This time of year I love, much to my husband’s chagrin, getting lost in a good Christmas movie from the hallmark channel. I enjoy the beauty of all the decorations and the beautiful clothes they wear. It’s fun to anticipate the relationship developing between the 2 handsome characters. I love to be swung up into the emotion of it all. There is always some conflict to threaten the budding relationship, but never a lack of money. It is just pure entertainment.
Life isn’t quite so picture perfect. But when we sift through our memories, we can pull out the beautiful ones and be thankful. Here are some of mine from my childhood years on St. Joseph Island.
One year on Christmas Eve we still had no Christmas tree. My father probably worn out by this time couldn’t imagine going for a tree and not having one seemed to be the reality. I had 2 teenage brothers at the time along with 3 other siblings. My second brother came in after working. No tree? He wouldn’t have it. They were young and adventurous. Out to the bush they went and we got our Christmas tree.
My dad was often out of work, and with all of us, things often got lean. One particular year I don’t remember how little we had I just remember the kind man and his wife from our little church congregation who came to our house Christmas day with parcels. I am sure there were games and candies but the thing I remember most was the big red delicious apples. To this day red delicious are my favourite.
One year we travelled to Thunder Bay where my Grandmother was a school teacher. I remember arriving and having to climb a mountain of snow to get to her house. That year Grandma’s gift to me was a doll carriage. It came as a note on the Christmas tree which meant I had to wait. Wait I did. I still remember the day that carriage came to my home in Richard’s Landing. It was one of the most beautiful gifts I received.
I could go on. So many memories accumulate over the years. I am so thankul for family and friends, for the memories, for the precious gift of the Christmas story. May God bless you with rich Christmas memories this year.
