One thing that I like about Christmas is that it always takes me back to the days of my youth. After all, Christmas is an especially happy time for children and many of our best childhood memories occurred during the December holidays!
What I remember most as a small child are the ‘bright lights" on Christmas morning. I'm talking about those banks of spotlights that dad used to shoot his home movies of us coming down the stairs to open our presents.
I believe that a lot of people my age have 8mm film of themselves covering their eyes and waving off the camera. However, it was a seasonal ritual that was an essential rite performed on Christmas morning.
Another exciting thing about Christmas morning was "the train!" Santa Claus not only brought the presents and filled the stockings, but he also set up the Lionel train set complete with the accompanying village and figures.
The train and the lead figures are among my most prized possessions today, not because of any monetary value, but because they are a tangible piece of my childhood that I can hold in my hand! It is treasure in its truest form.
Since my mother was Italian, Christmas always meant cookies. Lots of cookies, Unbelievable amounts of cookies. Mother would start baking before Thanksgiving and filled the freezer with every kind of cookie imaginable. And visitors always brought more cookies. There were so many varieties that you could not eat one of each before you were too full to eat any more,
And speaking of visitors, our house was always full of people on Christmas. There were twelve of us, plus my grandparents, aunts and uncles, and most of my cousins would visit on Christmas. The result was a cacophony of noise and chatter that at times would be overwhelming.
And although these shadows of the past become more distant every year, I look back with fond remembrance of the happiness surrounding the occasion! There is nothing else in my childhood that even comes close to having the same meaning for me.
I wish all of you the merriest of Christmases this year and I hope that you create many happy memories for you and you loved ones!!
All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc., and may not be used without the expressed written permission of Coweta Fayette Real Estate Better Homes and Gardens Metro Brokers, Newnan Georgia. All information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted, Copyright 2003-2009. Richard Weisser REOS, E-Pro. licensed Auctioneer. 770-827-6225.
Learn more about Coweta County and Fayette County Georgia Real Estate, and to search the entire Georgia MLS for free with no registration required. Visit CowetaFayetteRealEstate.com! Photos of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. North Georgia Photos.
Richard, that was wonderful, thank you. Have a great Christmas.
Richard,
Surprising longevity on those old Bell and Howell 8mm's. Have a wonderful Christmas my friend. Add this one to the memories and many more to come.
Rich
What a wonderful, memory filled post. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas, filled with happiness and lots of cookies.
Gabe...
Thanks and the same to you and yours! Merry Christmas!
Rich...
I intend to do just that. Thanks and Merry Christmas!
Amy...
Thanks for those kind words and Merry Christmas to you as well!
Richard, nicely written and so true probably for all of us. My hope is that the things my wife and I did created the same GREAT MEMORIES that my parents did for me. Merry Christmas to you and your this Holiday Season!
Hi Richard,
Past Christmas years are full of fond memories and your right Christmas time always brings them back in waves!!I enjoy creating memories for our children and grandchildren. We started the "pickle ornament" tradition when our grand kids were first able to enjoy Christmas. After all presents are open the kids have to leave the room (Uncle John tethers them)..I hang the shinny glass green pickle ornament and when the kids come back in the room they have to find the ornament on the tree. The one to find it gets an extra present! Their smiling faces and darting eyes all over our tree are so fun to watch. What is surprising is someone new (there are 5 of them) each year has found the pickle!
Hi Richard! What a wonderful story! This time of year always brings back those childhood memories. I remember when my Father bought a Lionel train set and it was called the Spirit of '77. I still have that set and it's in the box. I'm hoping when my son has kids, I can give it to them.
Have a Merry Christmas Richard :)
Richard, this is my most favorite day of the year, Christmas Eve, even more than Christmas day. The anticipation is probably what does it for me. And all my "ghosts" are very much alive for me today.
Merry Christmas my new dear friend, and I wish you a wonderful, healthy and successful 2010. Now, go play with the trains and lead figures.... lead, LOL, put gloves on, and enjoy your family, cook lots of food, and just have a wonderful day!
Richard.....thank you for sharing your wonderful memories.....that made me think of mine, also.....as for the present, I have 13 for dinner this evening and then we open presents.....we have two days of presents......tonight they are from me.....Santa comes tomorrow morning at my daughter's house.....tomorrow I relax and play with the young grandchildren and their toys.....Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Wonderful memories Richard! Merry Christmas my friend!
Hi Richard: A freezer full of cookies? Sounds like heaven to me!
:)
Thanks for reminding us Christmas past doesn't have to be haunting, Richard! Hope you're feeling fit as a fiddle too.
Thanks for the memories...sounds a little "Hope-ish" (Bob Hope). Enjoy the season!
Richard, You have some wonderful memories of Christmas as do I. Aren't we blessed? Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Such a touching memory filled post Richard.
I'm hitting the attic an looking for my old family films.
I know they'll bring back memories much like your post did.
All the best to you in 2010!
Merry Christmas my friend!
Richard: I am hoping to bring back one of those special memories you talk about for my husband this Christmas. His father used to set up the train set for him to see on Christmas morning. And since the early childhood loss of his Dad, Christmas hasn't been the same for him. There is a train set all boxed up under the tree and waiting for him tomorrow. I'd take the time to go the whole nine yards and set it up, but I have no clue what I'm doing. Maybe this will be there the start of our own holiday tradition. Merry Christmas!
Thank you Richard for reminding us of some of the wonderful traditions of Christmas. Such a great time for families and friends to come together in sharing joy and the celebration of important values. Many Blessings to You.
Richard, you are so right about the trains----that is what it was all about when I was a kid.
That is a beautiful water color! I don't remember seeing that one before. Merry Christmas to you my friend!
Richard, looking back does bring back warm memories of Christmas past. Don't forget to make those terrific memories of TODAY too. Merry Christmas!!
Merry Christmas Richard. I remember having one of those trains as a kid. I wish I had hung on to it.
Richard...The Train!!! Mine was an American Flyer. I still have it and a few extra thing for it.
Hi Richard... what wonderful memories of Christmases past! I hope that you are feeling better and enjoy the celebration!
Thanks for the memories, Gary. I especially remember waking up at 4 or 5 in the morning with my 5 brothers and sisters to go to the front room to see what Santa had brought. I especially remember the year of the bicycles and a train set also. Best to you and yours, Richard.
Featured @ Club Chaos
I love Christmas. Everything is so beautiful, and you can always expect the music to be as beautiful as what we see. But I found it ironic that when you mentioned your memories of Christmas as a child, I realized that my childhood memories that I most frequestly share are not about Christmas. My mind always goes to our vacations, when the family was together for extended periods of time. It's interesting... I'm sitting here musing about this now. Hmmm. lol
Ah well, as long as I have happy childhood memories, it's all good! =D
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Merry Christmas Richard. I remember lots of cookies too. And my mom still bakes from Thanksgiving until Christmas although, not Italian. No 8mm film either. My daughter can boast about all the VHS *now transfered to DVD, but she's the first generation to be on film in my family. I enjoyed todays' post, well I enjoyed you all year. I'm looking forward to more from you next year. Again... have a wonderful Christmas.
Richard. Kudos for another well written article. No wonder that you are featured so many times. Keep up the good work.. Merry Christmas.
Michael