Share your Christmas memories here!

[Stubblecat]

I guess we're at that time where we start reflecting...

Got any big or small Christmas memories you'd like to share with the group?

I've got loads. My Father was in the Air Force and was away on Navy ships a lot when I was young. He also worked lots of other jobs so he could afford to spoil his family at Christmas and take nice vacations in the Summer.

I could go on for hours about Christmas 1980, but I'll make this memory a short one:

Christmas 1980 was the year my parents (or Santa, that is) got me just about every Star Wars figure in the Sears catalogue, as well as the Millenium Falcon. Last year I sold those figures and paid for my family's entire Christmas (as well as a custom-made guitar for myself).
I still have the Millenium Falcon and gave it to my oldest daughter, who's 5 and loves 'boy toys' more than 'girl toys'. Her and her younger sister play with that thing almost every day. At one point it was a My Little Pony headquarters.
That Christmas was the same year that Nova Scotia got pummelled by a massive snowstorm which shut most of our Province down for 3 days during Christmas break.

It was a magical time to be an 8-year-old.

[snookumsnort]

Christmas is always a big thing for our family. The most memorable one was the 1st Christmas without my dad. He passed away in November and we had to do that 40-day thing right smack in December. A priest comes over the house to celebrate Mass. Apparently, he is so clueless because he scolds us for being somber and still wearing "mourning" clothes during the Christmas season. A kind relative got him up to speed after the Mass and he was so apologetic to our family that it was almost funny.
Having so many relatives during a time that we were expecting to be very difficult definitely help us cope. Plus we put in more effort to make it extra special for my mom who has having a hard time then. It was a Christmas that was sad and happy at the same time.

[Stubblecat]

I, too, have vivid memories of the first Christmas without my Dad. It was 1987 and I was 14.
My family took the bus for a 6-hour trip to my Grandmother's for a big family-reunion Christmas thing.
I'm a fairly private person, so a house full of relatives overwhelmed me completely.

My Mom bought me a bright red Sony Walkman, and I just hid away fom everybody listening to The Beatles until it was all over.

[Reija]

I flew half way across the country to Vancouver to be with loved ones

[gtionalla]

did not seen any of them now days