and called me collect long disdtance

I would LOVE a brewbot!

The best Christmas was when my mom lost the santa suit and was frantic on Christmas Eve trying to figure out what my brother was going to wear to hand out presents to all the very young grandchildren expecting Santa’s big visit at our celebration. Thinking quickly, mom pulled out a red plaid nightgown and a santa hat and told my brother to get in bed and pretend to snore really loudly. Instead of hearing sleighbells, the little ones tiptoed in to find a loudly snoring Santa and their shocked faces were priceless. To this day the youngest ones think they “SAVED” Christmas by waking up a napping Santa and sending him on his way to finish his deliveries!!! Remembering it still makes my Christmas every year.

My favorite Holiday memories all go back to spending Christmas with my Mom before she passed away 7 years ago…

I remember a Christmas 7 years ago when my oldest son Johnny was 4 and my middle son Nathan was 1-1/2. Johnny was so sick with the flu, but he still woke up before everyone and opened up EVERY SINGLE PRESENT! Luckily, his brother was so young that he didn’t mind.

My favorite Christmas was when I got my Barbie dolls, house and car. My mother also spent a lot of time making dresses for my Barbies. I was the only kid on the block with designer clothes for my Barbies!

When I was about 13 my parents and my younger brother where on our way home from a Christmas party on Christmas eve and we turned off of a road to take a short cut, or we thought was a short cut. We ended up coming to a dead end road at 60 mph and slamming on brakes, skidding and landing between two trees. No one was hurt but scared us pretty badly. Christmas day was pretty special because we we just thankful to be safe and sound and together.

Last Christmas was the most memorable of all years in the past. All of my 5 kids and their families were here and all 7 of my grandchildren. We had a wonderful holiday and we will never have the chance to all be together again. Our 6 year old grandaughter Paige passed away very suddenly in May. I keep the memories that I have of last year very close to my heart. Paige will be sadly missed this year.

My favorite Christmas memories are just getting together as a family, fixing a good dinner, telling stories, trying new wines and playing board games until we’re dead-tired. I can’t wait!!

A very untraditional tradition in our family for years is playing a 45rpm record by Bob Dylan called Wigwam….there are no actual lyrics, but a lot of la-da -da dah dee da as we all sing the song…..don’t know where the record came from….but, it would not be Christmas if we didn’t hear this and sing to it. It make s us laugh because this is so inane.

Christmas time was always a special time for us. I was an only child and around 8 years old. I really, really wanted to put some gifts under the tree for my mom and dad but of course had no way to buy them anything. So, Christmas Eve I slipped up and went Christmas shopping in the HOUSE!!! I found dads electric razor and wrapped it up pretty as I could. Now what for mom? I found the perfect thing> My shopping was done and I was so happy. Christmas morning we got up to open my presents then head to my grandparents house for the day. I started to open my gifts but mom said wait, let me get the camera. She went where she kept the camera but it wasn’t there. In my excitement I had forgotten “what I got mom”. We looked for a while but could not find the camers. Then my precious dad started to laugh. He asked me “Did you get your mommy a camera and wrap it for Christmas? Of course I had! Well needless to say we were a little late for Christmas dinner but we had an unforgetable Christmas Eve and Christmas. I love you mom and dad!!!

My favorite holiday memory is my dad giving me an each of my 3 brothers an envelope with $5 in it. After we each had one he’d make us give each other our envelope so it was like we were giving each other a present. After that was done he’d take us to walmart and tell us we could pick out a toy with our money and he’d pay however much over our allotted $5s we went.

My favorite Christmas was when my girls were young, they would get Santa’s presents in the morning, and in the afternoon, my parents would come up and Christmas would start all over again. My kids are grown and my parents passed away, so now I’m patiently waiting for Grandchildren to start new traditions.

I WOULD HAVE TO SAY IT WOULD BE WITH GRANDMOTHER ! SHE WOULD BUY ALL HER FAMILY MEMBERS 3 CHRISTMAS GIFTS TO OPEN .WE WOULD ALL GATHER AROUND AT HER HOUSE AND EAT AND WE WOULD SIT AROND THE CHRISTAMS TREE WITH HER DRESSED UP AS SANTA CLAUS ! BEST CHRISTMAS’S EVER! WELL I LOST MY DEAR GRANDMOTHER ON OCTOBER 19 OF THIS YEAR ! SHE IS TRULY BEING MISSED RIGHT NOW! I WILL ALWAYS REMEBER THE SPECIAL TIMES WITH MY GRANNY

My fondest memory is when I was around 7 or 8 years old, money was really tight that year. I came down Christmas morning to find our tree copletely covered with homemade Barbie clothes. As always, Mom … you went above and beyond! Thank you!

I celebrate hanukkah, but waking up on that first morning with the smell of brisket cooking away for dinner that night in the crockpot and mom shredding potatoes for latkes is a smell i’ll never forget.

As a kid, I loved going to the xmas tree lot with my family. It was so much fun looking for the perfect tree.

On Christmas eve, my dad would always come home (around 5ish) and tell us that he had seen Santa’s sleigh and reindeer on his way home from work. All seven of us would scurry and get into our beds

Then we would hear all this noise, doors opening and closing – hahahaha as we giggled in our beds.

After awhile the front door bell would ring and then we would be told that Santa had come and we could get up.

It was fun as we got older and had to play along for the younger siblings.

My dad says this was the most wonderful time of his life

After my wife and I were married I took her to buy a Christmas tree for our home. She never had a tree before because she is Jewish. She got so excited about the whole experience of choosing a tree that it was just a fantastic thing to see.

So my holiday memory would have to be dessert at my stepdad’s mom’s. no matter what the holiday there was always cheesecake… my fave!

I always fondly remember the days when my son was little and couldn’t wait for Santa to arrive. We always had to wake up very early, but opening presents together (after putting the coffee on first thing!), having breakfast together and then spending the rest of the day with family are my most treasured memories of this special time.

My son loved to listen to stories on tape. His favorite was “Twas the night before Christmas”. He listened to it all the time, didn’t matter the season!
The following Christmas, when he was three, we decided to dress him up and video tape him reading the story. He was going along reading the story when we realized he kept making this beeping noise every time he turned the pages.
Then it dawned on us that on the tapes they always tell you to turn the page when you hear the sound!
My son is 18 now and that still makes me laugh thinking of it:)

Merry Christmas to All and to All a Good Night (beep !)

Denise

My son was about 4 (he’s now 31, so it was a while ago!) and just learned the “Christmas Story”. One day he went to the kitchen to get himself a pickle. He walks into the living room and says “Look! A pickle wrapped in swaddling clothes!” One of my favorite memories.

When I think about childhood Christmas I always remember the movie camera lights and being blinded by them on the way towards the Christmas tree. When I view the films now you can see us all blinking and smiling. Straight out of the 50s!

Baking cookies with my kids on Chirstmas Eve, to leave out for Santa. Then rushing them to bed, so I could eat the cookies while they were still warm.

For me, my favorite holiday memory was when I went to New York for Christmas one year with my parents when I was a child. Its absolutely amazing being in the city with those you love.

My favorite Christmas memory is from when I was almost 7 years old. Before going to bed, we put a plate of cookies and a glass of milk on the hearth of the fireplace.
My parents work my brother and I up after we had fallen asleep and we saw Santa in a red suit placing gifts under the tree. I later found out it was my Dad’s cousin many years later. But from that point on I was telling all my friends at school – Santa was at my house. He made some noise and we woke and up and saw him. So cool.

My favorite Christmas memory is when I volunteered at a food kitchen on Christmas Eve, I have never felt so humble or so blessed……

When I was in junior high my parents decided that we would do homemade Christmas gifts for everyone that year. One of my grandmothers was also visiting with us and she decided (unbeknownst to me) to make me a large stuffed panda bear because I really love pandas. Unfortunately, in the process of making it she found out she was highly allergic to the fur! Rather than scrap the project, my macho manly dad said he would take over the project and HE sewed & stuffed a huge panda bear for me (about 3 feet high & 3 feet wide). While I was thrilled to find it on Christmas morning, to see my dad’s initials stitched into the side & know that he cared enough to actually do that for me (he normally didn’t do any domestic type of chores at all!) was really a gift. I still have that panda to this day & I just love that special Christmas memory. That homemade gift spelled L-O-V-E in a way no store-bought gift ever could! Merry Christmas, everyone!

When I was young, my fond memories of Christmas was putting up the Christmas tree on Christmas eve and spending time with my family.

One of many fond memories of Christmas was when my son was 2 years old, and my daughter 3
we were decorating the tree and putting the twinkle light in the apartment. Well, my son decided
that the lights looked so pretty and wondered what they would taste like while they were twinkling
so I had to take him to the emergency room, little did I know he put cellofane up his nose too. They had to use tweesers to to get it out. As for the lightbulb he ate, the docor’s said he would pass it out in his diaper. That’s how we spend Christmas Eve that year. You would have to know my son, he was accident prone. He is the same kid that put his tounge on a pole in the middle of winter. We laugh about it to this day!

…would love to get a break in these difficult times, would love to enter your drawing for the BREWBOT! Maybe this time… Thanks! GINA

I loved coming home with our Christmas tree picked out carefully from the tree lot. We would put on Christmas music and have yummy cookies and hot cocoa and decorate the tree. What a warm memory.

My best Christmas memory? When I was a kid, we would all gather at my Grandmothers house for Christmas and when we walked into the room, the presents would fill half the floor space! Opening gifts, Christmas dinner and then game day with the entire family. And no fighting was allowed! My grandparents and parents are all gone now and Christmas just does not feel the same.
One of my earliest memories was a Christmas where my parents had wrapped a small locked box as one of the first gifts to open. I had to go through all the presents under the tree to try to find the key to be able to see what was inside. After all the gifts were opened, I finally found the key hanging on the Christmas tree! Inside was a savings bond, LOL. Not something a 5 year old would get excited about, LOL. But I still have the box and the memory!

My most favorite Chrismas memory was of the family whose car broke down in front of our house and my Dad helping them get started again. While he helped with the car Mom invited everyone in to warm up and get refreshed before starting out again. It took quite a long time but we sang Christmas songs and really enjoyed having the visitors. This was over fifty years ago and the couples kept in contact for many years. I don’t think I will ever forget that Christmas.

WOW!!!! I could so use something this spectacular! I love it! Thank you for the opportunity.

I love adding presents under the tree when the kids are in school. I love to watch their faces when they get home and run to the tree.

When my son was little, on Christmas Eve, my hubby rang jingle bells outside his window. He came screaming out to me. It was terrible. LOL

Love just being with the family every Christmas!

My favorite memory is when I woke up to find a small puppy sitting on my chest and licking me, think I was around 12.

My mom passed away when I was 6, so Christmas was always hard for me. One year, my aunt sent all of the immediate family yellow socks to wear in memory of my mom. It was so special for all of us!

When I was 15 my mom died unexpectedly in late October. Needless to say none of us were in the mood to celebrate Christmas, nor did we have the money. My moms birthday was December 10, which was the day she would always decorate. On that day that year we all talked about my mom, and how she loved Christmas. Some how we all found some Christmas spirit. We all piled into the car and went downtown. My dad and my 2 older brothers. The plan was everybody would pick out and buy one special present for each family member. After returning home we decorated the house as my mother would have done that day. On Christmas day we came together and exchanged our presents. The best part was that as we gave each person their present we talked about how and why we picked the present for each person. Each person received 4 presents, but we sat for hours exchanges those presents just as if their were 100 gifts to open. The Christmas that almost wasn’t became one of the best Christmases ever. And we know that we had an angel in our mist for Christmas.

My favorite thing to do on the holidays is watching parades. When I was in grade school I entered a contest. The entrant had to choose one of the floats and submit a drawing. I have no idea why I chose the strong men and have no idea why they were on a float. Anyway I won the mouse trap game and played the game with my sister until we lost all the pieces. This always bring a smile to my face. And that was just the tip of the iceberg. Entering contests brings much joy. I even got my mom involved. At 80 years old we would bring a cup of coffee to her bed and attend to our junk mail.

One of my most wonderful Christmas memories is the year my son and I were on our own for the first time. He had turned 3 in November, and was aware of the story of Santa. I had already spent what I could afford to spend on one toy and a few books for him, as well as bought a cornish hen (the cost of a turkey was out of the question) and the sides for us to have a nice dinner. The only thing I hadn’t thought of was the tree! I had no funds left to get one, and it was already the week of Christmas when I realized I wasn’t going to have the funds in my last paycheck of the year. We discussed a few times that though we’d both been nice and kind to others, there were some things that even Santa couldn’t arrange, as long as we remembered the true reason for Christmas and a tree didn’t matter. It was a total shock on Christmas eve morning to look outside to find a tree leaning against the front steps, left by a friend for us to find. That night I woke to be sure Santa had left the gifts under our wonderful tree lit with a string we’d had stored away as well as aluminum foil stars we’d made, and found my son sleeping under it! So I had to go about the tasks very quietly. His story the next morning was that Santa had come, and had an angel with him too, because he’d seen one with long hair who had sparkles all over here as she walked around. There have been many wonderful family times since with my new husband and two more children, but that wonderful year of 1979 is one of the most precious to me.

My dad died when I was 12. The very last Christmas we had with him was like any other, except there was no snow. Living in NH, we look forward to a white Christmas. My dad had remarked earlier that evening that he wished it would snow. As we walked out of midnight mass, the church bells were ringing and it began to snow. We didn’t know it would be our last Christmas together but even if we had, I don’t think we could have had a more perfect gift.

The year my children were 7 and 4. Christmas was a wonder to each of them and God’s Love shown down on us that Chriristmas!

My niece was getting too old to believe in Santa so we had a friend come over dressed as santa in the middle of the night. We knew she was watching for him…so she told her mom who then “woke” all the adults so she could see it wasn’t any of us dressed up. It totally convinced her and it was such a fun Christmas full of the magic of Santa.

No matter how old I get, I can never sleep in on Christmas. I’m always the first one awake at like 4 am waiting at the top of the stairs for everyone else to wake up! Thanks for this giveaway. I hope to see it under my tree for the hubby this year!

Once my sister was having a hard time getting presents for her son. I was fortunate enough to win some money and was able to halp her buy gifts for him. Seeing her face and his on Christmas morning was an incredible feeling.

We are having such a good time sharing Christmas with our three grandsons. So thankful to be able to celebrate our Savior’s birth with my family.

Years I ago received a blender from my boyfriend on our first Christmas together. I was a little underwhelmed, to say the least. I thanked him and set it aside but he insisted I open the box. Inside I found a stuffed bear with a small gold chain around it’s neck with a gold heart on it. He explained that he’d wanted to give me his heart. We’ve been married for over 20 years now.

I love the holidays it brings familes together

i love being with my family

One of the best Christmas I ever had was about 30 years ago. As a family with 5 demanding kids, both my parents struggled to make Christmas great. But like all families, someone always was not satisfied, got something someone else wanted or didn’t get (hence me..Santa wrote the wrong name on the present and my sister got what I wanted.) As Christmas was getting near, my sisters and I noticed a present under the tree, a huge box. The problem was there was no name on the box. It drove us crazy trying to figure out who’s present. We moved it, shaked it, it had no sound and no clue. At this time, we are dying of curiosity and excitement of who will get it. Christmas Eve came and we all got to open a present before bed, but still no name on the box. I wasn’t overly concerned since I gave up and figured it had to be for my one of my 2 younger sisters. I felt as a middle child – - I got the shaft being too old for some things and too young for others. As you would expect money was short and their time was limited. My mother and father worked both Christmas Eve and Christmas alternating shifts. I remember my father always seem to be working the holidays. On Christmas Day, my father woke me up as he was leaving for work. He told me to come down stairs. He gave me THE BOX. It was for me and my name was on it. I couldn’t believe it, all for me. He wants to see me open it since he had to work. So at 4 am I opened this huge box..finally getting to see what was in it. To my confusion, it was another wrapped present inside. I proceed to open the 2nd box, and the 3dr and 4th until finally after open several boxes in 1 huge box I am not that happy. I open the last box and there was an envelope, I open it up and the letter read …see next box. I couldn’t believe it. I just wasted all my time opening boxes and now another box. All the while, my father was laughing. But I didn’t think it was funny. So he hands me the “other box.” I figured great.. what next.. After mounds of tissue paper, there is was. Something I wanted but was told it was very expensive. It was beautiful. I got the radio that I wanted. Not just any radio, one that was hidden in a stuff dog animal. So that I can listen to the radio as I sleep. They were hard to find. At 10, it was the best present I ever got. It wasn’t until later did I realize the real present was knowing that my father may not be around much but he was there for me. It wasn’t about the present it was he way of showing he understood everything and how I felt. That was the best Christmas and one of my greatest memories of just my dad and me.

My favorite memory is Christmas Eve 4 years ago. My husband is a bit of a joker and likes to get the crowd going by doing and saying funny things. His very religious grandmother had opened her present (a granite etching of Jesus) and burst into tears. When she showed everyone her gift, he bursts out with “who’s that?” and got the crowd laughing and a retort from Gram of “Don’t be a jackass!”. One of his aunts said to him, so inappropriate but so funny!

One of my favorite Christmas moments is watching my young sons take in all of the holiday excitement, lights, colors and sounds. While they sometimes get “overstimulated” and “meltdown” that’s actually part of the charm. Seeing Christmas throught the eyes of children helps us remember the wonder of the season.

I cannot wait for this giveaway!!! Good luck to everyone .. but I’m taking it home! lol

My favorite Christmas memory is actually a photograph with Santa that was taken when the kids were little. My youngest daughter Stephanie was terrified of him and refused to go up to his chair. SO when we finally got her to go take a toy out of his hand I told the photographer to snap the picture when she turned no matter what. So Santa is looking at her, her hair is standing out in a flair around her, her brother is looking at the toy and her sister is looking at one of the “elves” trying to touch his ear. It was one of those “everything went wrong” photos. But it’s my favorite by far because its so unposed.

A working mother of four, wrapping was never finished on time, so after midnight Mass, and till about 4:30 in the morning, I’ve been wrapping, year after year…
The first year, one of the kids caught me cleaning up, the eager beaver.
But as they get older, I can take my time, and now that they are collegers, I have to wake THEM up!
They still love to take pictures in their pajamas under the tree. I’m happy they haven’t grown up. And they sure like their coffee …. hint, hint… think Brewbot,
ssp

I got a white pair of go go boots

My favorite memory is going out and finding a xmas tree with my family.

This would be the best Christmas gift. A great gift for the kitchen is a Tassimo.

my favorite would be when my kids were first born,their first christmas i will never forget!

My favorite Christmas memory is of my grandmother she would spend days making home made candies and she would bring empty butter cartons filled with all her delicious treats. Then she would make elaborate platters filled with her treats in wonderful designs. I was honored when my grandmother asked me to watch the platters and keep them stocked—I spent the day replacing each item the moment it was consumed.

One year, I got a Barbie motorhome (late 70s, I believe, maybe very early 80s… it was yellow and orange and huge!). I also got a beginning sewing kit which at the time I thought was the worst thing ever… Barbie was so much cooler. Yeah, guess what I still have parts of and use? The sewing kit. Turns out it was one of the best gifts ever.

My favorite holiday memory is from my childhood. We lived in a house that had exposed beams in the living room. I woke up in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve to get a drink of water. I noticed a large, long, thick think propped against the wall. I thought one of the rafters fell down!! When we all woke up, my misconception was exposed. We had gotten a Basketball Goal for Christmas! The pole was in a box propped against the wall.

When I was about 6 years old , while my parents were working, I remember being consumed
with the “need to know” what my packages contained. So carefully I gathered them from under the Christmas tree, undid the tape, and unwrapped all my gifts. Then I rewrapped them. Christmas morning I acted surprised as I tore open the paper, but I also felt guilty!
And I never opened my presents early again!

Flashback 1971, I was 6 years old . My Christmas list to Santa consisted of a Chrissy Doll, the Barbie Friendship Airplane & an Easy Bake Oven. My parents promised me I would receive a gift no one else would get, but what could it be? I didn’t care, I remember I wanted that Oven!!! I woke up early and found my parents were already dressed and ready to go out. My dad bundled me up and quickly brought me to grandmas without opening any gifts. I remember being confused. What’s with this I thought? Christmas was late that year. My parents were right, I did get a present no one else had- a new sister named Rochelle Antoinette. In the end, it was the BEST Christmas. I held & sang to my new little sister & promised to teach her about Santa. I still can’t remember if I actually got that Easy Bake Oven but it didn‘t really matter.

I have a 19 year old and a 2 year old………yep 19 & 2.

My son (19) when he was little he would categorize and line up his presents. He was and is to cute Funny i see the same characteristics in my daughter (2).

My son still gets excited about x-mas (he has no clue this year what we got him). I am so looking forward to x-mas morning with presents marked BUBBYS( Zoies big brother Brandon) and ZOZO(Zoie the little sister)). So much fun ( i am getting teary eyed just thinking about it

A brewbot would be perfect for me

Happy Holidays

My favorite memory is of a toy stove that I got from Santa at about age 5. It had a friction motor on it that made sparks shoot out of the burners. I was so excited to use my plastic and metal pots and pans.

The kids got some costumes for Christmas including wigs. It was funny to see them all dressing up.

My story is quite sad, I moved just recently to AL and when we were unpacking, my coffee pot broke, I received this precious gift from my grandmother and can not get over it. It was all glass and very old fashioned, miss that pot. So I really need a new one.

One of my favorite Christmas memories was when I was about 18 my gift to the family would be to fill the stockings. My family is always playing practical jokes on each other so I carried it through to the stockings. I found a very realistic looking rat and put it in the bottom of my mom’s stocking. She screamed, we all laughed and for years afterward the rat would randomly show up to terrorize my mom!

When I was about 8 years old I found where my parents hid all the presents. I carefully opened and rewrapped each gift. It was the worst Christmas I ever had. I never peeked again.

I was divorced with 2 small boys, 4 & 6; I had just started dating my husband (now married 13 years) and it was to be our real first Christmas, as we are Jewish, but he isn’t. He had me wake the boys up and tell them that Santa Claus was outside. I think my little one flew off his top bunk bed, and they ran into the living room to look out the window excitedly. My husband started in the garage and ran down the street shaking sleigh bells so the sound went further and further away. I said look up in the sky and try to find him, they didn’t see Santa but they heard him and to this day they remember that night fondly.

We played a terrible joke on my mother one year! She always bought the larget turkey available from the fresh turkey farm and baked it to perfection. One year when she was out of the kitchen we switched her 40-pound turkey with a cooked cornish hen and put it in the same roaster from which we removed the turkey. We lifted the roaster out of the oven as though it was really heavy and much to her surprise when she opened the roaster, there was a one pound cornish hen. The look of disbelief on her face was priceless!! We never let her forget that over the years. She is gone now, but I will always cherish this Christmas memory which still brings a smile to my face.

Best Christas ever was when I was in pre-school. Got 2 items I loved–a set of bells which were playsed like a piano and a set of sewing cards. Kept me busy for hours.

My favorite holiday memory is seeing my childrens eyes light up when we drive around town looking at Christmas lights, baking cookies, putting ornaments on the tree, and opening presents on Christmas day. Seeing it through the kids eyes makes me feel like a kid again. It is such a magical time for them. I will miss this as they grow up.

My mother was such a quiet inspiration to me and has influenced so many of my choices even though she passed many years ago. One Christmas, I just couldn’t contain my curiosity and hunted relentlessly to find her stash of not-yet-wrapped Christmas presents. Despite my love of that sweet anticipation and the joy of discovery on Christmas morning, I had this burning desire to know what was waiting for me. I eventually caught a glimpse of her carefully hiding a new purchase in her bedroom closet behind some boxes. Once alone, I went through the collection. To my dismay, I found myself sitting among very carefully chosen gifts and crying. I felt as though I had ruined my Christmas and was so utterly disheartened…and the guilt was almost unbearable!
A few days before Christmas, I tearfully confessed to my mother and told her how I felt that I had robbed myself of that precious joy of waking on Christmas morning and reveling in each new gift. In her sage and wonderful way, she told me that we all make choices and that it teaches us which ones we might not wish to repeat in the future. She told me it was kindest for the others at Christmas to appear surprised so they didn’t feel the same disappointment I was feeling.
On the blessed morning, I awoke and plodded into the family room and was fully prepared to be as genuinely surprised as I could manage but felt so disappointed in myself. To my delight, each gift I unwrapped was one I truly wanted and had never seen before. My loving mother had gone out and fought the last minute crowds to return the gifts I had seen and choose new ones so that I would have that precious moment. Now, as a mom and a grandmother, I realize how much love was in that act and her great wisdom in knowing that I had learned a valuable lesson. We were not wealthy and my gifts were modest and practical but I never needed extravagance…just the love that she constantly showed me and I now recognize was all around me.

i’d love to win one

The site is soo s

Last Christmas was the first for my new husband and I. We instantly became like the Brady Bunch, as I had 5 children from a previous marriage and he had 5 also. Even more precious, I have 10 beautiful grandchildren and he has 4. So, needless to say, our holidays are quite interesting. Last Christmas we had a beautiful little Grandson Jesse who just captured everyone’s hearts with his dancing and singing around the Christmas tree. This past July our little Jesse was involved in a drowning accident. He went home to be with Jesus 7 days later, after being on lifesupport. Our lives will never be the same. A part of our heart is missing although we know Jesse is with Jesus. So, we’re doing our best to make Christmas a happy time for all the other Grandchildren. We put on our brave faces and smile through the pain. No, Jesse won’t be with us on Christmas day…but our love for him and the memories we have will always live in our hearts.

I will always remember waiting for Christmas. Then I knew that my birthday was here, its 2 days after. On my birthday I always got a fruitcake. My mom made these yummy fruitcakes that I really loved. And I was happy to get one, or even rather get one of those cakes. I love my mom forever.

My favorite Christmas memory is when my husband proposed.

My favorite holiday memories are from when I was a kid and we would make cookies for Santa and we would wake up early and sit on the stairs until we could go down to open gifts.

We would make as many breakfast recipes as possible the night before. We would visit our Aunt’s house for a huge supper Midnight Mass then more food. In the morning, we would go to Grandpa’s house, heat up everything and eat and open presents. It was always fun to try new recipes this way!

My favorite holiday memory is Christmas at my grandparent’s old house. It was the one day of the year when all of my relatives from around the country would be in the same place–I was always especially glad to see my cousins! We’d open presents in the basement, so naturally, my cousins and I would sit down there and shake every last package and try to guess what was inside. Now that we’re all adults, Christmas isn’t nearly as fun!

Since before I was born (which wasn’t that long ago!) my mother and my uncle always exchanged bazaar, strange and ugly gifts. One Christmas about 10 years ago we recall something under our Christmas tree starting to smell. During the Christmas present unwrapping my mom found the gift from my uncle. In it were crushed-not-rinsed beer cans and a bottle of beano. The following year we decided we needed to one up that so we decided to head to the Salvation Army to see what they had.
We had a family get together where we all gave each other gifts. After everyone opened their Christmas gifts during the family get together my mom brought out a HUGE bag.
Imagine a Kleenex box cover made of wood. Now imagine it being upholstered with furry leopard print fabric. That’s not the bad part. The bad part was that there was a 7 foot long leopard print tail attached to it. Who the heck made this?! That was it, there wasn’t a head or anything to suggest that it was an animal.
Let’s just say that we all laughed for about 20 minutes straight and we all lost our voices that Christmas.

One year I wished so much for a white Christmas, snow was not even in the forecast. We always traveled to my Aunt’s house on Christamas Day. Suddenly- later in the afternoon, it became over cast and then it started snowing! It was beautiful, but my Dad said we have to leave and get back home before we would not be able to travel on the roads! IT was a fun day!

For the longest time, every year we would go with my aunt and cousin to the mall to Christmas Shop. It became tradition to listen to the song about Lester the Donkey. We still laugh about it and continue to play the song each year when we get together to celebrate my mom’s birthday!

Hi, I gotta say Christmas 2010 will be the best. See my Dad went into the hospital two days before Thanksgiving. He had gall bladder surgery. Sounds simple right.. It wasn’t. My Dad is 74 yrs old. 2 years ago for Christmas he had lung surgery and the year before that he had open heart surgery. So, this is when he had the most trouble. The gall bladder was inflamed and perforated. He said he’s been sick for 3 weeks, well it could’ve been longer, we just don’t know. We only knew he was sick 5 days. He spent 2 weeks in ICU, on a breathing machine, very close to dying. He spent 1 week in his own room. The surgeon said he came in a very sick man before the surgery and afterwards he was a very sick man. My dad can tell you, that it would’ve been easy to stop trying, but after he started to fight back, it was a hard battle. After 3 weeks in the hosp. My Dad is home. They sent him home with an open would. I thank God for his recovery. He’s not recovered yet, it’s a slow process. He forgot lots of things, how to work the computer, where the bathroom was.

It’s been really hard on my Mom, I’ve been there 110% and then some. I kept rock solid for her. This is the best Christmas, as God has answered prayers for my Dad to live.

Thanks, PEG

I was 7 years old….and was really sick with a fever in the middle of the summer. I had to stay off my feet and rest….whick was really hard for me to do!!! I was a kid always wanting to play. Santa came to visit me in July!!!! I so badly wanted a Easy Bake Oven for Christmas. I was told I was too young. I loved the commercial on TV and had my face smeared onto the screen every time it aired.
Santa came to play me a visit….and told me he wanted me well. He let me open a present that he had for me as long as I stayed in bed and got better. Then once I was better….I could play with my easy bake oven. Oh my gosh……I screamed with excitement as I opened it. I was really for me!!!
It was my most favorite gift that Santa has ever given to me (Thanks Mom and Dad!) and I am now 47….and still have my Easy bake oven. The memories of actually getting it….are so special to me.
I was quite a baker and at a young age…..

My happiest Christmas memory…this is a hard question for a Jewish person to answer-most of the time you just kind of counted the minutes until the holiday was over. It’s kind of hard being the only kid in your neighborhod , who is not getting together with family and having this wonderful celebration!!!!
I started volunteering on Christmas for a program, that’s goal was to fill jobs with Jews so other people could have the day off to be with their families. I wasn’t so noble, I just wanted something to help pass the day. One Christmas my family’s job was to deliver meals to home-bound seniors. Sadly, for some of them we were the only company they might get all day and this day was magical Christmas! I learned a lot that day, that it’s not the celebration, the presents…but what you give from the heart that makes life special!