Memories of Christmas Past

FAOL Community Sound Off
1

Hey Folks,

How about sharing some of those special
memories of Christmas’s past. This is the
spot for those warm fuzzy memories that will
jump start our Christmas Spirit.G

 My fondest Christmas would probably

have been my 6th one, over a half century
ago. What made it special to me was that
my Grandma and Grandpa spent that Christmas
with us.

 I remember on Christmas eve, my Mom

and Grandma spent all day creating goodies
in the kitchen. The smells and tastes were
awesome and I remember them to this day.
There were more goodies created that day
than we normally saw all year.

 My Grandpa and I supervised until

run out of the kitchen, and then he took me
downtown in his new Hudson to see
Santa at the department store. We sneaked a
chili dog and orange soda while we were out.

My Granpa was very special to me.  He

was my buddy and talked to me like we were
equals. We could talk about anything. He
always wore a 3 piece suit with vest, pocket
watch and gold chain. He taught me to tell
time on that watch. Today it’s in a glass
case on my mantle. My kids learned to tell
time on it as well.G

Whenever he would visit, he would always secret a small bag of my favorite

little peppermints in one of his pockets.
I could check another pocket for each hug
I gave him. I remember his beard scratched
like course sandpaper and he smelled of the
Tampa Nugget cigars he smoked. It was a
good smell. It was the smell of Grandpa.G

Christmas Eve, we had a big bowl of homemade
egg nog with real icecream and nutmeg
sprinkled in each cup. It was rare to see
alcohol in the house but I remember the
pint bottle of whiskey that went into that
bowl. I was allowed a small cup but Grandpa
kept my cup going.G I can still remember
the warm feeling when it went down.

I remember that Grandma and Grandpa gave me
a Lionel train for Christmas that year. It
was a favorite for many years. I gave it to
a neighborhood kid when I left for bootcamp.

Most of all, I remember the stories that
Grandpa told. He was a great story teller
and he could and often did entertain a room
full of family and friends with stories of
the “big war”, family hero’s and rascallions, the depression, prohibition and
speak easy’s and special fishing and hunting
trips. I hung on to every word. We had
just gotten our very first TV that year but
I don’t recall it even being turned on while
Grandma and Grandpa were there. The TV then
nor today could hold a candle to Grandpa’s
stories.

It was not long after that Christmas that
Grandpa left us. One night in his sleep,
his heart gave out. But he lives on in my
heart even now. I still remember his
wonderful stories and share them with my
family and friends yet today. My Grandpa
was a very special man.G

I hope some of you folks will share some of
your special Christmas Memories. After all,
it is the Season.G Warm regards, Jim

2

Yesterday for sure!

See post below.

Jim thanks for sharing yours, it is truly wonderful.

My Grandpa was a story teller also! I have one I wrote about he telling one of his. I guess he passed the story
telling trade on to me and hopefully my young son.

You have mail Jim - Merry Christmas

Steve Molcsan

[This message has been edited by Steve Molcsan (edited 17 December 2005).]

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When I was young all my grandparents were living and I had over 30 aunts and uncles (1/2 of those by marrage). Now they are all dead. I can’t remember how many first cousins I have but the number is stagering, some have passed on, some I don’t know what happened to but I still get Christmas cards from many of them.

Christmas in our family was a huge gathering, lots of laughter and good things to eat. My grandma held the whole thing together. It was almost manditory that everyone show up.

When I was 14 a friend and I stayed out all night Christmas eve without calling home. When I did show up my dad gave me a world class butt woopin. He was a tough man, had huge hands and he didnt hold back.

Now our children have their other family traditions to attend on Christmas eve. That night Nancy and I exchange gifts, eat shrimp and spend a quiet night googly eyeing one another. She is my most precious gift.

[This message has been edited by Buzz (edited 17 December 2005).]

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Jim, …

Not the same type of memory of Christmas? past, … but still one which follows me and leads me to this day, …

Drove from Vancouver back to Kamloops for Christmas break from school with 2 class mates. Typical west coast winter and the rain was just pounding us on the west slope of the mountains.

With the wipers on full blast and the spray from the transport trucks, one of my buds (Dave) just noticed a sedan in the ditch as we sped by. We turned around (no one else seemed to have noticed the wreck).

20 feet from the pavement and pasted to the rock face was a 40’ish couple in their car. As we approached the car the three of us were all thinking and having the same sinking feeling, … We know this car.

In the days before air bags and mandatory seat belt laws, there wasn’t much for untrained 18 year olds to do.

It was tough to flag down a car in the driving rain, … but we finally did and sent one off to get the RCMP in Boston Bar.

The feeling of helplessness in the face of adversity was life changing, especially when the those who need help are your best friend’s in-laws.

I quite school for the rest of the year, finished my ambulance training. Trained some more with various associations, groups (etc). Practised A LOT (ski patrol gives one lots of experience). ?

I now do the START triage clinics for various groups around here, as well as the CPR certification for many others.

That Christmas memory changed my Christmas’. On most Christmas’, I’ll spend at least a few days (and nights) out on the trails or up in the mountains around here on call outs to bring folks home.

We don’t ask for them, … but I still get a few e-mails and cards each year, many at Christmas, from folks with a “Thank You”, or from families with a “Thank You Anyway”.

To all in the FAOL community … have a Happy and Safe Christmas.

Sincerely,

Christopher Chin, Jonquiere Quebec
[url=http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/:339bf]Fishing the Ste-Marguerite[/url:339bf]

[This message has been edited by fcch (edited 17 December 2005).]

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Christopher Chin,

I also Thank you!

Merry Christmas

Steve

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Steve, … Thanks (for the thanks) …

Jim, … sorry if I hijacked your thread.

OK Folks, … he asked for them, … what are your Memories, traditions, … You know you have them.

I always cook the turkey. My Mom’s recepie, …right down to the stuffing.

I guess the SMELL of the bird in the oven all afternoon is a part of memories.

p.s. … Jim, … I can’t elaborate 'cause that’d take away from Monday’s article

Christopher Chin, Jonquiere Quebec
[url=http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/:b6d53]Fishing the Ste-Marguerite[/url:b6d53]

[This message has been edited by fcch (edited 18 December 2005).]

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Oh come on Christopher just a small taste!

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The most vivid Christmas memory is driving back from my mother’s sisters house Christmas night. I do remember the food and Aunt Ruth’s homemade Parkerhouse rolls, but driving the 30 miles back to our house meant I got to snuggle up next to my mother and her green wool coat with the big red fox collar…memories are funny things.

LadyFisher, Publisher of
FAOL

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Good thread.

My two daughters are now 21 and 18, but when they were 3 and 6 Santa brought a toy for my youngest daughter which made a noise like doink when you pushed a button. At 4:30 in the morning i could hear both girls up and excited whispers and then Doink, doink, doink for about 10 minutes before she went on to something else. After playing with Santa’s toys they went back to bed until about 7:00 when they would come downstairs and wake mom and dad up to open all the presents. Still have the toy and hope to give it to her kids.

Jon from Idaho

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When I was a kid, around 6, my Mom made sure we celebrated Christmas even though my Dad wasn’t Christian. I always had to go to bed early on Christmas Eve or Santa wouldn’t drop of any gifts. (I was allowed to choose one gift from the Sears, Speigal, or Montgomery Wards catalog).

One very cold Christmas Eve Dad and I walked to the other end of town to get water from the town well (no one, even the rich folks, had indoor plumbing). We had to use a good wooden bucket because the water would freeze solid in a metal one, just on the walk home.

After bundling up, securing the bucket and trudging through the deep snow to the well house, Dad primed the old hand pump, drew the water and closed up the pump house.

On the way home the air was crisp to say the least. Breathing through our homemade scarves kept the bite from the nose and mouth, but caused them to ice up a bit as our breath froze on the outside.

I guess Dad was trying to give Mom a little more time to get things ready for the arrival of Santa because we stopped in the middle of main street. Now our main street was just a gravel road and there were no street lights. The only light was the soft glow from the Christmas Trees everyone had in the front window of their homes and the stars in the sky. That’s when Dad pointed up.

Over our heads was the inky blackness of a North Dakota night sky with absolutely brilliant points of light twinkling like so many Christmas tree lights. All wrapped up in a garland of the Northern Lights playing across the night in blues, purples and greens.

In the 59 years I’ve walked on this earth I have never seen anything as beautiful as that childhood night sky.

Ron Eagle Elk

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My best Christmas ever was 19 years ago. My oldest son was born that Christmas Eve, and he came home from the hospital on Christmas Day. There’s never been a greater Christmas for me.

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For me it was Christmas 1970. I was home on leave and had spent Christmas 69 in Vietnam. Enough said.

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Welcome home Dave, and thank you!G Warm
regards, Jim

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My most vivid Christmas memories arent necessarily good…but I appreciate things a bit more after them.

I spent one week during the Holidays in bed very sick because I went to visit an aunt and uncle who had cats…at the time I was teribbly allergic to them .

The other memory is a bit scarier…at a different aunt and uncle’s house for Christmas…we were woken up in the middle of the night to the smell of smoke. Apparently there was a small fire in the basement of their house…luckily it was small and didnt do much damage other than ruining some of the presents for that Christmas. But it sure was an eye-opener.

While these arent so much good memories, both of these events have given me a greater appreciation for the holidays. It makes me think about the real important things at this wonderful time of the year.

Peace to all and hope you all have a grweat and wonderful holiday season

Take care everyone and cya around. Mark

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It’s a week before Christmas in 1985. I am in the 6th Air Cavalry at Fort Hood, Texas and we are in garrison for the holiday. We are on our last evening muster formation before the commanding officer, Marine Corp Captain Mark Gibson, cuts us loose for the holiday granted by President Reagan. He asks for a show of hands from those of us staying at the post for Christmas. He then announces that all of us will be at his house at 13:00 hours (1p.m.) on Christmas day for dinner with his wife and kids. Captain Gibson said,“My troops don’t eat in the mess hall on Christmas day”. I told him that since I was saving leave to take as terminal leave in the spring I was pulling PFC Glass’s 24 hour squadron duty driver detail on Christmas Eve so Glass could go home. At 13:00 hours I would still be sleeping. Captain Gibson asked when I would wake up and I told him about 14:30-15:00 hours (2:30-3:00p.m.). Captain Gibson said,“You will be in your room at 15:00 hours.”. I said that I might be in the mess hall by that time. Captain Gibson said,“That was not a request, it’s an order.”. I saluted and said,“Yes sir! I will be there, sir.”. About 14:30 my buddy from New York comes down to see if I’m ready to go to the mess hall. I said we have to wait as the Captain ordered me to be in my room at 15:00 hours. Sure enough at 15:00 on the dot Dan and I heard a sharp knock on the door. When I opened the door there stood my Captain with two huge picnic baskets full of home cooked food! I was so overcome with emotion that I just managed to choke out a “Thank you, Sir! Please come in, Sir.”. He declined the invitation saying, as a joke, that he didn’t want to leave all of those Army guys at home, alone, with his wife! Then he looked at me with misty eyes and said,“Merry Christmas, Bridges. I told you my troops don’t eat in the mess hall on Christmas Day.”. As I closed the door I turned to look at my buddy and his mouth was literally hanging open. My buddy said he would take a bullet for that man and I was fortunate to have such a great Commander. I couldn’t agree more. I shared my food with my buddy and we both enjoyed the best Christmas dinner ever!

Captain Gibson was a Marine assigned to the Army for the Apache Attack Helicopter Evaluation. He took a terrible ribbing from us Army pilots and crew chiefs but he made us stand tall and proud. He will always be “My Captain.”. The poor soul even tolerated, barely, our changing of the words of “Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer” to “Gibson Marine Corps Pilot”.

God Bless all of you. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! FYI, you can send an email to our troops via the official military web site [url=http://www.americasupportsyou.mil:9b30f]http://www.americasupportsyou.mil[/url:9b30f] Sure would mean a lot to our troops if you all take a moment to send them Christmas wishes.

Eric “nighthawk”

American veteran and proud of it!

[This message has been edited by nighthawk (edited 19 December 2005).]

[This message has been edited by nighthawk (edited 19 December 2005).]

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Christmas 1983. My son was one year old, my daughter 4. Asleep in their beds. We had an old friend visitng and we were sitting by the fire enjoying a drink… or two. Christmas carolers came knocking on our door and told us YOU’VE GOT A CHIMNEY FIRE!! The fire dept came over within 2 minutes of calling and blasted through two feet of snow in our yard to get the ladder truck by the side of the house. It was 2 degrees below zero and windy. One fireman was on our roof, spraying water down the chimney and another was downstairs looking into the chimney where our wood stove connected. The man on the roof was singing and laughing. I asked the fireman who was downstairs with us why he was so cheerful on a night like this. He said he has a choice. Its either that or telling you how he really feels. I can’t imagine how cold and wet he must have been. They left in short order, after putting out or fire and telling us what was wrong with our recent new chimney liner we had put in.

Thank you Greenfield, MA Fire Dept. They always get a contribution from me when they hold out their boots on the street collecting for this or that.

jed

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Nighthawk…done…~S~

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My Fondest Christmas memories are all about Christmas dinner at our house .My Moms kitchen was very large and opened into the larger dining area . It could hold our entire clan of about 40 relatives at one long table . Because it held everybody they all came to our house for Christmas dinner . It was the only time of year we all got together . Now there are usually just 15 of us , the clan is much larger but is also more scattered .

Like the song says “You don’t know what you have till its gone” .

[This message has been edited by Gnu Bee Flyer (edited 21 December 2005).]

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Jim,
This post is a wonderful idea. Thank you, Sir!

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Hey Nighthawk,

Like I said, Tis the season! We all
need a few warm fuzzies to get us through
these cold nights. Today was the official
first day of winter.G Warm regards, Jim