“When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things – not the great occasions – give off the greatest glow of happiness.”
― Bob Hope
When I was a little boy, my grandmother purchased me a tiny Christmas tree for my room. It stood proudly atop my dresser – probably all of 12 inches tall, with a handful of multi-colored lights interspersed between the artificial branches.
I can still remember the enjoyment I found sitting in the darkness of my bedroom – the only illumination coming from that little tree, while listening to the Alvin and The Chipmunks holiday cassette over and over again.
It was a solitary celebration I suppose, but to this day I still can remember how special it felt to have that little tree in my bedroom. It wasn’t the six and a half foot tree that stood in the living room for all to appreciate. No it was a tree just for me, purchased by someone who loved me immeasurably.
I’ve been thinking about that tiny tree a lot lately, no doubt because it reminds of me someone I miss dearly around this time of year. I consider myself truly blessed that I have so many wonderful memories from the past.
That’s the gift we should be sharing at our holiday tables – reliving treasured stories of holidays gone by with those we’re blessed to be creating new memories with in the present.
As long as the memories and the stories live on in our hearts and minds, those we miss during the holiday season will always be with us in spirit. So take this holiday season to share with your family and friends the joy and laughter you experienced many decades ago when everyone was a little younger, life was a little easier and people were only a phone call away.
Happy Holidays!
Craig- When our kids were young we made treks to the gulf coast every year to be with our parents. (We were lucky they lived in the same county) We loaded all the gifts (including bikes from Santa one year) into the car and hauled them back again, just so our kids would always have that connection to their grandparents. One year, when our kids were grown and only one of each set of grandparents was left, we made the trip just hours before my dad was rushed to the hospital. We stopped at the hospital to check on him and visit, then continued to my mother-in-law’s house where we always had dinner on Christmas Eve before mass. That night, after church, it started snowing. Six miles from the beach, at the tip of Texas, it snowed 11 inches over the next twelve hours. Our grown children built snow men and we lingered at my husband’s mother’s for hours until the roads improved.
That Christmas remains one of the most beautiful Christmas memories any of us have. And, sadly, the last Christmas my mother-in-law was to be with us.
You are so very right, Craig. Living deep and wholly in the spirit of the moment is how the best memories are made.
Thanks for sharing your heart with us, always.
And blessings to you and yours this holiday.
Karen