Best Christmas memory

[legalize_freedom]

Every Christmas I remember when I was about 6 or 7 my dad had left my mom for another woman, and left us very poor (women didn't make alot in the 70's). My mom was working in a bank during the day, a bartender at night, and also managing to go to school to get a proffesion. I mean we were poor enough that 2 or 3 times a week she would take me and my brothers fishing, and we would keep and clean everything we caught...lots of little bluegills.

Anyway, that Christmas my mom cried, and cried because all she could afford to buy was we each got a snap together model car, she bought the family the game "Life", and she brought home a free kitten we named smoke..(of all things...lol...we were not heads yet). That christmas is still important to me, because I can still see my Mom crying, and appologizing because she couldn't get us more. I realized that my mom would have given us the world if she could have. That night we all sat together and played the game of life, eating popcorn and laughing at our kitten climbing up in the christmas tree, playing with the bulbs....I learned at an early age that christmas is not about how much money you have or spend.

So whats your best Christmas memory?

 

[wmmeyer]

Man, your post tops anything I could come up with. You're right on target on the "Christmas Spirit".

When I was a kid, the extended family always got together on the holidays, and it was a time for me to get togehter with my cousins. We never got a whole lot of stuff, and only spent a few moments checking out new toys. The majority of our fun was stuff we thought up and invented on the spur of the moment. Like making a space ship out of an empty cardboard box. Huge fun.

 

[kaotik]

my brother and i are seperated by quite a few years, so i didn't get to see him much growing up.
but i always loved christmas eve, as he would come home and sleepover. we would stay up late watching yuling with the page (sports highlight show)
and just hanging out.
nothing special, but meant a lot to me.

 

[PUFF MONKEY]

i think this christmas will be my fav...lastnight my mom gave me her credit card and cut me loose in the hydrostore !!!! i got a luma 3.0 1000w switchable ballast with a sunspot 6 aircooled hood and a 410cfm 6" fan to cool them with(i already had a 1000w setup)....also got a new badarse airpump...yay

 

[umbra]

Every Christmas I remember when I was about 6 or 7 my dad had left my mom for another woman, and left us very poor (women didn't make alot in the 70's). My mom was working in a bank during the day, a bartender at night, and also managing to go to school to get a proffesion. I mean we were poor enough that 2 or 3 times a week she would take me and my brothers fishing, and we would keep and clean everything we caught...lots of little bluegills.

Anyway, that Christmas my mom cried, and cried because all she could afford to buy was we each got a snap together model car, she bought the family the game "Life", and she brought home a free kitten we named smoke..(of all things...lol...we were not heads yet). That christmas is still important to me, because I can still see my Mom crying, and appologizing because she couldn't get us more. I realized that my mom would have given us the world if she could have. That night we all sat together and played the game of life, eating popcorn and laughing at our kitten climbing up in the christmas tree, playing with the bulbs....I learned at an early age that christmas is not about how much money you have or spend.

So whats your best Christmas memory?

LF believe it or not, mine fav Christmas memory is very close to yours. My father died when I was 3. My Mother worked and went to school while sending us to private school. To this day, I don't know how she did it. But we had a Christmas that I will never forget. It had snowed Christmas eve. It was so deep that we could not drive a car. So we walked to church for mass. I remember the snow was up to my waist. I was 8 or 9, but I was always small. It was a tradition in our house that on Christmas eve we would decorate the tree. I was thought it was a great idea. I was an adult before I realized it was because the trees were cheaper on Christmas eve. When we had gone to church, we had not gotten a tree yet. I never really thought anything about it. When we got home from church, my uncle was there sitting on the steps with a tree waiting for us. We trimmed the tree with my uncle and then he left. I had never seen my mother cry before. But I saw her cry that night. That night has stayed with me all my life. It wasn't until after my mother had died, and I was visiting my uncle that I learned the whole story. My uncle had driven 300 miles to bring us that tree and all the gifts that night, and then drove back home. That my mother didn't have the money for a tree or presents that year...somehow its the Christmas that i remember the most.

 

[2Dog]

awesome stories guys...making me tear up...

Best christmas memory...
Visiting my grandparents..I always got to sleep in their bed, grandpa would get up early and take me with him, he would make me an english muffin with jelly lay down and read with me. Grandma would make a big dinner, the small house was full, handmade by my grandpas own hands..Country style with humming bird feeders a big old shop like barn garage. A small path led down to my great grandparents house who were dead but my great aunts and uncle still lived there..they would have me over for breakfast and let me eat a sausage with my hands and they always had the old fashioned candies in a bowl on the table... My grandmas yard had a water tank I would get on top and ride it pretending it was all sorts of things like elephants and unicorns.. Grandma always had almonds and ginger snaps out.

 

[mojavemama]

This has to be the most wonderful thread EVER on MP! I'm in tears. What heartfelt sharings, my MP family. You all fill my heart with such joy. You have it SO right---it's SO not about all the toys. It's about all the love, all the thoughtfulness, all the extraordinary moments that live in our memories and hearts forever.

Thank you all for making this Christmas extra special for me!

 

[nvthis]

My favorite Christmas' were the ones spent with my grandparents on my fathers side.. I was young and some memories are as vivid as ever. Mostly I recall the goodies that my grandmother made. Fudge, rocky road, various cookies and these sweet dates filled with creamy peanutbutter and rolled in powdered sugar. She would spend almost the whole Christmas in her kitchen, but was never too busy for a hug. I also vividly remember my grandfathers pipes and tobacco. The pipe tobacco was always so sweet smelling and seemed to permiate everything. He used to keep this giant brandy snifter on his desk full of different colored matchbooks he had collected from everywhere. I was competely fascinated by it. He even looked a bit like Santa with his white curly hair and, in general, a smile on his face and always accompanied by a hearty chuckle. My grandmother was a painter. She painted in oil. There were always paintings littered about the house. I remember thinking how awesome she was. I have always wanted one of her paintings. That was soo long ago. Maybe someday I will be lucky enough to have one..

Merry Christmas everyone.

 

[rasta]

i was released from prison on 12/24/86 after serving two and a half years ,,,,the lady rasta and my two girls were there upon my release i will never forget how warm there hugs were ,,, i felt like i was frozen for the 30 months ,,,,it was the first time in my life that i cried because i was happy,,, i mean i have been happy before but never cried because of it ,,,of Corse i had no money to buy gifts,,,,a buddy of mine showed up at my house at about 2 am with gifts for my girls and the lady rasta he also gave my two grand till i got back on my feet ,,,,we hung out for about two or three hours ,,,,got high and talk trash about the old days ,,,, my buddy went home that night and was killed by a drunk driver ,,,,,,,he left a wife and a 5 year old son ,,,,,,on Christmas of 87 i showed up at my buddy house on Christmas morning with about 1000 dollars worth of toys and gifts for his wife and son plus two grand till she got back on her feet ,,,,although i lost my friend these were by far my best Christmas ever,,,and tought me how precious life is ,,,,,,peace,love,rastafari

 

[2Dog]

so sad and so sweet rasta...what an awesome friend.

 

[FA$TCA$H]

my best christmas memory is this christmas.
sharing fellowship with my friends here at MAR-P.
i left family and friends 2 years ago, chasing work.
living in a fifth wheel travel trl, a very big nice one, tho.
still chasin work, but found this place (MP). a good woman, and marriage.
last nite talked to my kids on the phone. my mom got to regail my new wife
on christmas's past, and what she has gotton herself into. thx, mom.
so thanx y'all, for the good times, we wish every one the best.

$$

 

[OldHippieChick]

backatcha CA$H.

 

[DonJones]

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERY ONE!

I can't really remember any particular Christmas because they were all very good and just a part of our families life, like birthdays and anniversaries. We knew it was the celebration of Christ's birth.

I knew that we didn't have much but it seemed like we had more than those around us. Until Mom's health got bad enough to prevent it, she always included something that she had made in the gifts to each of kids and our families. Even though I miss her and Dad, I would NOT bring them back for anything! They are in a much,much better place.

The only departed one that I really have any unfinished business with is my father-in-law. Even though he knew I loved him, just like I knew he loved me, I never said it to him. By the time I realized I wanted him to hear it from my lips, he was dying 500 miles away. Every time I called, he was either a sleep or out of the room getting some kind of therapy. The good thing about it was I made damn sure that before the day was out, EVERYONE heard "I love you" from me and I made sure that I was ready to loose anyone and tried so hard to make sure there would be no regrets of unfinished business should I pass unexpectedly.

As much as I miss them, I was glad to hear when each of my parents died because they were release from suffering.

I apologize for the melancholy. I just got of topic after reading how everyone's memories were about times with family.

I guessmy best Christmas must have been the first one after my oldest son, Bill, was born, in 1972 even though I don't remember any particulars, because he had changed our lives in ways that meeting, loving and marrying never could have done. Also that was the last Christmas where both of our parents, her sister and kids, my parents and brothers sister were all together and joyful over Bill's birth in September. We spent part of the day with my family and part with her's. Every Christmas after that one we lived in Spokane, WA and both families lived in the Eugene, OR area so we never had that same togetherness, even on the one Christmas that we got leave and went home for Christmas.

This Christmas is good to even if we are broke. We both have our recommendations. Everyone except Bill and his kids will be together at his and Leanna's home. Bill is at least in town instead of in prison clear across the state. And we got to see his kids again a couple of days ago -- his ex-wife will not let the kids come down here out of bitterness towards Bill.

Also, I have made some very good friends here on the forums, even though I haven't met you face to face or even spoken to you.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE form Don & EJ's family

Good smoking!