Recently , I posted What I love about Christmas in this over 60 stage of my life. Even though Christmas now has a different meaning to me than in my younger years, there is still much that I love about it. That post caused me to think about what I loved about Christmas as a child and as a parent with a young family. Of course, as a child, Christmas was a very exciting time. I only have a few memories of Christmas during my childhood but they are great memories. However my best memories of Christmas are Christmas with my children. We always made Christmas a very, very special time and went over board with all the Christmas traditions. I do miss this time in my life, so today I’d like to relive some Christmas memories.
Our Christmas Pillowcase
When I was a child we didn’t have fancy Santa Bags or stockings to hang, as we are able to buy today. For us, it was a pillowcase at the end of our bed waiting for Santa. That pillowcase was always overflowing, so I’m sure we were quite spoilt by Santa. I loved reading stories about what Christmas was like on the other side of the world. Coming from the southern hemisphere, where Christmas weather is usually very hot, I couldn’t imagine a Christmas with snow and fireplaces. What did puzzle me as a child, was when I saw pictures in books, of stockings hanging by the fire. I was so glad we had pillowcases and not ‘real’ stockings. How much more Santa could fit into those huge pillowcases!
My first Christmas
The first Christmas I remember, was when I was almost three years old. That year I received what I thought was a huge bicycle. I have vivid memories of being very excited, and riding that three wheeled tricycle up and down our hallway, early on Christmas morning. I was sure I would be in trouble for riding the bike inside, but I didn’t care. I had this really big, shiny, blue tricycle and I was able to ride it. Of course, needless to say, I didn’t get into trouble.
My sister and I were two and a half years apart, and very different in our personalities. I’m not sure why, but Santa usually brought us many presents that were matching. I can remember well, the bride dolls, which were very popular at the time. I was blond and my sister was brunette. I had the blond bridesmaid and my sister had the brunette bride doll. I can’t imagine giving bride dolls to little girls these days, but the 1960s were different times with different values, so I make no judgement.
Memories of Christmas as a Mum
Fast forward to when I became a mother. With three children, Christmas was always fast and furious with lots of excitement and never a dull moment. I loved it! I loved the shopping, the gift wrapping and most of all I loved seeing those happy faces on Christmas day. With three children, growing very quickly, there was often a bike under the tree. That bike could be brand new or sometimes it was a hand me down from an older sibling, that had been repainted and refurbished to look brand new. Either way, there was always excitement plus when a shiny new bike was spied under the tree.
I’m not sure which child was the organiser, but every year, all three would gather together in the hallway, whispering excitedly, and creep to the Christmas tree, to get a glimpse of what Santa brought. There was always a bit of discussion about which pile of gifts belonged to which child. They would then creep quietly back to bed, until it was a reasonable hour to wake Mum and Dad. To this day, I’m sure they don’t know that we heard them, and would lay in bed listening to their whispers.
White Christmas in Australia
During their early teenage years, we decided to spend Christmas in the mountains, at Falls Creek. To our surprise when we arrived, late in the afternoon on Christmas Day, snow started to fall. It was light snow, but it was snow. Being summer in Australia, it was unimaginable and unseasonable for snow to fall in December. I’ll never forget that magical sight of watching the snow falling. The kids couldn’t believe it. For that reason alone it was a great reason to head to the mountains for Christmas. The snow very quickly cleared the next day, and we spent a memorable few days mountain bike riding, bush walking, reading and relaxing in the cool mountain air.
These memories are very precious to me, especially as I’m getting older, and Christmas is now a quiet time ,as the family is spread out and we no longer get together at Christmas. I’m able to catch up with my family but the catchups are all separate. These days, we don’t seem to be able to get everyone in the same place at the same time. We are now creating new memories and having three grandsons to enjoy at Christmas is making it special all over again.
I wish all my readers a very Merry Christmas. I hope you have a wonderful, happy and safe time with your families. My thanks to all, for supporting me during 2018. I appreciate your support and your comments more than you will ever know.
Do you have a special memory of Christmas? I’d love you to join in the conversation and promise to reply to all comments.
Thanks for sharing your Christmas memories. I remember bride dolls too! I live in the northern US and we almost always have snow. We did hang stockings on the fireplace mantel. Most of the presents were under the tree though. Our Christmases have changed through the years, still good but different. These are the times when I most miss my loved ones who have gone. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas.
I agree with you Michelle. Christmas isn’t the same without those who have left us. I was going to mention how I miss my son at Christmas but wanted to keep the post light hearted. Thanks for visiting. Merry Christmas to you
I grew up in NE Ohio, USA and we has snow quite frequently on Christmas. Since I live in Georgia now we don’t get snow for Christmas very often. I miss it. When my son was a baby I found some HUGE Christmas stockings-my son could fit into his for his first Christmas! I still have them and we still use them every year. Merry Christmas to you! #MLSTL
Those huge stockings sound great Kim. I was always envious as a child of those who had a white Christmas. Thanks for visiting
Merry Christmas to you and yours also! This was a beautiful reflection on your holiday memories. See you for 2019 #MLSTL.
Pleased you enjoyed the post Mary Lou. Merry Christmas to you and your family
Hi Jennifer – how lovely reading your memories. I had to smile because I had a bride doll too (another 1960’s child – so it must definitely have been a “thing” because I remember being pleased to get her and not bewildered by the choice of present).
We also gave our kids re-furbished bikes for Christmas – new ones were out of our budget in the early days – so secondhand ones that were re-painted and made shiny and new looking were the best we could do. The kids certainly didn’t seem to mind.
Thanks for linking up with us at MLSTL – I’ve shared your post on my SM – Merry Christmas! 🙂
Hi Leanne I’m fairly sure that every little girl had a bride doll in the 60s. Pleased the post brought back memories for you. Thanks for sharing. Merry Christmas to you and your family
This was a lovely read Jennifer, full of love and joy. Enjoy your family time although it all changes as the kids get older doesn’t it? #mlstl
There certainly is change to the way we celebrate Christmas as the family grows Deb. The same but different. Merry Christmas to you and your family Deb
Such sweet memories. I chuckled at the memory of receiving a bride doll. Celebrating Christmas has evolved for our family as well, but it is still my favorite time of year.
Christmas does change as the children grow up. But I agree with you that it’s still a wonderful time of year
Hi Jen, I have similar memories especially the pillow cases at the end of the bed waiting for Santa! Lucky you getting a White Christmas without travelling 1,000s of kilometers. I think I love Christmas even more now that I have grandchildren who still bring the magic and joy of this special time of year. Thank you so much for being such a great supporter of #MLSTL. I wish you and your family a very happy Christmas and a healthy and happy 2019. xx
Merry Christmas Sie to you and your family. I know you’re going to enjoy making new memories with your grandchildren. Congratulations on a great year of #MLSTL
I loved reading your Christmas memories, Jennifer. Thanks for sharing them. My favorite Christmas gift as a child was a typewriter. Hmmm…maybe my parents knew something about my future as a writer even then. I also remember one year my baby brother pulled all the names tags off the gifts the night before, so my mother handed them out randomly to each child. We’d open the gift, and then she’d announce who it went to. Christmas with my young ones was much as you described yours, except with the cold and snow. Now the children are grown, and we have grandchildren. Our mothers are aging. This is a magical time that won’t last forever, so I am trying to savor every moment. Merry Christmas to you and yours Jennifer!
I loved reading your memories Christie. Also they made me laugh! Merry Christmas to you and your family. Hope you get to create beautiful memories with the grandchildren.
I love every Christmas and I remember them all fondly, even as they change over the years and we just about always manage to have a big family get together somewhere. I can’t believe it snowed on Christmas day! Happy Christmas
Merry Christmas Christine. I hope you have a fabulous Christmas
These are great memories and I’m jealous of your Christmas pillowcase! But our Christmas stockings are precious to me. My grandmother made all of our stockings and when I got married and had my son, I made his. Stopping by from #MLSTL
I love your Christmas stocking tradition Jennifer. Thanks for stopping by. Merry Christmas to you and your family