I have so many good holiday memories that it's hard to pick one to share. I remember one Christmas when my brother and I were 4 and 6. It was late evening, a few days before Christmas, and there was a knock on the door. Mother told me to go open the door and when I did, my heart jumped up in my throat. There stood Santa, big belly, white beard and all. He said, "Ho ho ho!" and I ran to my mother. My brother, who was 2 years younger, crawled behind the sofa and although we tried we could not get him to come out.

I remember another evening when my brother and I were standing on chairs at the kitchen sink helping my mother wash and dry dishes. There was a knock on the back door and when we looked, there was Santa looking through the glass.

My brother ran and hid again and I, being the brave one, opened the door for Santa. He wanted to know if I had been a good little girl and of course I said, "Yes". LOL

Funny thing, but my father was never around when Santa came. :)

Remember the year, gee not sure of the date.
But I was a teen, and no longer believed in Santa
Money was tight, so little went under the live tree.
Dad cut the tree and made a wooden x to hold it steady.
He placed it in a wash tub and added sugar water.
He read me from the Bible, the story of Jesus.
It snowed that night.
Looking up toward the mountains, the top was snow-covered
Just like pictures in a fancy travel magazine.
As I write this and remember, wonder what grands will say
This year not showing gifts under tree. And I will read the story.
Later after we eat we will bring out gifts, surprise
I pray to teach them a little bit this year.
Christmas is not about money but love.
And how I do love their shining faces.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A BLESSED NEW YEAR

I remember Christmas in 1965. Karl and I had just moved back to Michigan from NYC, and the money being a tad scarce, the holiday season had some of the sparkle and shine taken away. But, I made a Christmas tree out of three styrofoam balls and toothpicks, a can of spray snow and some tiny ornaments. The gift giving was simple, one for each of us and a few for our three month old daughter, Nancy. But there was snow on the ground, Christmas music on the radio, and a great holiday meal on the table. It was a good day and we looked forward to the next year and Christmas again. He had gone to work for GM which meant that we could sure afford more in the year than we could this day. But we were thankful for what we had. That Christmas is a good memory.

I REMEMBER SITTING AROUND
MY PARENTS CABIN IN THE WOODS
HOMEMADE ICE CREAM MADE BY UNCLE
AUNTIES PIES AND OTHER BAKED GOODS


I REMEMBER THE SCALLOPED CORN
COUS COUS SALAD AND SPIRAL HAM
AND MY BROTHERS HOME ON LEAVE FROM
THEIR DUTIES WITH OLD UNCLE SAM


I REMEMBER THE HAND MADE GIFTS
AND NOTHING BOUGHT FROM ANY STORE
ALL THE FAMILY GATHERINGS
AND PLAYING GAMES ON THE WOOD FLOOR


I REMEMBER SLIDING DOWN HILL
ON A HAND CARVED SLED DADDY MADE
AND WHEN MAMA WASN'T LOOKING
HAVING A COOKIE SNITCHING RAID


I REMEMBER PEOPLE NOW GONE
AND MISSING THEM STILL TO THIS DAY
I WONDER DO THEY MEET UP HIGH
TOGETHER ON THIS HOLIDAY

A living room gone dark
With only the orange glow
Of the fireplace


The handmade ornaments
Taking on an artistic bent
Under the tree lights


Cards sprinkled with glitter
Making a firefly spectacle of the mantle
In the dim light


My thoughts retracing days
When there were three children
Noisily preparing for bed


Now the house is quiet
The children are preparing their house
For Santa's arrival for their children


The wonderful gifts they gave
Full of sticky glue
And dribbled paint


How there are only two children
We are short by one
Who is missed so much tonight


It has been many years
But holidays bring back the pang
And tears to the eyes


Wherever you are
My Christmas Angel
We send our love and candy cane kisses



Joy3032
Remember Jill at Christmas 2008

We entered the door of the inn, decorated for the Holidays, with a big grin.
Outside the bushes and ground were covered with several inches of snow, But inside our faces were all aglow.



The banquet room to the right had been especially prepared for us, much to our delight.
Fine china and linen made a festive scene.
The table was set, fit for a king.



Once seated, they served the meal in courses.
We sat around the table and tried not to eat like horses.



Everything was quiet dinner conversation with napkins on our laps.
From the bar some had night caps.



The music was fine,
On Christmas goose we did dine.



Upstate NY at the Ben Conger Inn,
What a great place to celebrate Christmas with friends.



Ben Conger Inn
Groten, New York
December 23, 2001

may there be misltletoe in your house
a clock for the mouse
a toy for the girl and boy
and a whole lot of joy joy joy
may there be peace
and warm fleece
may there be love
from the one above
and most of all
stand tall
remember the jesus is the reason
for this holiday season

I remember when I was a little kid and winter was looked forward to because I had a sled. Now all I had to find was a hill that Mom would let me go on. Her idea of a hill and mine were far apart! If I could convince Dad to take me to the park there were small hills that Mom would let me try. (Naturally, I wanted the hills that were a bit more acute angled.) My Dad would let me know that if I got even a scratch, Mom would make sure I never got on the sled again. Then there was the ice skates...'nuff said. If there were a gold medal for falling on your butt....I would have been in the Olympics! I was good at making snowballs and defending the forts that me and my friends built. I even learned a dirty trick from Otis, my friend Janice's little brother. First you make a good snowball, pack it hard and just before you throw it....you spit on it. Kind of like adding insult to injury. Otis made the mistake of praising my spit-snowballs to his Mom. She had a 'little talk' with me. Something about acting lady-like? I wasn't about to tell her that Janice not only threw spit-snowballs but made them with bits of ice in them. Childhood...a wondrous time when we learn all about life. (Uh...yes ...I did teach my kids about spit-snowballs. I also told them not to tell anyone else about it so they wouldn't have to worry about getting hit with someone else's)

A long time ago and far away, I remember one Christmas we spent at my grandmother’s house. She at that time lived in a little four room house. The five of us went there for the holidays. It snowed and I got a little red wagon. Yeah one of those red wagons every boy wanted. I slept in two large wicker chairs pushed together and shucks we all did just fine. The big thing was on Christmas day all of the uncles along with their wives and families came. That was one crowded house but it was filled with playing children, storytelling adults and the women yakking, chasing children and trying to cook dinner. Of course way back then a big dinner was one of two things a big old baked hen or a ham that one of the sons, “Boys,” my grandma called them brought. And at my grandma’s house we only ate homemade biscuits, those great big fluffy ones that were brown and covered with homemade butter.

I do remember that one of my cousins was wearing short pants and here it was snow on the ground. Always wondered about that, but then shucks I had lots of playmates that day.

Now I think of it in retrospect, it was the best of times for we had made a big long trip to be there, heck it was about a 120-140 miles away from home. And back then US Route 11 was a two-lane paved road. But all of those people in one small house, all trying to talk eat and yes run up on the hill to the facility. Water was gotten from a faucet down on the road and brought in buckets to the house. There was the big old kitchen wood/coal stove and the big old warm morning in the main room for heat.

I have spent Christmases in a lot of places and under a lot of conditions in my life but I always remember that as one of the best for there were no arguments, no fussing, just one big family with togetherness.

After family comes and goes
Christmas celebrations through . . .
OH, SWEET LORD JESUS, STAY
in hearts that love & cherish YOU ~


Festivities ~ fellowships & feasts
we'll recall another day . . .
fill us with that we hunger for
OH, SWEET LORD JESUS, STAY ~


For You're the cherished Gift
that makes our living, Lord, worthwhile . . .
You are the bright & Morning Star
whose presence makes us smile ~


'Tis in Your presence we are filled
with Joy that does not cease . . .
You are Immanuel ~ God With Us
our glorious Prince of Peace ~


When this year's Christmas celebrations
are but distant memories . . .
OH, SWEET LORD JESUS, STAY
~ never leave us please ~


STAY that we may feel the warmth
Your presence doth afford . . .
and taste God's delicious Manna
for You are The Living Word ~


Though Christmas celebrations
are starting and will come another day . . .
we need you more than just this season,
OH, SWEET LORD JESUS, STAY !



Mary Carter Mizrany©
December 26, 2005