So its Christmas time again. Being away from my family at this time of year is always a little sad. But some time spent remembering the good family memories always helps!
So I thought I would share a few Christmas memories with you.
The picture above is of me and my Dad. The year my Dad gave me "Julie" the doll that could read books to you. It was the coolest Christmas gift ever!! This is Dad teaching me how she reads right after I opened her! I loved a doll that could read to me as I struggled to read myself. I was pretty impressed. And I still am! This was 1986 or so and this was a high tech doll for its time! I was so lucky to have parents who spoiled me rotten!
Another favorite Christmas memory is of our family ritual on Christmas eve. I was an only child so Christmas was pretty quite at our house. But that did not mean we didn't know how to have a good time. My Dad use to take me on a drive to see the Christmas lights around our area. It was always just me and Dad. Mom would stay home to wait for Santa, "just in case!" We would always end the trip with an ice cream sundae from McDonalds. God Bless America. I love that you can get an ice cream sundae on Christmas eve! We would sit inside the restaurant and enjoy our sundaes! That was a real treat! Then like magic when we would get home Mom would come rushing out the front door of our little log cabin calling "Mary, Mary guess who came while you where away!!" None other then the man himself. He even ate a few of the cookies I left out! How exciting. We always opened our gifts on Christmas eve, it was a family event. Even the cats got involved and would play in the pile of Christmas wrapping and bows!
Another one of my favorite Christmas memories involved my childhood cat Tomas "yes I know its not spelt that way, and it should be spelt Thomas, but thats not how Tomas the cat spelt his name." Tomas was a real trouble maker, a black cat, and like most black cats he knew how to find trouble. Over a 10 year period Tomas fell 2 Christmas trees. The first occasion happened in Boise, Idaho. It must have been the Christmas I was in 7th grade. Tomas decided it would be great fun to climb the Christmas tree (real tree) well as he made his way up the branches the tree could no longer hold his weight, as he got closer to the top the tree simply snapped in two. "Bang" down came Tomas and we had two trees instead of one.
The second occasion happened in Greenfield Indiana when I was about 21. Mom, Dad and I had been out visiting family on Christmas eve. We got home late and I took a seat in the living room to admire the lights and ornaments on our beautiful large Christmas tree. Little did I know Tomas was orchestrating one of his famous stunts. As I sat there half asleep I heard a strange snap of tree branches coming from our tree and as I opened my eyes I saw Tomas leap off the Christmas tree from somewhere in the midsection of the tree. He just leaped from the tree like his little kitty but furs had caught alight. As he was leaping I noticed that he had Christmas lights wrapped around his body. He hit the living room floor running pulling a 5 foot Christmas tree behind him. He dragged that huge tree a couple of feet before he struggled free from the lights. I jumped out of my seat, so shocked at when I just seen. Don't worry Tomas was okay. But I think the following year we bought our first fake tree. And that put an end to the tree climbing. Please note Tomas was also the reason why my parents have cat safe ornaments on the lower branches on the their tree. Sadly my little Tomas cat passed away a few years ago now. He was my best buddy. But don't be concerned, he did not die in some horror Christmas tree accident. He was just old.
I have to say although I am an only child my parents made Christmas such a special time of year. It must be because I have such amazing parents.
This year 2010 will be the 5th Christmas I have not been home with my wonderful parents. As the years are passing I want to get home again and have a few more Wolfla family Christmases. I love my in laws, but nothing will ever be the same as Christmas with my family.
So weather you are near or far this Christmas be sure to let the ones you love know how much they mean to you!
Merry Christmas everyone!!
