This Christmas is one of the first Christmases that my daughter Ella will remember. She’s four now so the memories that she is making have a chance of sticking around, at least I don’t remember much from before I was four. I started reflecting on Christmases from my childhood to think of what she’s likely to remember.
I remember family. Christmas for us was always a time for getting the whole family together. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, my parents and sister, and then friends who were as close as family. I remember baking Christmas cookies with my Grandma Geisert and dancing in the kitchen with my Grandma Bones and all of my aunts. I remember playing games with my uncles and grandpas. And lots and lots of laughs. There was not a Bones family get together that did not include lots of laughs, especially the year my Mom put on a Christmas Nativity skit where she played all 3 wise men, probably my single favorite Christmas memory.
I remember food. What’s a family get together without amazing food?! Cookies, pies, turkey or ham, and yummy potatoes. I remember gathering everyone together to pray over our food and thank God for all of His blessings.
I remember singing. My grandparents had a piano and my uncle would play Christmas music and my mom and aunt would join him in leading us all in Christmas Carols.
I remember reading the story of Jesus’s birth on Christmas Eve. And even though there would be a mention of Santa here or there, I remember the emphasis of Christmas always being on Jesus.
I remember the year the angel on top of the Christmas tree started smoking and could have caught fire.
I remember opening gifts. In my family we open gifts on Christmas Eve. After dinner we would all gather and open gifts one by one from youngest to oldest. We would take our time and demo or model the gift for the family. And how my mom would wrap our gifts, she hated when we got old enough to guess our gifts so she would wrap a small gift in a large box with cans of soup, towels, bottles of vitamins, and one time the entire contents of the junk drawer. Or leave them in another room and wrap a clue. Again, lots of laughs.
What I don’t remember is the stuff. I honestly can’t remember almost any gift I was given (Sorry Mom! I’m sure I loved them!). I don’t remember if the table cloth was wrinkly or if the Christmas morning waffles were burnt. I don’t remember any of the production quality type items I find myself getting wrapped up in now as an adult.
Reflecting on the memories of Christmas as a child serves three purposes. First that I need to relax about the details. Second that the focus needs to be on family togetherness and remembering that this is all about the birth of Jesus our Savior. And third, I really need to track down the video of that skit!
Merry Christmas!!!
*Picture is Ella as a sheep at her preschool Christmas Program
Author: Cassia Hobbs
I remember family. Christmas for us was always a time for getting the whole family together. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, my parents and sister, and then friends who were as close as family. I remember baking Christmas cookies with my Grandma Geisert and dancing in the kitchen with my Grandma Bones and all of my aunts. I remember playing games with my uncles and grandpas. And lots and lots of laughs. There was not a Bones family get together that did not include lots of laughs, especially the year my Mom put on a Christmas Nativity skit where she played all 3 wise men, probably my single favorite Christmas memory.
I remember food. What’s a family get together without amazing food?! Cookies, pies, turkey or ham, and yummy potatoes. I remember gathering everyone together to pray over our food and thank God for all of His blessings.
I remember singing. My grandparents had a piano and my uncle would play Christmas music and my mom and aunt would join him in leading us all in Christmas Carols.
I remember reading the story of Jesus’s birth on Christmas Eve. And even though there would be a mention of Santa here or there, I remember the emphasis of Christmas always being on Jesus.
I remember the year the angel on top of the Christmas tree started smoking and could have caught fire.
I remember opening gifts. In my family we open gifts on Christmas Eve. After dinner we would all gather and open gifts one by one from youngest to oldest. We would take our time and demo or model the gift for the family. And how my mom would wrap our gifts, she hated when we got old enough to guess our gifts so she would wrap a small gift in a large box with cans of soup, towels, bottles of vitamins, and one time the entire contents of the junk drawer. Or leave them in another room and wrap a clue. Again, lots of laughs.
What I don’t remember is the stuff. I honestly can’t remember almost any gift I was given (Sorry Mom! I’m sure I loved them!). I don’t remember if the table cloth was wrinkly or if the Christmas morning waffles were burnt. I don’t remember any of the production quality type items I find myself getting wrapped up in now as an adult.
Reflecting on the memories of Christmas as a child serves three purposes. First that I need to relax about the details. Second that the focus needs to be on family togetherness and remembering that this is all about the birth of Jesus our Savior. And third, I really need to track down the video of that skit!
Merry Christmas!!!
*Picture is Ella as a sheep at her preschool Christmas Program
Author: Cassia Hobbs
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