Christmas Memories

Christmas Memories

 'Tis the season to decorate and shop. 'Tis the season to seek peace, love, joy, and hope.

And ‘tis the season to remember.

I google a lot. I ask questions like “How do I know when a boiled egg is done?” or “How do I change the battery in my electric toothbrush?”

So, today I googled “Why are Christmas memories so special?” and was pleased to get a bulleted list, which you will see below.

(Feel free to share your own memories in the comments.)

• Family and connection:

Christmas is a time for bringing family and friends together, and these shared experiences create powerful, lasting memories.

Even after they had started their own families, my dad’s siblings and their offspring gathered every year at Christmas. For over 70 years and across five generations, the Vidals celebrated together with gifts, food, games, and laughter.  But the challenges of age, distance, and commitments eventually won. I miss those parties.

• Traditions:

A combination of special activities, like baking cookies, decorating the tree, or singing carols, creates a unique and consistent experience year after year.

One Christmas Eve, I was awakened at midnight by the sound of my young children singing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus. Their tradition is now part of our family's Christmas gathering each year. 

• Giving and gratitude:

The emphasis on giving and receiving gifts, as well as acts of service, creates a sense of joy and gratitude that can be deeply memorable.

One year, my three teenage children decided not to exchange gifts but, instead, make charitable donations. On Christmas Eve, they shared their giving stories. 

• Sensory experiences:

Memories are often tied to the senses, and Christmas is rich with them—the smell of special foods, the sound of Christmas music, and the sights of decorations all contribute to its magical quality.

Aunt Cathy's wassail smells like Christmas. I got the recipe from her and I make it every year. 

• Nostalgia:

Memories often center on childhood, and the nostalgic feeling of warmth and coziness associated with them makes them particularly special.

My office at the United Methodist Center was a couple of blocks from St. Paul’s UMC. Every December, Santa spent a morning with the children at the church’s day care, then walked to our office, where he distributed candy and led us in singing Christmas favorites. I always got excited when I heard his jingle bells enter the building. The year he retired, he gave me a framed picture of himself with a card that read, “Nancy, I loved doing this for you as much as for the little children, Love, Santa.”  

NOTE:

If I worked for Google, I would have added a couple of extra categories. For example:

• Catastrophes - burned meals, lack of wrapping paper, and gifts purchased, hidden, and forgotten.
• Special Christmas Trees - a tree in a playpen to protect it from a baby NOT in a playpen, ornaments too ugly to display but too sentimental to throw away.

But back to the Google list for a final reminder.

• Creating new memories:

As people get older, the focus shifts from receiving gifts to the joy of creating new memories with their own children and grandchildren.

I hope you are as excited as I am about adding new memories this year.