Isn’t it odd how some things just make you happy? That’s what Snoopy does to me … I grew up with Peanuts and used to anxiously wait for the Charlie Brown Christmas Special each year. When I was little, it seemed as if Christmas came every few years. Now, it seems to come every few months. I barely get the Christmas boxes put away, only to have to get them out again! Anyway, it’s nice to remember how it felt to be a child during Christmas!
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Every Christmas when the tree goes up I have childhood memories. These things we never forget. I can remember in our town that we lived in ,we always had a Santa Claus parade. We would all brave the cold and go out bundled up , to watch the parade go by. Loved it! Didn’t mind the cold as a kid. Don’t even remember being cold. Just the Santa Claus parade.
Shirley
Love it! I am the girl in the front right, in fact I was doing that before I saw her as soon as I heard the music! haha!
Smiling, Kathleen! Merry Christmas to you!
when I hear the first Christmas music.. I think of the stack of record albums that my mom would put on the phonograph & play constantly until Christmas. It seems like from Thanksgiving until New Years.. A good memory 🙂
dkstevensne AT outlook DoTCoM
Deanna–Music has an amazing affect on memory. Glad you brought it up! Merry Christmas to you. Suzanne
I was listening to a Andy Williams Christmas album the other day and it bought back memories of when I was a teenager living at home and my brother was about 10 . Mom and dad always played Christmas records on the sterio. Also they liked the play Bing Cosby favorites. I can never hear those songs unless I think about those Christmases back home.
Shirley
“What brings back childhood Christmas memories for you?” That question really resonates with me, Suzanne, so I had to take the time to answer.
For me it’s two things, the first being the sound of Salvation Army bellringers. My great aunt and uncle never had children, so they became like grandparents to me, an only child. Every Thanksgiving they came down from the north Georgia mountains to stay with us for the weekend, and a highlight was going downtown Atlanta to shop on what is now known as “black Friday.” But it wasn’t like that in those days. It was crowded, but not as much. There were sales, but the stores opened at a reasonable 9:00 a.m. and people didn’t behave like selfish children fighting over the bargains. Stores were gaily decorated with tinsel that hadn’t been put up the day after Halloween. And there was a spirit that reflected good will toward men, symbolized by the Salvation Army bellringers and brass instruments playing Christmas carols.
It was the beginning of the Christmas season for us, and these shopping trips were a delightful family time. Instead of madly trying to shop for gifts, we simply helped my aunt & uncle shop for needed clothing items that they couldn’t get in the mountains – a winter coat, a suit . . . and then there were those awful hats! I admit to impatiently waiting while my mom, grandmother and aunt tirelessly tried on one hat after another at Rich’s and then Macy’s after that, seeming to delight in the experience. But the most fun was walking on the streets of Atlanta, listening to the sounds of the Salvation Army volunteers, and making sure we dropped money in every bucket we passed by.
The other thing that brings back memories is watching classic movies like White Christmas, A Christmas Carol, Holiday Inn, etc. This was something my mom and I did together, usually enjoying a cup of her homemade eggnog at the same time. My daughter has the same love for these movies, so I was able to carry on the tradition with her. Now she lives in Germany and can’t come home every Christmas, but I think we’ll still enjoy this tradition in spite of the miles between us.
Thank you for helping me recall these cherished memories, Suzanne.
Carole, the stores weren’t open back then either, on Thanksgiving Day. I can remember not so long ago that employees were off for that day. Some went in to work over night to mark down prices for Black Friday. Now the employees are forced to work Thanksgiving day and they’re not to happy about not being able to spend this holiday with their family . I wonder how long it will be before the big stores try to ruin Christmas Day too.
Shirley
That’s right, Shirley. The days I was recalling were in the late 50s/early 60s. The first trend I remember was stores opening at 7:00 a.m. or earlier, then 11:00 p.m. or so on Thanksgiving. There aren’t as many Salvation Army bellringers these days either, but I won’t go there! Change is a part of life, but these are changes that I don’t like and doubt there is anything we can do.
Shirley–I’ve had those same thoughts! Hoping the employees will resist that. Merry Christmas to you!
Loved those memories, Carole. Thank you for taking the time to write it up! Glad you enjoyed the process. Warmly, Suzanne
I remember that the night before we left for our bi-annual trip to Michigan to visit relatives, we would have supper in the kitchen…… completely by candlelight. I thought it was so cool. =)
Susie–I love that idea! Will have to tell it to my daughter. Thanks for sharing that! XO Suzanne
“Joy to the World”!!! Every time I hear this song, I think of our Christmas Eve program that we performed every year during my K-8 school years. This carol was always the grand finale! We all filed out with our class and each got a brown sack with an apple, orange, peanuts, and some candy in it. Wonderful memories and reminders of the reason for the season! The Lord is Come!
Love that memory, ChristieB! I have a similar one–it’s “Silent Night” sung in a round with “Peace, Peace.” Everyone in church was given a candle, and one person light it, then passed the flame from candle to candle. Magical moment! But the fire department put an end to that. 🙂
One of my favorite Christmas memories growing up is my dad going out & cutting down our Christmas tree. I can remember that fresh pine scent filling the room, the old fashioned bulb lights & icicles we put on the tree. My parents have been gone many years now, I miss them everyday especially at Christmas.
Connie…I’ve been thinking the same thing. Missing my dad especially during the Christmas season! He died three years ago on January 1st. The last day I saw him alive was on Christmas day. Very grateful for having wonderful parents. Blessings to you! XO Suzanne