When I was 18, a few months after graduation, I moved out of my parents house into a tri-plex that my dad and I owned. It was very close to Christmas so my parents told me to buy only what I needed... Santa was coming soon! It was probably the first year my folks had $$$ to spend on us kids for Christmas.
My mom asked for a wish list of everything I wanted for the apt. just in case. My sister was 13 years old at the time. All the gifts were under the tree, wrapped, several days before Christmas.
Being 18 and on my own I stopped by my mom's every night after work for dinner and a lunch for the next day...also to pick up my laundry all nice and folded and of course my mom "baby" sat my dog for me....anyway...at least I was on my own
My sister kept bugging me to guess what the presents were...well...heck I could tell...vacuum cleaner....popcorn maker...coffee pot....I kept telling her I didn't want to guess...I knew what I asked for...
she kept bugging me...I know now it was her excitement...and joy...I am sure she was with my mom on the shopping days....
well...I guessed...just to get her off my back...
guessed them all right...every single one....
She was so bummed....
Wish I hadn't guessed right...I never guessed right, after that night, when a child asked me to....my luck ran out....
Awww, Gary...... You're activating my pregnancy hormones. 2nd time today someone has made me cry over some sad Christmas-related story. One of my co-workers' tree fell over yesterday & broke her "baby's 1st Christmas" ornament that was her 22-yr-old's.
We had a lot of those "first" ornaments and the ones the kids made in school. A couple of years ago Angie boxed them all up for each kid to have...the kids pretty much remembered the ones they made.
On a more serious side: We have an advent tradition of hanging a stocking for Jesus on the mantle with our family stockings. Then each night, after we light the advent candles for dinner, we each say things that we did that day to help others in some way. We write these down on little slips of paper and put them in Jesus's stocking as our birthday gifts for him for Christmas.
On a lighter side, I remember when my oldest decided that kids were asking Santa for all the wrong things. See, everyone she knew asked Santa for gifts you could find anywhere. She told us, "You know, Santa has his own workshop so he can make anything. Kids should ask Santa for the things they can't find in the stores." Needless to say, the next few Christmas requests proved challenging.
Well one Christmas tradition that we do is when we get the tree (which is sunday). We get together with DH's family for breakfast exchange ornamets for the person that we picked out of a hat the year before. Then go and get the tree. When we get back we usually play a game and that is usually Scrabble or something like that. It is a fun day.
my mother was never one who embraced the joy of cooking, heh heh, but every Christmas she made chocolate chip cookies and sugar cookies filled with raisins or pineapple. We left cookies and milk out for Santa Xmas eve. We'd have a big tree with all the lights and decorations in the dining room, and pile all the presents underneath it.
we had Christmas albums of music, I remember Julie Andrews singing the Bells of Christmas, and one was the musical story of Scrooge.
We got to open one present Xmas Eve, then everything else Xmas morning (usually pre-dawn, since we couldn't wait).
my parents filled our stockings with fresh fruit, huge navel oranges, and apples. and we'd open our box of See's Candy Xmas day. We usually had a bowl of uncracked walnuts around too.
my grandparents sent us these big boxes of wrapped presents, they lived far away. that was awesome. I remember they'd send us Timex watches all the time, one year I got a tape recorder (another awesome gift).
with all the gifts I got over the years, the one that really sticks in my mind was a watch with a red LED readout, it had a white plastic band with flowers. I loved that watch, I can't tell you why.
my older brother used to fly in to stay with us (he's much older than me), and he used to go shopping on Xmas even and always made me wrap his gifts(!)
I like getting gifts, but now I do get a bigger kick out of getting them for other people. Love that "omg, he/she will love that" moment. I went and picked up some presents last night in my neighborhood, and one store was giving out free mulled wine. I did appreciate that!
I love, love, love Christmas music, the Little Drummer Boy can make me cry. Yes, I have my sentimental streak.
Last edited by dragonwoman64; 12-04-2009 at 03:54 PM.
It's snowing here in Houston and the natives are freaking out.
It reminds me of about four years ago when it snowed Christmas morning and melted by noon. I remember looking out of my apartment window at the kids running from car to car trying to scrape off enough snow to have a snowball fight. Trust me, it was a very short battle.
I love, love, love Christmas music, the Little Drummer Boy can make me cry. Yes, I have my sentimental streak.
Me too! I love the Little Drummer Boy
I also like it that a few years back a station here started playing Christmas music 24/7 the day after Thanksgiving
I don't need it now though, Angie and I have a ton of Christmas music from the old traditions to Mannheim Steamroller to Trans Siberian to Jim Brickman and Andy Williams....Carpenters, Charlie Brown...Sawyer Brown...and on...I think Third Day Offerings is the one we like the best
I loaded my i-pod shuffle a few days ago...I am in heaven on my walks!
One of the gifts I remember from the past that I just loved...a used typewriter...rebuilt and in great condition...when I was in 7th grade...I was so cool All my buddies wanted to use it to type their reports...one finger at a time
There is a radio station in my area that will start playing Xmas music the Saturday before Thanksgiving until new years if i remember right. They play it 24/7.
well we just got home from one of our 2 parades that we are in this weekend. cold but it was fun.
Oooh, I LOVE Christmas! I love finding the perfect Christmas cards, filling them out with a nice message, putting a pretty sticker and attaching a candy cane. I love shopping for gifts that I think the receiver will love, and I don't even mind the lines nor the crowds. I love decorating the house, the tree, and even my desk at work. I love listening to Christmas music on the radio all the time. I love spending time with my family.
On a more serious side: We have an advent tradition of hanging a stocking for Jesus on the mantle with our family stockings. Then each night, after we light the advent candles for dinner, we each say things that we did that day to help others in some way. We write these down on little slips of paper and put them in Jesus's stocking as our birthday gifts for him for Christmas.
Angie and I just got home from dinner...Mexican tonight...we always have Christmas Eve at our house...around 20-30 people...we feed them...Angie has to play bells at early service at church this year...spent the evening trying to decide what to cook...we have had....
Santa was coming soon! It was probably the first year my folks had $$$ to spend on us kids for Christmas.
All my buddies wanted to use it to type their reports...one finger at a time 
