Christmas Traditions and Memories

Why do we spend so much time decorating our homes at Christmastime?  For me, it is not about my obsession with perfection. Okay, it might be just a little!  Really, it is all about the traditions and memories, and doing my part to create that special holiday feeling!  The past few days have been really hard for me… knowing that Christmas is right around the corner, and missing my brother who passed away in May. Family is so important at Christmas and my brother Mark was the only one who shared the same childhood memories as me. As adults, we always looked forward to seeing each other at Christmas time. For some reason, now that he is gone, the hugs are what I remember the most. There is just something about your "little brother" being all grown up, and bigger than you!  Sometimes it had been six months since we’d seen each other.   Seeing each other again brought back all the childhood memories, and it didn’t feel like Christmas until we met back together at Mom and Dad’s. 

We were under three years apart in age, and as in most families, Christmas was a very special time.  We may have fought like cats and dogs 364 days a year, especially during those fun adolescent years, but on Christmas we put all that aside and we were BIG on tradition. Let me share some of the special memories I have from those early Christmases in Texas. Can you remember how early you would wake up on Christmas? 

Well, I can’t remember what the time was, but Mom and Dad would let us know and we weren’t allowed to get up on Christmas morning until that certain time. So, EARLY in the morning, Mark and I would wake up and get together in his room and play cards until the time came.  Precious memories!  Then, when Angie (my sister, 10 years younger than me and 7 than Mark), joined the brood, we all starting “camping out” and sleeping together in one of our rooms on Christmas eve. We did this until I got married!  When I look at my kids I realize how important these young years are, the relationship they are forming with each other, the memories. These are the things they will remember, just like I do! For those of you reading my blog, thanks for sharing in my memories… I don’t mean to gush, I see my blog as a way of helping me to remember my feelings and journal my journey. I’d also like to print this blog for my children as a permanent memory of what I held dear, so I often write posts like this with that in mind. Blessings to you and your families as you remember Christmases past and present. I guess I am progressing through my grief, as I am finally able to the look at the pictures of my brother, even though it is is very emotional. 

With Jayden Christmas 2004

Christmas 2007

Last year, reading The Night Before Christmas to my boys

Christmas 1997

 Last year in Branson.