Thursday, December 22, 2011

Christmas Past

This time of the year always has me reflecting ~~~
childhood memories of Christmases gone by ... 
Christmas family trips with our daughter ... 
Christmas has always been family.  

And family is one of my most treasured Christmas memories.

 When I was a young girl, my parents & I lived with my Granny and my Mother's youngest sister. Every holiday meant a family gathering with cousins, aunts and uncles (along with my parents, Granny & Aunt K).  We always had a house-full in the grocery-store-converted-to-my-grandparents' home-place.  

My parents & me at my Granny's house.
 
Let's see ... there would be close to 25 of us at Granny's on Christmas Eve.  My Mother would make punch (Canada Dry Ginger Ale, 7-Up, pineapple juice, orange juice & vanilla ice cream or orange sherbet) ... my aunts would bring snacks, desserts ... and there would be laughter, fun and (of course) presents!  We kids had so much fun and never wanted the night to end.  Our celebrations would normally come to a close somewhere before midnight so all of the kids could be in bed to wait for Santa to arrive. 


My sister & me in our "new house" over-looking Granny's house.

And then Christmas Day began ...

Since several of us lived right around my Granny, we cousins would wake up early & go from house to house to see what Santa left for each of us.  I think we enjoyed seeing what the others got for Christmas almost as much as we enjoyed our own presents.  

And then, we all gathered at Granny's for our Christmas Day dinner.  Which meant more good food ... ham, turkey, casseroles, green beans, corn, breads, desserts ... more desserts ... oh yes, and my Mother's famous mashed potatoes.  When my Mother was running late, dinner would be held up until she had her mashed potatoes all ready.  
These mashed potatoes have stood the tradition of time ... 
they were always a favorite of my daughter's and now a favorite of Lucy's. 
(And yes, we still hold dinner until "G-G's mash-a-tatoes" are ready :)


My cousins have always been some of my best friends.


Christmas past brings wonderful memories ...

of laughter ... 

of dinners ...

of family ...




What are some of your favorite memories of Christmas past?

2 comments:

Oklahoma Granny said...

What would Christmas dinner be without mashed potatoes?

I so enjoyed reading some of your favorites memories of Christmases past.

This year our 2 oldest grandsons and their girlfriends came to decorate gingerbread houses. Please stop by my blog today and vote for your favorite.

I hope this becomes a tradition because I certainly enjoyed watching all the fun - and taking pictures of course!

Susan said...

I am on my way over to see the gingerbread houses now! This sounds like a tradition for sure -- for generations to come.

We are hosting my family tomorrow for Christmas celebrations ... and guess who's bringing her famous mash-a-tatoes?