December Magical Moment #11 Christmas Stories

[Gingerbug]

December Magical Moment #11

This year our collection of Christmas stories grew by leaps and bounds because half of Evan's 24 Days of Christmas gifts were books. I am always on the look out for good holiday stories and frequently they are children's books. I have learned a lot from children's books, maybe even more as an adult than as a child. The wonderful ambience created by stories is almost magical by itself.

But the stories I am thinking about right now are the stories created in families. Let me just say I realize there are hard times out there. I realize families have disagreements (we have plenty here), and I realize sad things happen and may distort our holiday memories. I know these things happen....I don't live in a vacumn. But I just want to say...RIGHT NOW....RIGHT HERE....reclaim your holiday memories....not the "perfect" Christmas...but "your" Christmas. The stories I decide to "hold onto" are the ones that are happy, positive, fun, and meaningful. WHY hold onto the others? Let them go.....choose to create and hold onto those memories that uplift and inspire. .......I'm doing several things this year to preserve memories.

1. Journal Your Christmas: I'm working my way (SLOWLY) through the Journal Your Christmas class and it has allowed me to sort through what Christmas is to me and to move toward that vision.

2. Elves Journal: The Magic Elves and othe family members are writing in the elf journal this year. I must say it is not as creative and put together as I envisioned.....its sort of "imperfect".....but I'm not going to get hung up on how "special" the pages look or I'll never get anything in it! So let's just say I'm going for content rather than presentation!!!

3. Story Telling: Through December we are trying to focus more on sit down dinners rather than eat and run. At each one I am making an attempt to steer the conversation around to holiday memories and family stories.

So what Christmas stories are you weaving this year? How do you hold on to the stories that uplift and inspire??? Or make you laugh!!!

 

[Ahorsesoul]

Wow, what an eye opener. I can't remember one Christmas in any detail. The only one I remember as a child is the time I opened my Dad's gifts (wasn't on Christmas but a few days before) and realized he sent me everything on my list because he was feeling guility that he shipped me off to my Aunt's (again). Guess I should write that story out for my BOM.

I really need to get some good Christmas memories made! lol

 

[KimD]

Our Christmas memories have never been written down. But even my kids nieces and nefhews could tell you them all. Since my mom still requires her kids to be together Christmas morning to open gifts together. All the stories are told everyyear. Every single one of them. Two of my brothers are really good at remembering years things happened. We all have great laughs together. When we were younger we couldn't stand each other at many times. But one thing I can say is that as adults the 5 of us kids are the closest siblings that can be. Not that we can't have our arguments but they don't last longer than a day. But then again we do spend alot of time together thru out the year. None of us live with in 5 miles of each other or our parents. All of our kids are the best of friends also. I look at DH's family and they hardly ever talk to each other or see each other. My children just relized in the past couple of years that they have another grandfather out there somewhere (lives about 35 mins away) but they have never seen him. They have two other uncles out there they have seen once each another aunt they have never met. Another aunt and grandmother that they do see a handful of times during the year but don't really care about they are mean. I look at his family and never want my relationship with my brothers to change.

 

[Holiday Joy]

KimD, it's nice to hear how close your family is, now that you've all grown up!

I used to love, love to hear my Mom tell stories of her Christmases when she was growing up. She could remember things in detail -- how old she was when she found this item in her stocking, what her step-dad had spent weeks making in secret for her or her siblings. She had the BEST Christmases ever! But my Aunt, her big sister, remembered them differently. The family was poor and had to scrimp and save for everything, and my Aunt hated it. They were only 11 months apart, but you'd think they grew up in completely different households! It's all in the attitude -- my Mom never thought of themselves as poor, my aunt could think of nothing else.

I'd love to hear Mom tell her Christmas stories again. Thankfully, before they passed away, I taped both my Mom and my Dad telling some of their favorite Christmas memories. Maybe I should journal mine for my children. I will definitely keep records of their recollections for them!

 

[MrsSoup]

I think i'm going to start journaling. After reading this thread yesterday I tried to remember my past Christmases but with not much luck, so I think this year I will start writing about them.

 

[KimD]

The more I have thought about this I think that it would make a wonderful gift for my mom and my uncles if I sat down and wrote down all the stories my gram told about her Christmas' growing up. I know them all like it was her telling them. As we all do. But it would be neat for even our kids to read.

 

[Holiday Joy]

YES, KimD, this would be a priceless gift!!! My sibs and I remember lots of the stories we were told, but we're fuzzy on detail, and it will only get fuzzier because there's no one left to ask! Do write them down. You can even add family pictures for a really special book.

 

[Gingerbug]

Kim...I think that is an awesome idea....and what a wonderful family treasure to have....ummm and speaking from one who knows....the memories do get a bit fuzzy...LOL

 

[momof4]

I love hearing my mom's and dad's stories of Christmases growing up in Germany. Mom often tells of the year she got a nice doll and how that was such a huge thing (She was a young girl during WWII in Germany - there weren't many "things" to be had.)

When I think back on my Christmases, the first thing that pops in my head is Mom and Dad sleeping while my 3 brothers and I played with our new gifts. My parents owned a bakery and December was a crazy time. Dad worked 15 hour days 6 days a week baking and Mom worked 10-12 hour days in the store. By the time I was 10 I had a real job during the month of December! I was responsible for packing up 1 pound boxes of Christmas cookies. I'd spend an hour everyday after school doing this. Within 3 or 4 days of Christmas it would get even crazier. There were times when Dad didn't have enough help "in the back" (baking) and he would pull 48 hours or more straight! Needless to say, by the time Christmas Eve night would come around, my parents were exhausted. We opened gifts on Christmas Eve after going out to dinner. Mom and Dad would doze off shortly after. I have one picture of Dad sleeping face down, stretched out on the floor with crumpled up wrapping paper all around him - pretty funny!