Christmas memories........

Four days to Christmas and naturally, at least at my age, thoughts turn to past Christmases like little cameos in time. Sweet childish memories flash through my mind. They come so quickly I can not capture them to write them down. So I remember........
Mums house had 3 bedrooms and when I was small I was in the little room. My bed under a window.I am not sure I believed in Father Christmas but I do remember a full moon and standing on my bed and watching through frosty windows waiting, waiting to see that sleigh and reindeers going past the moon. The sky was very dark and so I knew my only chance of seeing him was as he crossed the moon. I must have fell asleep because I didn't see him but my gifts had arrived.
I remember as I got older I was put in the other room that was bigger and so that was my room until I left home. At that point my parents must have hoped to stay in bed longer in the morning because my gifts were on the end of the bed. Well that didn't work, I was so surprised I had to go tell them.That was the last time Santa didn't put them under the tree.
Each year my grandparents came over for dinner, my aunt Dot (Liz) and uncle Ray, my uncle Alan they all came. My Dads brothers and my Mums other family would stop by throughout the day delivering gifts or coming to wish us well. Most of our family lived around the village, so we saw just about everyone throughout the day. The men would go down the Pub while the ladies would get dinner ready. I would play with my gifts. One or maybe 2 from mum and dad. Nan would bring me a gift and I usually got a book from Ivy and Norman still have a couple of them. I have a Bible my Nan and Grandad bought me. I have several books in fact. My Auntie Annie would pop in, she came up to visit every Friday without fail. I remember jumping out to make her jump when I was little and being reprimanded by Dad "your going to kill her one of these days"......I got a sixpence every Friday from her. Anyway she would come Christmas Day too.
Mum baked and she made the very best pastry I ever tasted. Mince Pies for Christmas. I have never tasted better. Anyway everyone else thought the same so they didn't last long. They would have a tray with "drinks" on usually Sherry and some hard stuff for the men. After some gossip and cheers they would walk down the Pub. The Red Lion maybe or The Crown. There were certainly enough pubs to go around. My Uncle Harold who lived in Woodlands Ave would come up for a drink and snacks before they all toddled off. They often met their brothers in The Crown and of course 1/2 the village would be there. They played darts or dominoes with people from the village and so knew just about everyone, that made the Pubs a hub of good cheer at Christmas especially. They staggered home to find Mum usually pissed off because they were late. Seems she could have timed it better she knew they would never leave til the Pub closed. It was the same every year.
I know I have written about this before so I may repeat myself, but I always loved Christmas. Our tree was sparse. A real tree but not the lush trees you see now. I doubt they were commercially grown back then. It would be dressed in silver tinsel and pretty ornaments with real candles that were lit Christmas Day or maybe if I begged Christmas Eve. There is nothing quite like a tree with real candles.
One year I got a doll, she was dressed in traditional Dutch clothes. Same year I got my teddy bear who played Teddy bears picnic. I gave him an operation to remove the music box. I loved that bear and still have him. I hated the doll. Next year I got a dolls pram, a twin pram, I hated it. Who had twins???? I loved my books though and kept those pristine.
I adored my Nan and Granddad and when they came it seemed to make the house glow. Decorations hung in every corner and across the ceiling. We would sit and make paper chains to hang from the light in the middle of the room to each corner and between.
I guess I would say it is now family I miss at Christmas. Back then everyone lived in and around the village and so we saw them often and especially at that time of year. Dads sister Eileen lived in the village the only one far away was Betty who was a nurse and lived on the coast. Ray and Dot lived in the next street. Harold and Nelly across the village and others in Dunstable or Luton, the next towns over. Dads family lived in and around Houghton for generations. Mums in nearby villages.
It's not like that now. My kids all live far away and we don't see them at Christmas any more. It will just be me and Gerry this year. We don't have Tristen and Gabby and Cooper moved out. My time to relax I guess. I will still fix dinner for us, we love turkey and it lasts awhile.
There was a time when this house bustled too, the kids and grandkids would come home for Christmas and we would have a house full. Time goes by and things change as it did in my parents house. I am sure Mum looked back at those days too when her house was full and merry.
That's life. It changes for everyone, that's why memories are so special. Build good memories while you can. Fill your house with love and cheer.
I used to decorate every room. I remember Laura, Dan and girls coming home for Christmas from wherever they were stationed. I would have a small tree in every bedroom. Then after they divorced, Dan would bring the girls up from N.C to stay with us. I love Christmas stuff and would put away all my usual things and replace with Christmas every room. I will miss that.
I loved decorating but I am too old and too tired to do that now and there is no point. Tristen wont remember.
It didn't snow a lot in ENgland that I recall but do remember the year I went with the men down to the pub, it was The Crown that year and we were meeting Uncle Ron there and Uncle Harold. MY Uncle Alan was living with us then for a time and we all got rather cheerful. On the walk home in the snow we had snowball fights and shuffled along pretending to be Yogi and Boo Boo. Playing silly buggers as they say. The pub was so crowded that I could barely push through being short I saw a sea of backs and boots.
The year my Dad invited his Dad who was in a nursing home was a frosty one. The "boys" all despised their dad (long story) and Mum hated him. I always felt bad for him and didn't understand. My Dad was a more forgiving sort and was probably one of the only ones to go see him in the home. I went with him once he was just so happy to see us. That Christmas I am sure was uncomfortable for him but would have been better than staying in the home. My Mother was not a forgiving person but my Dad was. Thankfully I am more like him. I can't hold a grudge and in any case it was nothing to do with me. As a young person it was hard to relate to times gone by. Now I can see things differently but still, forgiveness is the best. We all have our bad times and we all need forgiveness.............and that's what Christmas is all about isn't it? That's why Jesus was born to free the world from sin and His message to love one another, forgive people.
I love Christmas carols. I don't like commercial Christmas songs. I like the old songs. O Holy Night to me is what it's all about. Hark the Herald Angels sing. Oh Come O come Emmanuel those are the ones that pull at my heartstrings. Then sit and listen to the Queen's Christmas message. I hear her voice in my heart now. Elizabeth is old in her 90s, a wonderful woman. Charles is old too haha. My next king.
So this is Christmas, maybe not Jesus's birthday in reality but then even the Queen has one official day. It is a season filled with love and family so how can it be wrong. Keep the spirit alive all year but on this day remember what it's all about and spread love and cheer.
Happy Christmas.