I’ve been thinking a lot about connections lately. In 2014 we’ve lost a lot of the personal aspect of connecting with others for the sake of efficiency. While being able to send a text to my sister in Calgary each day (okay maybe 10 texts!) certainly helps keep us connected, I miss the letters she used to write me when I was in elementary school and she had started a job in another city.
During the holiday season, one of the things I look forward to most is sending out Christmas cards and waiting for the same to arrive in the mail from others as well. Even Christmas cards and letters are becoming less and less common because of the ease of emailing a holiday greeting. Sure, social media keeps our friends and family updated, but a card, photo and message or letter makes the recipient feel that you took the time to think about them during the holidays.
I was always a writer. As a child, I had a letter to Santa published in the local newspaper “Letters to Santa” feature and knew that there was absolutely no way Santa could miss my request that year (my poor parents). Newspaper clippings aside, every year I carefully flipped through the Sears Wish Book, attentively wrote down the names of toys seen on Saturday morning commercials, and constructed a letter to Santa listing them in order of importance. I made sure to start my letter by politely inquiring about Mrs. Claus and the reindeer, and always closed by wishing Santa a Merry Christmas. Yes, even in grade school I had figured out how to schmooze to make an important request.
These are traditions I will keep during the holidays, regardless of how easy social media makes it to connect in other ways. My Christmas cards are on order, and “buy stamps” is on the to-do list on my iPhone. The Sears Wish Book is sitting on my end table and it makes me grin every time I notice that another page is dog-eared or that a squiggly circle has been drawn around yet another item. My kids have followed my childhood path of strategic gift selection, letters to Santa (though I’m not opposed to a newspaper posting) and, hopefully, as they too leave home when they get older, they’ll write letters to their younger siblings like my older sister did to me, and mail their mother a Christmas card.
This post was sponsored by Sears. Many childhood holiday memories come from writing letters to Santa, decorating the tree, baking cookies and folding down pages of the Sears Wish Book, ear marking the special gifts we hoped Santa would bring. Those are the memories we want our children to experience—the excitement and anticipation of receiving that coveted gift on Christmas morning. As parents, we hope to grant our child’s Christmas wish and Sears is the Wish Book store.
We have THREE $50 Sears Gift Cards to give away to our readers, to help with your holiday shopping! To enter to win, simply leave a comment on this post telling us what one of your childhood holiday memories is!
When I was in grade 5 my school did the Nutcracker and it was the BEST concert we ever did!
I was six and remember getting up at 5am with my sisters to find a barbie doll house. We played with it for hours. It even had an elevator 🙂
I remember our old school Christmas tree fondly. It was my great grandma’s. Loved all the retro Shiny-Brite ornaments it had.
i loved decorating the tree together as a family, opening our stockings Christmas morning.
Going in to the woods on snowmobiles to cut down our tree. Visiting with family on Christmas eve and on Christmas day, and eating lots of good food!!
Making crazy gingerbread cookies with my sisters!
I remember making a snowfort with my sisters and putting a little Christmas tree in it.
Family gatherings, fun with cousins, and Grandma’s butter tarts!
my parents used to let me celebrate their anniversary with them so i’d always get gifts too. It was my most fun time of the year because they didn’t NEED to let me participate you know? Extra special
Every year when I was young, we would get together at my aunts house a few weeks before Christmas and we would spend the whole weekend baking Christmas cookies. My favorite ones are the Hershey Kiss Cookies!
Oh the interminable wait! Our Christmas dinner was always Christmas Eve, and we opened presents that night too. It was an Eastern European tradition that we continue to this day.
Back then it was always the wait. You wait for the late evening dinner, and don’t snitch anything during the day, or you won’t see the Golden Pigs. These mythical beasts were said to hide behind the tree, and seeing them ensured a coming year of good fortune. I will admit that I have never seen this portensious porcines; this lack of sight has not damaged my good fortune, thankfully. You wait. You wait, and you wait. Finally, you can tuck into all the delicious food that has been cooking all day long. It’s worth the wait! Then you wait AGAIN. For we can’t possibly move on to dessert and presents until the dishes are done. Oh the waiting! Dishes are collected, scraped and stacked – then the washing and the drying. Thank goodness for dishwashers! It makes the current wait just a little shorter.
Finally late in the evening, replete with food and drink, bathed in the flickering light from our fragrant tree, we can begin passing out presents! There was nothing more wonderful than finally getting to open that one package. That one, that had been under the tree for a few days. That one, that you were constantly scolded for touching and shaking. That one, that one gift that encompassed all your dreams and wishes (usually pulled from the Sears catalogue in the pre-holiday frenzy of wishing).
After all that, when we thought things couldn’t get any better, you prepped your plate of cookies and milk for the big man himself. You were hustled off to bed, and it was so hard to wait for sleep to come. Then, finally, you opened your eyes in the dark hours of morning. Your stocking would be bulging with more treats, and you knew that Santa had come. The year long wait would begin again.
I remember my mom trying to coax me OFF of Santa’s lap, apparently I had a very long list!
Cutting down a tree with dad
we actually had a Christmas in July many years ago, it was a family reunion and perfect
I remember getting my first ever cabbage patch doll under the tree from Santa. It was blonde and amazing. That and a shopping cart with all that fake plastic food lol. Loved that christmas.
My favourite memory would be making marzipan from scratch with my grandmother and mom. This was way back in the day when there were no food processors so it took all day to make!
When I finally got my Barbie!
Building my first gingerbread house with my parents, it was loads of fun…eating the sweets and decorating
I will never forget the year my Dad was playing Santa and was in the attic getting the gifts for under the tree. He slipped and fell through the ceiling(I think he had one to many). He woke us up, but mom got us back in the bed by saying it was Santa. I believed it and did I have a story to tell the next day and a lasting memory.
I remember every year it was a tradition to meet at my grandmothers house on Christmas Eve. All the family, and its a large one, would get to see each other and catch up on our lives. Us kids loved playing with all our cojsins, and the food was absolutely amazing. After my grandmother passed, it didnt seem that anyone carried on the tradition of all getting together. It was something we took for granted when I was little, but now that I’m older, I would give anything to go back and feel that same feeling of comfort.
I loved decorating the tree with moms old ornaments that were her moms. She still uses them . We also strung popcorn on thread. Of course the sears catalogue was marked up by us and my kids use it now expect they use R and S beside their circles so its very clear. Merry Christmas!
My uncle use to dress up as Santa and come over christmas morning with a sack full of presents.. so fun!
Best Christmas ever was when i got a cabbage patch doll and a barbie the same year
I always had the best time on Christmas Eve actually! My mom’s whole side of the family would get together at my Oma and Opa’s house to eat, open presents, and call other family members and friends to sing them “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” Thanks for the giveaway 🙂
as a child I remember driving 4 hours every christmas eve to visit family in Detroit and the stop at a rest stop and having greesy fries and burgers every year.
My Dad was self employed and had to take vacations when the shops were closed so it was always in December. Every year he took all of us to Disney World. pretty much, best deal ever 🙂
Baking cinnamon rolls with my mother at Christmas
Massive family get together s
My dad is a deer hunter. Every Christmas Eve he would take one a deer hoof that he had kept hidden and would make tracks all over the yard and house. He would do it in his red hunting gear and have bells with him so that if we caught a glimpse – it would be of Santa – not Dad :).
I remember preparing food for santa & rudolph
I remember Santa coming to my house and knocking at my door…it was my dad but of course at the time i thought it was actually santa
My favourite memory is gathering at my grandparent’s house for Christmas with all my cousins. They were great times!
One of my favorite memories for the holidays was going to my grandparents house and us kids dancing to polka in the basement… haha Odd I know, but that is what we did! 😛
My fav is the year my sister and I got our doll house. I am sure it kept us out of our parents hair for atleast a week
Once I heard Santa fill & leave my stocking. Way back then we left them on the end of our beds. I was so excited but too scared to open my eyes to see him. Makes me smile just thinking about it again. I wonder if Santa new I was awake?
I come from a large family so Christmas morning was always chaos but always fun
I remember getting up and sneaking down to the family room only to find a Barbie house filled with furniture. I think it was about 4am and I sat there playing until everyone else got up.
A memory is baking cookies Christmas Eve and being able to open one of our gifts that night.
Memory of numbering presents and then drawing a number and opening presents one by one ….. Loved it since it made the present opening last longer
I was in majorettes, so I always remember freezing while marching in the a Santa Claus parade!
I remember getting a nintendo 64 that was epic
My grandmother dressing as a ummm… a magical creature with a dog mask 🙂 to entertain us, grand kids, and deliver some presents .
One of 5 siblings – times were tough – gifts were scarce but one thing we had and still do is LOVE. Card games/Cribbage/Rummy/Casino were daily family events. The greatest gift we ever received was Krazy Carpets from my Dad. We each got one and we all raced down the homemade mountain slide. We all had a blast – the reward seeing the smile on our Dad’s face. Never forget the spontaneity/laughter and the hot chocolate that followed. The phrase the good things in life are free – rang no truer than on this December day in 1966. Thanks Dad. xxxooo
Eva Mitton-Urban
I remember getting a drumset for Christmas…it was so awesome!
Putting the star on my first tree , when my dad lifted me up
I unfortunately do not have very many memories from my childhood but I do remember my sister sneaking peaks at the christmas gifts every year. She would think she was being so smart, and that my parents didn’t notice that she had rewrapped things (poorly) but they knew every time.
I remember waiting in line for absolutely ages at Harrods in London to see Santa. It was the best santa experience I have ever had the workshop and village they had set up was amazing
One of the last Christmas Eve’s I spent with my dad, we were driving and it was snowing big fluffy snowflakes, like the ones you make with paper and scissors. It was a wonderful Christmas full of good memories and of course, my dad 🙂
Bright Starts 3 in 1 Step and Ride would be a hit in our house (the link took me back here) 🙂
I always remember as a child my sister and I would put on a play for our parents and little brothers Christmas Eve.
My favourite holiday memory is of a yearly tradition I had with my Dad. We used to go to the grocery store a couple of weeks before Christmas and he let me pick out non-perishable food to fill up a grocery cart that we would put into the Food Bank box once we purchased it. We did it from when I was about age 7 until I was about 14, until we learned that a cash donation would go further in supporting the food bank. It was my favourite thing to do with him every year for Christmas. I still think about it every year, how much fun it was to pick out food that I thought other families would like – I especially spent lots of time pondering the best baby food choices, and my dad was so patient letting me make sure everything was just perfect. The tradition is definitely a great holiday memory for both of us.
Making snowmen with all my brothers is one wonderful childhood memory.
We didn’t have a lot of anything growing up, but Christmas has remained my favourite holiday. We were 5 kids and my Mom. She did the best she could, but times were scarce. She worked 3 jobs and was still able to maintain the house. Not having extra money didn’t stop my Mom though. She would have the music on and we would all sit around making popcorn garland. We would decorate the tree, while horsing around, watching tv and having fun. Our friends got so many presents, however our one or two small gifts meant so much to us. She’s the reason Christmas is my favourite. She made it special in her own way! My Mom xoxo
One of my very favorite memories is the year we were traveling through the mountains to my Grandmothers house and encountered a huge snow storm. I could tell by my Mom’s nervous banter with my Father that it was a dangerous drive. When we finally arrived at my Grandma’s farmhouse the outside was all lit up with Christmas lights and there was so much joy that we had arrived safely. Inside the house Christmas music was playing, there was a huge tree, a fire burning in the fireplace and wonderful smells. I think I could be 1000 years old and always remember that Christmas Eve night.
Receiving my first cabbage patch kid doll for Christmas 🙂
My favourite holiday memories from my childhood are of the huge holiday dinners we used to do every year, so many friends and family – immediate and extended. The house was rammed with people and it was nice.
My favourite Christmas memory is my family around the Christmas tree. My Dad would hand out the presents to us…I can still see his expressions and how he loved doing this.
I liked going over to grandmas and grandpas for supper Christmas eve then when we got back after supper Santa had came to our house.
a memory i ahve is getting exactly what i asked for yay
My favourite Christmas memory is singing around the piano with my family. My father would play his violin and the house would be filled with music. Dad passed away last Christmas and his violin is now silent, but the memories will be something I cherish for the rest of my life.
One of my favourite childhood memory of Christmas was the year my mom brought home an advent calendar. It was the most amazing thing. We never had one before and told us if we were good, we would get to open a door a day and there would be a surprise. My sister and I look forward to opening a door a day and it was the best part of our day leading up to Christmas.
We always visited my Nanny and Poppy over the holidays. It was always a large crowd of family in a small house. My mom had 14 brothers and sisters. East coast christmases are full of tradition from midnight mass to mummers to lots and lots of food and fun. The drama was ripe, the festivities were always well played out, and you would be hard pressed to feel lonely at this time of year. Now that I have a 2 year old and I live out West I am finding the tradition is lost on so much. People having perfectly decorated homes with perfect everything – well I feel you miss out on the simple things for the holidays. We will have toilet paper roll decorations and mis matched Christmas art deco around the house. I have definitely made a more concerted effort to be around family with the Christmas season. My new tradition is being shared with all of our family, “Stop spending on ‘stuff’ and visit instead.” Human connection is so important and the digital detox does need to happen for the personable pleasure of a tradition to be fully appreciated. Oh and every Christmas eve we always got brand new flannel pyjamas and we watched the old Rankin stop animation christmas shows on CBC. I’ve been following that tradition for years! BTW I love your sears catalogue story. We always did the same thing too. I just might bring that one back to life in this house too! 🙂
My favourite childhood holiday memories all involve family — Christmas Eve’s spent with extended family, visiting with family and friends over the holidays that we might not see very often throughout the year — lots of happy memories!
Decorating shortbread cookies with my mom – we had lots of fun and lots of laughs and probably ate most of the cookies before we were all done 🙂
Every year since I can remember my Grandparents have given me a Holiday Barbie, last year grandma passed away but Papa went to the mall and got me my Barbie, 31 years later he still remembers.
I remember going over to my aunt and uncle’s every Christmas eve and playing cards and board games and eating loads of goodies
Every year, my brother and I would watch the sky for Santa’s sleigh. At some point, my dad would make banging noises as if Santa was on the roof and then he would jungle bells to make it seem as if Santa was in the house!
Every year we tried to make gingerbread houses and failed miserably. We always got the glue gun out in the end but it didn’t stop us from continually trying!
Opening my Christmas presents on Christmas day is still one of my most cherished memories.
When I was little my mom & dad & I would go to the tree farm to cut our own tree down!
I remember setting up the cardboard fire place every year.
Baking Christmas goodies with my mom.
I remember finding my first training bra in my Christmas stocking and being so embarrassed.
I remember my sister and I found where my mom hid all the christmas gifts and we had a ton of fun going through them lol
one of my memories was getting a note in my stocking that santa lost one of my gifts that year. I pinned that note to my wall for a few years.
The entire family staying at my grandparents. We couldn’t walk anywhere without stepping on someones bed. It was a ton of fun.
I remember how excited I was when I got my first Cabbage Patch Kid in the 80s!
Memorable childhood holiday memory is the smell of warm baked goods on Christmas morning!
My favorite childhood memory is going with my Dad and little sister to the tree farm to hunt for the perfect Christmas tree 🙂
having my aunt/uncles and families all over for christmas dinner was about 40 people in all
Best childhood memory is waking up Christmas morning when I was 5 years old, and there sat Thumbelina under our tree. My mom had said that Santa would probably bring her if I stopped biting my nails, so I did. I wanted her so badly. I still have her some 50 years later. (minus a few hairs)
opening my box of Lego of a Shell gas station. it came from Consumers Distributing.
One year we went to NB to spend the holidays with my mom’s family. It was the first year our Christmas was more than our small family and one of my favourite holidays.
I loved going Christmas Carolling with my elementary school. It was such a great feeling of community!
Help bake and decorate christmas cookies with my mom 🙂
I remember going to my grandparents on Christmas eve and spending time with my family and dancing in the basement with all my cousins. It was so fun.
I remember packing up days before Christmas and heading out to my relatives up North, we visited with my grand parents and New Years eve staying up to all hrs of the morning listening to my aunts and uncles signing french Canadian songs..great memories..
When I was a child, I lived in a VERY small town. On Christmas Eve everyone in town gathered at the school after their big family dinners to sing Christmas carols and wait for Santa to come. You could hear his jingle bells when he came in. He brought each child a gift. It was the one present I could open that night.
My father had been in the hospital for many months and looked like he would not be home for Christmas, the hospital was an hour away from us and we kids did not see him very often…just before Christmas an ambulance arrived at our home and they had released him for a few days to be home with the family for Christmas!
I remember waking up and being over the moon happy that Santa had brought me a Barbie airplane and camper
I loved decorating our real tree every year as a child…with silver tinsel no less! I also still enjoy my mother’s gumdrop cake!
My best memory is the first year my son really understood christmas. Seeing his face on christmas morning was priceless. We put prints in the snow so it looked like santa walked on the roof next to our bedroom, had a piece of red fabric that looked like a bit of santas gift bag and a lone gift laying there for him to see. He was amazed!
Baking cakes for everyone in my easy bake oven!
Making a candy Christmas house with my Mom
The Christmas I finally got my cabbage patch kid
My family and I went and visit all my cousins and my grandmother.
My favourite Christmas memory is when I received my doll, Emily. I made my mom watch her when I went to school.
My favourite was when my sisters and I all had a slumber party in my parents room – we slept in our camping beds on the floor! We watched Home Alone 2 until we feel asleep!
I remember one year spending Christmas with my aunt and uncles and cousins. They lived in Sudbury, and when I woke up on Christmas morning I was so glad that Santa was able to leave my wish gifts, even though I wasn’t at home.
I remember falling asleep behind the couch waiting for Santa!
I was sticking our heads (my sister and I) through the heating vent and watching what our parents were wrapping..that or managing to bug the heck outta the babysitter about what we were getting for Christmas. =)
My first time making a gingerbread house!
I remember waking up on Xmas morning and seeing the SheRa Crystal Palace magically in front of our tree! It was so exciting 🙂
we would go tobogganing each Christmas eve!
The year that I received the Cher barbie doll for Christmas.
Singing Christmas carols and had lots of fun!
One year for Christmas my Dad’s entire side of the family and my mom’s side of the family all came to our house for Christmas Eve, Christmas and boxing day. It was so great to have all my cousins and everybody there at the same time! I have no idea what I got for gifts that year because the presence of all my favourite people was such a huge deal!
eating breakfast with my grandfather while we waited for everyone to wake up
It was more of a tradition, we’d open up gifts of pjs on Christmas Eve, and would wear them all that night, we tended to be matching for Christmas morning 🙂
me and my sister making Christmas cookies with our mom every year
I remember starting our family celebrations on Christmas Eve. And waiting very impatiently for my parents to wake up on Christmas morning. It was never early enough for us kids.
One of my favorite memories of Christmas is taking family pictures at the big Christmas tree at our local park.
I remember cutting up the wishbook each year to make a collage of everything I wanted. I hated when I wanted something on the back of the page of another thing I wanted and having to choose which one to put in my collage.
I remember being completely convinced I seen santas sleigh fly through the sky because I seen rudolphs nose on a drive christmas eve. 🙂
I got a guitar for Christmas when I was 86 year old. I played it all night. I was so happy.
Having my grandma come sleep over on holidays , it was always the best part !
I loved baking cookies to leave out for Santa (along with some fresh carrots for the reindeer!)
Spending christmas at my grandparents house with all the family getting together! How I miss that!
Growing up my family and I used to travel to Montreal, Canada, my birthplace, for the holidays and now I kinda miss it because I remember it being so beautiful there.
We used to decorate gingerbread houses 🙂
I can remember being about 8 and getting the Barbie House that I wanted to bad and a Color Magic Barbie. Best Christmas ever!
getting my barbie house for christmas
I remember singing Rudolph the red nose reindeer at school.
One of my favorites is of my mother in the kitchen baking Christmas cookies. She would make over 20 different kinds and I would love helping her. I miss those days
Ice skating with my family on the river behind my parents house Christmas day.
My fave is baking christmas snacks cookies , pies with my mom !
I remember being sick one year when there was Santa day and couldn’t go and Santa came to see me
My memory of every christmas is getting our christmas pajamas on christmas eve and wearing them to bed. We usually didn’t even change out of them next day! I have carried this on with my own family each year…
I always loved going to get the tree and decorating it when I was a kid.
I loved going to look at Christmas lights at Candy Cane Lane.
Having all of the family over for Christmas brunch was always fun.
I love spending Christmas Eve with my family, even now that I am married and have my own. We have a Christmas Eve holiday tradition of family and yummy food.
Picking out a live tree at Christmas tree farm.
Some of my favourite memories are baking holiday cookies with my mom!
I used to love sleeping over my grandparents house
Decorating the christmas tree for the first time.
Getting a beautiful Eskimo doll, dressed in white and fur around the hood! 🙂
I remember that one year a church did our Christmas presents for us back when we were kids. We had more fun playing with the boxes rather than the presents!
Huge family gathering at my uncles house every year
Watching my parents open there parents & seeing their eyes shine with excitement like a little child within.
When I was a child I loved leaving out cookies and milk for Santa
I remember when we got an air hockey table for christmas!! It was the best one ever!!
When my first niece was a baby, and buying and assembling gifts for her with her parents.
I was amazed when I saw all the presents under the tree.
I loved the excitement of opening presents on Christmas morning as a kid.
I remember always getting to put the star on the christmas tree.
Baking Shortbread cookies with my grandmother, and watching Christmas Carole with my mother.
Walking into my Grandma and Grandpa’s house…the smell of a really delicious dinner about to be served and squeezes from grandma as she whispered “My little Italiano” in my ear. All the presents (and there were tons) could not compare to those smells and squeezes!
Snow Angels
My birthday is christmas eve and I remember going to the christmas eve service at our church. After church we gathered to enjoy a cake made to celebrate Jesus’ birthday. I was so excited because the minister told me that the cake was for Jesus AND me!*l*
I remember leaving carrots for the reindeer and cookies for santa and being so excited to see what he brought me Christmas morning
Baking with my mother, sisters and grandmother.
i would have to say spending christmas with my mom
Although my hubs and I are both from NS we lived in Florida for a while. The first Christmas we were away I was completely homesick and was missing everything about Christmas from home. My best friend sent my gift with instruction not to open until Christmas morning. Inside was a video she made of her home and children singing me Christmas carols, our hometown and best of all, my parents house. She took video of all the decorations and special messages from everyone dear to me. It was the most thoughtful gift I have ever been given.
I remember celebrating with family on Christmas Eve and getting to not only stay up until midnight but opening a gift then too.
We would celebrate Christmas eve and Christmas day with the extended family.
I loved celebrating with my grandparents.
Most of my family has passed on, so any memory of any Christmas morning with them entirely is a good memory.
this one year checked my stocking before xmas and there was a candy bar in it.i thought santa came early as a pre prezzie
sears is such a great place to shop i would love to win it for my familiy
I loved to go tramping through the snow with my Dad searching for the perfect Christmas Tree!
I loved baking 20 different kinds of christmas cookies with my mom every year for friends, family, and neighbors
Loved going every year to my grandmas house 2 hours away.
I remember every Christmas eve we would travel to my grannies to spend the night and my granddad would sit up to make sure we did not peek!
Every Christmas, my parents’ rule was that we couldn’t get up until they were up. Even so, I would get so excited to see the presents, I would sneak downstairs and take a peak, before sneaking back in my room.
Decorating the tree a week before christmas with my parents and sis. Then watching one of the classic christmas shows with the fireplace glowing.
My sister was born on the 20th of Dec in 1981… I remember when they brought her home Xmas Eve!! 🙂
We used to get to open 1 gift on Christmas Eve I love that and let my kids do that to much to my Hubby displeasure LOL
Baking cookies with my mom and sister
Making family favorite christmas cookies and decorating them every year!
My parents would put up the tree on Christmas eve after we went to bed. We would get up Christmas morning to see the tree and all the presents. There are 7 of us kids!
Making the gingerbread house with the family.
We always had gifts to the family from “Santa” under the tree. One year, my Dad wrapped his gift to my mom in one of those boxes. I got to open it up. It was a mink coat. I’ll never forget the expression on her face.
I remember staying up late, watching the tree lights, awaiting Santa’s visit.
I remember ice skating on frozen ponds all winter, best fun and fresh air experience ever!
making gingerbread houses with my kids
Santa used to come to my Grandparents every Christmas morning to give us all a little present.
Waking up and opening our presents my parents told me and my siblings to look in tree. Inside the tree, we say white envelopes with all our names and inside each one was a ticket for Disney Land we left in an hour and 3 hrs later we were on a plane to Disney Land 🙂
I wanted a Mrs. Beasley when I was a Toddler. I used to watch “Family Affair” and the Little Girl, Buffy, on the show had a doll and her name was Mrs. Beasley. I wanted one so bad. My Mom and Dad told me that the store was sold out. I didn’t think I would get a Mrs. Beasley after all my wishing and hoping. However, on Christmas Day they gave me Mrs. Beasley. That is such a good memory.
One of my fondest memories is my entire family singing Christmas carols on Christmas Eve with my mom playing the piano.
I would go downstairs before everyone and pick out what I liked best out of our socks before my sisters came down.
Favorite memory is waiting and hiding behind the Christmas tree waiting to see Santa.
Had to be the year I got the Nintendo gaming system. It was a lot of money for my parents to spend, & I never thought I would actually get one. It’s childhood surprises like those you remember forever, a very special feeling.
I remember the year my mom put my little sister in charge of my gift and when christmas morning rolled around and everyone was opening presents while i was sitting there quietly my mom suddenly realized there wasn’t one for me. BEST boxing day ever with mom’s debit card down on queen west lol
Candy
making cookies to leave out for santa!
My favorite xmas memories are the xmas mornings of my childhood. My mother made everything so magical….
I remember when I found out Santa was different than what I was told about him (cryptic just in case kids see this!)
When I got my easy bake oven! Best memory ever!
I lived up north in BC when I was 7 and my family all lived in the BC South but one Christmas my cousin came all the way up to spend the holidays with our family and it was so exciting. It was one of the most fun times of my life!
when i was in grade 4 i got a giant stuffed smurf, it was the same height as me and i loved him. i had him for 20+ years, then he just kinda disintegrated.
Having breakfast with Santa at Simpsons with my Grandmother.
One year i got myself so worked up on christmas eve i made myself throw up! It was worth it i got a load of Transformers i asked for lol
LOL oh no that’s awful!
Going to Midnight Mass was a “given” in our rural community. Stepping outside the church and into the dark night after Mass and looking up into the beautiful night sky and thinking about the wonders of two thousand years ago was always a ‘moment’ for me!
my fave memopry is getting a teddy ruxpin
Best holiday memory is going out every year to my grandma’s acreage and finding the perfect tree to cut down. We always had the nicest tree!!
Waking up to my first white Christmas morning!
I remember shopping in the city with my grandma and as she was being distracted for a minute I fled to take a ride on the escalators right to the very top floor of a huge mall.Then I realized or thought there was no way down.I panicked and started to howl and cry until finally a nice employee found me and called for my frantic grandmother to come and recover me.I think I was four at the time .
My aunt would always have a Christmas Eve party! It was a total blast!! Then we would come home to open us kids presents & read Christmas books. So fun!!
Leave cookies and milk for Santa.
My memory is going to Grandma’s house in the country, only about 6 miles away, getting stuck in a snowbank and Dad having to shovel our way out.
Seeing the Christmas windows displays at Simpson’s with my Mom. Magical.
I vividly remember huge family gatherings where we all played Rummoli amid much laughter. All ages were able to participate and the memories are so precious now that many of those family members are no longer with us.
Making gingerbread houses using milk cartons with my mom
Growing up we had a tradition on Christmas Eve, good family friends would come over with their kids and we’d dance around the pool table as Christmas music played. One year was extra special, I was 6 and there was a knock at the door. It was Santa, our mouths dropped, as did our parents faces. He came in, gave all us kids presents and left. To this day we still don’t know who that bearded man really was. Either way what a great Xmas memory to have, thanks Santa!
My favorite memory is ice skating outside with all my cousins
Making gingerbread with my grandma
Ice skating at Rockefeller Center at Christmas time
The Christmases with my mom when I was young. It was her favorite holiday and she loved the element of surprise! She passed away when I was 15 but I always follow our traditions 38 years later.
I remember waking up to the smell of turkey filling the house on christmas morning~
I was 9 years old and my dad gave me a BB Gun for Christmas. It was a gift that I remembered him by.
Always waking each up as kids to open presents and stockings!
Une année, au réveillon nous avions mangé en commençant par le dessert, pourquoi je m’en souviens pas mais se repas à l’envers est resté dans la mémoire de tous.
One of my childhood memories was when I was about 8 years old and received a doll, hair styling chair and hair dryer. This was one of my favorite Christmas gifts of all times.
Making Greek Christmas Cookies with my mother every year ♥
My favorite holiday memory as a child is building gingerbread houses.
I loved my childhood cat, Kelly, helping me open my presents.
Getting front row seats to a holiday concert!
Getting my highly anticipated pogo stick!
I also loved getting that special package from my Aunt in Ontario.
I love getting and sending cards and letters. It’s something I try hard to do each year- though it sometimes just doesn’t happen at all. I’m also a big fan of homemade cookies- there HAS to be shortbread and sugar cookies available throughout Christmas week or it just doesn’t feel right. And Christmas Eve- that’s when we open our presents. It was that way when I was growing up and we have continued it with our own kids. No Santa- just cozy family togetherness by a twinkling tree.