My mom loved Christmas. I’m pretty sure it was her favorite time of year. She was always giddy, happy and smiling during this time of year. I think she got so much joy out of seeing her kids get excited about presents and watching us in our Christmas programs at school and church year after year. Oh…and she was always doing her snow dance. Her idea of the “right” amount of snow was about 3-10 feet!
My mom started a tradition in our house of putting Christmas presents in or on the tree. My mom did this because one of her favorite Christmas presents, pearls she received from her father, were hanging on the Christmas tree. Since that time, she decided to put presents in the tree at her own home. I carry on the tradition today. Some of my favorite gifts of my growing up years either came in my stocking or were hanging on or sitting in the Christmas tree.
I will share three of my favorite presents I ever received in my stocking or on the tree. One year I received a Claddagh Ring. A Claddagh ring is a traditional Irish ring that has a heart with a crown on top and two hands holding the heart. I received it around the time I was 12 years old and the heart had a cubic zirconia in it. I loved that ring although it didn’t fit quite right. It was to replace the ring my brother had broken a few years ago. The ring is so special to me because it shows my heritage (Irish) and that means a lot to me.
Around the time I was eight years old I received a Peanuts necklace (shown below) that my mother had purchased from Avon. I like Peanuts and love all the movies, but my mom liked Peanuts the most, so I can’t let it go.
Finally, when I was 16, I received a tennis bracelet. I played tennis and my mother knew how much I wanted one. That tennis bracelet has been with me through a number of events in my life from proms, to band performances, flute solos, and banquets. This was probably one of the most treasured gifts I ever received from my mother, who is no longer with us.
Christmas Memory
Another precious memory of my growing up year occurred in 1999. I was part of the FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) at my high school and every year a Christmas breakfast was held where we invited a guest. The breakfast was at the school and we got there early in the morning to attend.
I invited the freshman English teacher, Mr. Wild and his wife, to attend. I invited them because she worked with me at the library, and I met him the summer before he started working at our school. I just felt they were the right people to ask.
At the breakfast, we are all asked to write something on a slip of paper for the other people in the group. To be honest, I have lost a few, but I have 2 that I have kept all these years. The two slips I still have is one from Mr. Wild thanking me for inviting him and one from my best friend, Susan. Yes, Susan (if you are reading this), I still have it. It marks Luke Chapter 2, as you wrote on it, and I keep it there so I can read it to my boys on Christmas Eve.
I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas! God Bless!
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