Receiving more than presents for Christmas

A treasured reader, Jack, has shared some Christmas memories with us. Let’s take a walk down memory lane!

Christmas! That word brings to mind wonderful memories of smells, sights and sounds of the happiest time of the year. When you smell sweet fragrant pine, you think of Christmas trees. The smell of cinnamon or cloves reminds us of our mothers’ cookies and baking. It often transports us to our fondest Christmas memory. Our homes, our workplace, even the outside air fills with smells that are unmistakably Christmas. And because these memories are often called back by our senses, Christmas experiences are especially susceptible to almost instant recall, triggered by a smell, sight or sound.

My most cherished memories are of a simpler era at Christmas time: those of my youth and childhood. Snow piled high by the side of the road and in our yard. We would sled in our street until well after dark, fearing that at any moment our mothers would call us home for dinner and at the same time looking forward to the warmth and joy that awaited us at home. My mom was an excellent cook and at Christmas time her cooking was more memorable.

I remember the smell of coal smoke from our furnace. The beauty of Christmas lights strung on the house and over the trees. The wonderful smell of the Christmas treats my mother had baked. They were the smells of home, as much a part of Christmas as any decoration, any present under the tree, or any group of carolers wandering through our neighborhood on a still and chilly night.

I remember shopping for simple presents with money earned from a newspaper route, chores and odd jobs. These were difficult years, and although I had a certain anticipation and enthusiasm for Santa Claus’ visit, I don’t remember there being so much focus on the presents from Santa as it seems to be now. We kept Christmas in a simple and homey way that drew us near to one another. There was certainly giving, receiving and much of the magical spell that seems to rivet the attention of any child in every age, but somehow it was gentler, less sophisticated, less hi-tech and definitely less hectic.

And I remember always… the special emphasis our family gave at Christmas time to the birth of Jesus Christ. It occupied a central theme in our home. It seemed that my mother and father had a personal project to make sure that everyone was warm and healthy, and had plenty to eat. The care my parents gave to others has lingered as one of my most precious memories.

The fun of going out in the woods to cut our own Christmas tree was a family affair. As children, we always wanted to find the biggest tree, and Dad would remind us of how low our ceilings were. If we were lucky, we would find a tree with beautiful pine cones still attached. We added popcorn strings, paper chains, cookies, candy and homemade ornaments to the tree. The laughter and giggling added to the merriment.

My mother had a way of making everyone of us feel that the clumsy little gifts that we made for her were priceless. She seemed to know the thrill each child felt at giving of their homemade gift and each gift hung by the stove for many years in their place of honor!

Christmas Eve was especially memorable because our parents would gather us in the living room and we would share the wonderful story of the birth of Christ, found in the second chapter of Luke.

On Christmas morning, my brothers and I wanted to sneak downstairs to see if Santa had filled our stockings, but we knew that our parents wanted us washed and dressed before the activities began. The anticipation was nearly unbearable. It was a lesson of patience!

And though we didn’t have lots of presents, our parents gave us much more, they gave us family togetherness that we would always remember. There was no television, not even a radio, but we gathered together to enjoy the Christmas spirit. And if Santa left an apple and an orange in our stocking we felt like the luckiest kids on earth!

My wife and I have established our own traditions. We visit the homes of each of our children, sharing the joy of the day with them. It is a day rich in memories, smiling faces, family time, and the smell of good food.

Christmas is a time of great hope; a season for loving and sharing; a time for making memories.

Thank you, Jack, for taking the time to share your wonderful Christmas memories with us. Merry Christmas to everyone!