I wanted to write this post on Christmas Eve, but time runs away from me these days. So here I am on December 27, 2008 reliving past Christmas memories. Bear with me if you're feeling nostalgic.
As a very small girl living in Parker, Idaho my favorite part of Christmas was most certainly the lights on the tree. This was back in the day before "mini" lights. The lights were large enough to cast beautiful colored patterns onto the ceiling of our living room when the room lights were turned off. I loved to lay on the floor near the tree and just soak up the lights. I still like colored lights best.
This was also about the time that I discovered Christmas Eve and the following night were pratically never ending! How many times I would sneak down the long hallway crawling to see what Santa had brought! Often my sister Kristen would be my companion in these stealth outings. I'm not sure why we thought we had to crawl, but we did.
After we moved to Lewiston, Christmas morning often meant taking turns milking the cows. Although I never was fond of getting up in the dark (still hate it), I did love to sing Christmas carols outside to the sky and the stars (and cows) while changing herds or gates. I loved to sing with my dad and sisters in the barn and sometimes one of my uncles would come in and help for a bit and sing, too. While I would walk home from the barn when the milking was done, there was something special about the morning and singing was the only way I knew how to express what I felt. My heart felt as if I'd just sung with the choir of angels that had announced the Savior's birth. What a glorious feeling!
The first few Christmases with Project Man were memorable, too. We'd been married a couple of years and had moved to Provo, Utah to attend graduate school. We, like many university students, were living mostly on love and student loans. We did manage to scrape up $25 each to spend on the other. A day or two before Christmas, we drove to Kmart to find our treasures. We set a time limit, split up and hunted and sneaked around the store looking for just the right thing. I remember buying Project Man a demin jacket and new gloves. He bought me some perfume and a new hand mixer (don't worry, I like appliances). On Christmas Eve we unwrapped our presents under the Christmas tree so we could have our "own" Christmas before heading out to visit our parents on Christmas Day.
Our first Christmas with a baby was spent in Provo, too. Sadly, we were just as strapped for money as before and 3 days before Christmas, we still didn't have a tree. While Todd was at work that night, Amber and I had a visitor. A man that Todd had worked for during the summer at a construction job came to wish us a Merry Christmas. I was very surprised, but invited him in. He seemed a bit nervous, but questioned me as to Todd, the baby, and how we were doing in general. Before he left he told me how much he appreciated the work Todd had done for him over the summer and that he hoped we had a Merry Christmas. With that he shook my hand putting a $50 bill in mine. He wouldn't let me give it back, just wanted to help us out. The next day, I strapped Amber into her carseat in our old 1972 Ford pickup and headed out to find the cheapest tree in town. The tree lot at Sears had a spindly looking thing that I was able to get for $5. I threw it into the back of the old truck and headed home. While I was cutting off the bottom part of the tree out under our carport, my sweet neighbor LaRue came out to see what I was doing. She was appalled that I was doing this "man's work" and wanted to know where Todd was. I explained that he was working and that I didn't mind, but she couldn't be consoled. Be assured that she let Todd know what she thought about that! Now, I think I would have forgone the tree entirely, but at the time it seemed very important.
I could go on and on about memorable Christmases, but maybe I'll save the later ones for the next Christmas season. One of the best parts of getting a bit older is having so many wonderful things to look back on with happy memories and hope for more to come.
Merry Christmas, everyone.
4 comments:
Thanks for sharing your memories. Maybe if I'd grown up singing Christmas carols while milking cows I'd have a voice like yours. You think? I could just see you out there singing your heart out. I'd have liked to have been there with you -- I don't mind early mornings.
And the early married Christmas memories were sweet! Sometimes I feel like I'd like to go back to those less glitzy days. I felt a bit guilty about all the "loot" we opened this year -- especially in light of the economic woes of so many (but none that I knew personally).
Next year my goal is to increase the amount of money that we donate (bishop, Salvation Army, Food Pantry, Sub for Santa, etc.) and make more meaningful presents by hand. But if things aren't made (other than food goods) by Thanksgiving, they'll have to wait another year. I'm going to try to enjoy the holidays more.
Seriously? Am I the only one left who doesn't think back on the "college years" with fondness? LOL
I do look back and think of how lucky we were to meet you guys...and as Christmas cards have poured in this year we remember the Forsgrens, the Kerry's, the Heinz's...that part of the college years I am fond of!! :)
Merry Christmas!
I enjoyed reading your "Christmas Past". The milking the cows reminded me of the story about the boy that gets up super early and milks the cow for his father. I cry every time I read that book! I always laughed at my parents when they would tell Blake and I to treasure our "poor" years. Now I totally agree. They were some of the greatest learning experiences ever. I am so glad to have those memories. Thanks for the post. Happy Holidays
loved the post Julie! So sweet!
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