Various Contributors Favorite Christmas Memories
Bag of Toys
My favorite memory of Christmas is when my children were small, someone left a bag of toys at my mothers house for them. Mother would not say who did it. To this day, I still don’t know but I have a good idea. “Thanks Rosie”
Hazel Hollen nee Garriott
Fruit and Candy
My favorite memory of Christmas was that every Christmas there would be a box of candy, oranges and Apples left at the general store at Harristown, Indiana and we never knew where it came from. The owner of the store would call and tell us that Santa Clause had been there and left us something.
Rosemary Hollen nee Garriott
Oranges
My favorite memory of Christmas was the smell of Oranges. We never had oranges and the school teacher gave us all a treat bag with Oranges and nuts. To this day, I still buy Oranges just for the smell.
Virginia Spurgeon nee Garriott
Hand Made Gifts
One of my favorite Christmas Memories was given to me one year when I could not be at home to spend Christmas with my family. My wife sent me a piece of posterboard with a large Christmas tree drawn on it. On the end of the branches, were photographs of my family displayed as ornaments. That inexpensive hand made gift was very special to me because it took more time, thought and creativity then simply buying a gift, plus it allowed me to spend Christmas Day surrounded with images of the family I could not be with in person.
Franklin T. Wike, Jr.
Being With Family
I have a couple favorite Christmas memories; the first one I remember was at age 3. My parents gave me a little ukulele, and I laughed so hard watching my father playing it for me. I just remember a very special feeling in the air, and its strange that I can remember something from such a young age. The other favorite memory is the year my Mothers family all gathered together the year after my Grandmother passed away. It snowed heavily that year but everyone made it, from the nearby city, and then all the way from California. It meant so much that everyone did what they could, out of the need to just be together that year.
Jennifer
Cherries, Family and a Doll
As a young child I searched for the box of Chocolate covered Cherries among the toys and presents. My father would pour himself and me a cup of black coffee. We would sit as my mother prepared breakfast sipping coffee and eating the candy. As the oldest of six children I remember the sparkle of their eyes and the excitement of my younger brothers and sisters. My mother and father worked hard to make each year special. I still have the last doll I received. Thinking at the age of twelve I was probably too old for toys. I was thrilled with the doll under the tree. I believe the year was 1961.
Rita Redd
My Favorite Christmas Toy
One year for Christmas, Santa Clause left a wonderful ballerina doll for me. She wore a fluffy pink tutu, and a sparking pink crown. When you pushed on the crown, she performed pirouettes. You could pose her arms and legs like a real ballerina. I thought she was the most beautiful doll in the world. I would turn on my record player and listed to Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite. I would create an entire stage for my ballerina to perform on, and I would invite my parents to come and watch the ballet.
Kim Justesen
My Most Memorable Christmas
It was the first year I spent in Africa on a missionary trip. It was 120 degrees in the shade. They don’t have pine trees in Africa, so we cut down an Eucalyptus tree instead. We didn’t have much money, so I could only get one toy for each of my young children.
It was also the first time I was away from my oldest children. While I was in Kenya, my oldest son got married and my daughter gave birth to my first grandchild. I never considered living without running water or electricity a sacrifice, but missing the birth of my first grandchild, and the marriage of my eldest son bothered me so much that I sat on the ground under a tree and cried.
Then one of my children came and sat down beside me. We talked about other Christmases that we had shared together in the past. By the time our conversation ended, we got around to thinking about why we were in Africa and the fact that we were there doing Gods work That was not my favorite Christmas, but it was definitely my most memorable one.
Gene Throop
Published in U S Legacies Magazine December 2003
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