It’s Christmas Eve circa 1980ish and my sisters and I are up late waiting to attend midnight mass at our local Catholic church. Normally, the idea of going to church did not thrill me. However, on this night, dressed in our Christmas best, I looked forward to making that midnight trek.
We were up and out…somewhere…after midnight. It was special and we all knew that.
We would willingly nap during the day because we knew it meant staying up well past any reasonable bedtime.
Following our midnight voyage to church, we returned home even more excited. For now it was way past midnight and we were allowed to pick one present from under the tree and open it. Just one. It didn’t really matter what that gift was. I can’t even remember. What I do remember was the tradition. The specialness of it.
Finally, we were off to bed and we didn’t need any coaxing. We knew we must be asleep for Santa to visit us and that he did.
We bounced out of bed at the crack of dawn eager to see what Santa had placed under our tree.
However, it wasn’t really the presents under the tree that I became excited about. It was the stockings. My mom was the best stocking filler…ever. Our stockings were like a magician’s top hat…surprises just kept coming out. Just when you thought you had discovered every treasure, something else was inside ready to delight.
So you see, the events that occurred after midnight and the bottomless stockings are two of my favorite childhood Christmas memories.
What about you? What are some of your most treasured childhood Christmas memories?
Wow, it sounds so special! I bet you do just as an amazing job making your kids' holiday special!
Thank you for sharing that!
My favorite still is seeing my children's /young adults faces and hear their comments as they open their gifts.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Oops I was not a thorough student.
I answered as an adult.
As a child we grew up poor and my favorite part was choosing something from my "treasure drawer" (which was a cardboard orange box) to give to my siblings.
Oh the joy in seeing how excited they got to receive something so dear to me.
We opened one present the night before Christmas too. Your mom's stockings sounds really special.
Every Christmas Eve, we'd go to my "brown" grandparents and eat a HUGE tamale dinner (my fav!). We'd wait until midnight, then open all of our Christmas presents from my grandparents, aunts and uncles.
The next day we did the traditional Christmas morning around the tree with my parents and then headed back to brown grandma's for turkey, ham and left over tamales.
*Sigh* I love traditions! I hope my own children look back and describe our's with the same love that you used here! I hope you share this with your family. It would be fun to hear what they remember most about your family Christmases! Have a beautiful Christmas, friend!
My favorite tradition growing up was going to church Christmas Eve and hearing my father sing in the choir. I could always pick his voice out of the crowd, and I still can when I hear him sing. Then we would come home and get to open one gift that night. I loved that!
Merry Christmas to you, and I loved your memories!
Stockings were my favorite thing, too, and still are! I love filling everyone's stockings with things they love, too.
Merry Christmas to you!!
Merry Christmas! Stocking stuffing really is quite the learned trick!
Sadly, we never celebrated Xmas when I was a child so my favorite memories are in progress.
Happy Holidays Melissa! I hope you and your beautiful family have the best Christmas yet.
Really, the stockings? I'm going to have to try to make them great too. This year Grandma and Grandpa filled them for the kids (who are up and itching to open them). Our midnight services made me so tired but I also loved it. Christmas is great, isn't it?
I love it. Your favorite holiday memories are mine too! We would go to midnight mass and then once we came home, it was Christmas, so my whole family (aunts, cousins, and all) would exchange gifts with one another. We'd get to bed at 2 in the morning, and then I'd wake up at 7 a.m. to begin Santa's presents, including my wonderful stocking! Merry merry Christmas to you and your wonderful family Dr. Mom! XOXOXO
Christmas Eve is out big tradition. Like, I'm talking Christmas Eve has been EXACTLY the same since before my MOM was born!
Luckily, I have been able to bring Kate to a couple of those, to continue it with my kids.
This Christmas was my best ever. It's nice to know that as amazing as it was as a kid, it's even better as a grown up!
Hope you had a lovely holiday!