Christmas Memories of Days Gone By

My childhood Christmases were some of my fondest childhood memories. We were not well off financially but we always had wonderful Christmases. They were fairly traditional all except for one thing: we had it in the middle of the night! It was not until several years later that I realized that most people don’t have Christmas at 3:00 a.m. 😂

Actually, my dad worked a second job as a musician. He playing guitar 🎸 and got home around 2:00 or 3:00 a.m. So instead of him going straight to bed and having to wake up in a couple of hours, we’d all got up when he got home. By the time we were done opening presents, my mom would fix us a big breakfast and then she’d lay back down for a morning nap while we played with our new toys. Then it was off to my grandma’s for a visit and dinner. She would give each of her grandchildren a small gift or maybe just a dollar bill for Christmas, but the size of the gift didn’t matter to me. I loved my grandma. After a day of food and fun playing with my cousins and siblings, we’d pile back into the car and fall asleep on the ride back home.

When I was old enough to shop for presents on my own, I remember going to Ayr-Way (later bought by Target) and getting all my Christmas shopping done in one day. I loved being able to do this, and really enjoyed buying my family handpicked gifts. It didn’t matter that they were from Ayr-Way. I thought they were perfect gifts and I felt joy in giving gifts that I had bought on my own. In retrospect I believe this is when I first experienced gift giving as a blessing to the giver.

It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35

Now many Christmases later, with grown children and ever growing grandchildren, I still enjoy giving gifts at Christmastime, but more so it’s being together as a family and making memories together that I cherish the most. Our Christmas gatherings have taken on a deeper meaning to this aging wife, mom, and grandmother. Lord willing, I’ll have many more Christmases and many more years here on earth but I know my days are numbered.

Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. James 4:14

As for man, his days are like grass: he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone … But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him. Psalm 103:15-17

One day God will take me home and in turn, I’ll be but a memory to my loved ones, and awaiting to see them again in heaven. In the meantime it’s my hope and prayer that each one of my loved ones will have personally received the most perfect gift ever:

The LORD Jesus Christ.

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15