Christmas Spirit Thread

[DGUtley]

We grew up poor. We got one gift. I remember my mother and father being so excited watching the gift that the picked for us and how excited we were. They're both gone now. Good memories.

[Just AnotherPerson]

[Dr. Who]

We grew up poor. We got one gift. I remember my mother and father being so excited watching the gift that the picked for us and how excited we were. They're both gone now. Good memories.

When I was very young my family struggled a bit financially - we were much better off by the time I hit my teens. I remember one year in particular when times were pretty tough, my Dad was between jobs, and my parents went to a discount store and bought toys that were slightly damaged so that we could have a toy at all that Christmas, plus some articles of clothing to make it seem like we were getting a little more, but it was really stuff that we needed because we were outgrowing our clothing. I was about 8 years old and old enough to figure it out. It made me a little sad upon the realization that my family was struggling financially. Nevertheless, my mother made our traditional Christmas dinner and it felt like Christmas. I discovered then that what I loved about Christmas was not really the presents but the event - seeing relatives, the smell of the tree, the music, the food and the warmth and happiness of Christmas.

[Just AnotherPerson]

My favorite christmas memories really have more to do with the season. We didnt have alot of money either, so I dont remember thinking of the gifts too much. My family seemed to concentrate mostly on joy and food. My dad sings and plays the guitar, so as a child he would play us christmas songs on his guitar in the glow of chirtmas lights, he would have all of us kids trying to sing along with him. We also had one of those huge record player consoles that took up half the living room ha ha, I remember hearing Christmas music from that huge stereo. I remember my mother would make christmas cookies, well we would make them together, and we would decorate them. We may have been poor, but rather than buy things, we always had food. To this day I still live by that. Joy is in having our basic needs met, and basic comforts.

My mother is also an artist, so she painted christmas windows, to make some extra money during Christmas, that was the greatest christmas spirit feeling. She would dress us warmly and take us with her. We would help her paint. She painted the most fabulous Christmas windows. It brought joy to so many people. Sometimes we painted outside in the cold, and sometimes inside, and there was often Christmas music playing, and lights hung in the businesses' that we painted. And everyone would stop to share stories with us, and share the Christmas spirit.

[Dr. Who]

My favorite christmas memories really have more to do with the season. We didnt have alot of money either, so I dont remember thinking of the gifts too much. My family seemed to concentrate mostly on joy and food. My dad sings and plays the guitar, so as a child he would play us christmas songs on his guitar in the glow of chirtmas lights, he would have all of us kids trying to sing along with him. We also had one of those huge record player consoles that took up half the living room ha ha, I remember hearing Christmas music from that huge stereo. I remember my mother would make christmas cookies, well we would make them together, and we would decorate them. We may have been poor, but rather than buy things, we always had food. To this day I still live by that. Joy is in having our basic needs met, and basic comforts.

My mother is also an artist, so she painted christmas windows, to make some extra money during Christmas, that was the greatest christmas spirit feeling. She would dress us warmly and take us with her. We would help her paint. She painted the most fabulous Christmas windows. It brought joy to so many people. Sometimes we painted outside in the cold, and sometimes inside, and there was often Christmas music playing, and lights hung in the businesses' that we painted. And everyone would stop to share stories with us, and share the Christmas spirit.

That sounds amazing. I always loved it when we went to my Aunt's home and someone would play the piano and everyone would sing Christmas carols.

[silvereyes]

That is one of my favorite songs.

[silvereyes]

What was my best and worst christmas was when I was 8 yrs old, it seemed I got everything I wanted and much more. My mother wouldnt let me get further than an inch from her. It was my best christmas ever.

Then it became my worst, my mother hugged me the next morning and said always listen to your papa promise me, I said ok she said ill always be with you, she got in the car with my father and it was the last time I saw her. She died on the operating table of a brain aneurism.

So its my best christmas memory and my worst, but I remember it as my best

Wow. ((((((Hugs)))))))

[silvereyes]

Well, there goes a nice thread.

I don't know what it is especially about Xmas music that brings out the mischief and the troll in people, but it does. I have never seen a Xmas song thread that wasn't destroyed like beautiful wrapping paper on Xmas morning.

Another favorite:

[silvereyes]

My favorite christmas memories really have more to do with the season. We didnt have alot of money either, so I dont remember thinking of the gifts too much. My family seemed to concentrate mostly on joy and food. My dad sings and plays the guitar, so as a child he would play us christmas songs on his guitar in the glow of chirtmas lights, he would have all of us kids trying to sing along with him. We also had one of those huge record player consoles that took up half the living room ha ha, I remember hearing Christmas music from that huge stereo. I remember my mother would make christmas cookies, well we would make them together, and we would decorate them. We may have been poor, but rather than buy things, we always had food. To this day I still live by that. Joy is in having our basic needs met, and basic comforts.

My mother is also an artist, so she painted christmas windows, to make some extra money during Christmas, that was the greatest christmas spirit feeling. She would dress us warmly and take us with her. We would help her paint. She painted the most fabulous Christmas windows. It brought joy to so many people. Sometimes we painted outside in the cold, and sometimes inside, and there was often Christmas music playing, and lights hung in the businesses' that we painted. And everyone would stop to share stories with us, and share the Christmas spirit.

That's really cool about the windows. What a great memory. <3

[silvereyes]

The melding of their voices...wow.