25 Days of Christmas Day 10

Childhood Christmas Memories

 

One of the nice things about blogging is it promotes reflection, detail, and thought.

I thought I would do a post on some of my childhood Christmas memories.

My parents were not picture fanatics, but they did take some photographs. 

I was always so excited about Christmas!

Everything about it.

I would draw whatever I could that related to Christmas.

I always watched all the Christmas programs on TV.

I even enjoyed going to school during the Christmas season. I liked singing the Christmas songs and making decorations in art class. Every year we would make a chain garland out of construction paper and snowflakes.

There was always a school Christmas play which included the Birth of Jesus.

And of course Santa Claus would come and give us candy out of his bag.

In my mind this is pretty much how I pictured Santa Claus.

My father's employer held a Christmas party each year and there was always a gift for us kids.

I remember that when we had to say Good-bye to Santa I would quickly run outside and look at the roof of the building to see him take off in his sled pulled by his reindeer.

 I never saw him leave (off the roof). I always thought he was just too fast for me.

I always made sure there was milk and cookies set out for Santa Claus and every morning after everything was gone.

Here is a picture of me with the Christmas tree behind me. I was four years old here.

 As you can see, I am quite excited!

Here's a better view of the tree.

Here I am with my mother, my brother Bruce, and my sister Renita. We are all two years apart. So I was 4 years of age here.

Three beautiful gifts under the tree. One of them is crying!

Here we are 2 or 3 years later. I still remember the knitting craft gift I got.

I remember making pot holders (I think they were orange!)

My sister is holding my doll. I'm not sure why she isn't holding her own gift.

Here we are all four of us. Even he cat got in on this one.

The two youngest are looking at the camera! Isn't my Mom beautiful?!!

 

I have many memories of Christmas, but there is one memory I will never forget and it's not a happy one.

We had had our Christmas assembly in the gymnasium and I was thirsty, so I went out into the hall to get a drink from the fountain.

As I was coming back from getting a drink, I saw our janitor (who was dressed in a Santa suit) take off his hat and beard. I could not believe my eyes. It was not really Santa Claus.

 I was just devastated!

The rest of the day was ruined for me.

It took me a long time to get over that.

 

When I had my son, we told him about Santa Claus but we also told him that he wasn't real, just a cartoon character.

I didn't want him to be disappointed like I was. I didn't want him to believe a lie.

The truth is that Jesus was born to this earth as a gift to us. The beauty of Jesus is that He does not lie and He does not change.

There is peace in knowing that.

   This is the truth that I want my son to know.

 

Jesus knows when I've been naughty and He knows when I've been nice and His love never changes.

 

I pray that you are encouraged anew by the goodness of God to you by sending His son Jesus.

 

Blessings, Diane