12 stories of the best christmas memories

Christmas is coming faster than you can say ba humbug ! 

This time of year is stressful to say the least, everyone in a rush to get presents they can't afford for people who don't deserve a 75 dollar perfume but a Ferrari. You put things off till the last minute because thinking about it is enough to make your head explode. 

"I wish I could crawl into a hole till the 26th"

&

  "My mother always used to say this season brings out the devil in people" 

These are things I hear through passing conversation in the office. And that is why I thought this is a better time than any to ask people about their favorite christmas memories. So below is just that, from people I love. I hope in reading this you can remember what this season is really about and how wonderful it can be if you don't get wrapped up like a present in all the trivial things. 

ONE

name Matt

age 33

The year my Dad got his second chance at life when Aunt Donna gave him a kidney. November 17th.

Then when the boys were born in November.

TWO

name Eva

age 19

  

The Christmas I remember the most is this one year when my mom made crepes and it was the first time I ever tried them and they had the strawberries and whipped cream and I went crazy over them and kept going back to the kitchen for more and more plates and I have been wanting her to make them every Christmas since but she hasn't.

THREE

name Melissa

age 33

I would have to say 5 years ago, I had the BEST Christmas with Adam!!! He bought me sooo much presents, never in my life have I opened so many, I loved everything! He got the kids cool stuff, was the best Christmas I have ever had...He made me feel so special, he did really love me. All I wanted was just to be with him, it wouldn't of mattered if I didn't open a thing..being with him was a gift everyday.

FOUR

name Caitlyn 

age 21

I think it would have to be the Christmas not last year, but the year before because that was the last Christmas we had with my Grandpa.

FIVE

name Krista

age 34

My favorite Christmas was in 1996 at my Grandma and Grandpa Sutera's house.My Grandma had the house so warm and inviting. The tree was beautiful and the whole house was decorated top to bottom. Grandma had a spread of everything, the best snacks and cookies. Everyone in the family was there. It was very loud; I enjoyed talking to everyone I felt the love in that house.My favorite thing was sitting by the fireplace with my Grandma talking, just looking at everyone and feeling happy we were all together. Christmas is about family and enjoying the moments. That Christmas was my favorite and I will always remember it and how I felt, it was magical.

SIX

name Rob

age 25

The year was 1999. I was 8 years old and still on my Batman obsession. I was living on 43rd and California and me and my two sisters at the time slept on an air mattress in the living room. The funny thing was that the Christmas tree was also in the living room, so my parents had to sneak through the night quiet as a door mouse in order to get all the gifts out. I remember waking up around 4am, wired, ecstatic, and excited to start opening the presents. My parents didn't wake up until 8, so I quaked in my own misery and excitement. I remember getting a see-through green N64 with Donkey King 64 attached. SO BADASS! My Grandma had also made kolaczkis. By far one of the best.

SEVEN

name Janet

age 63

I was probably fairly newly married, so maybe the Christmas of 1975. The August before,my husband John asked me what I missed most from living at home. I told him "my piano and the encyclopedia." He said,rightfully,that the encyclopedia should wait until we had children, but maybe we could think about getting a piano. We went to Lyon & Healy and I must have tested 20-30 pianos. I picked my beautiful piano and it was delivered in September with payments to start in October. At the first payment, John said "Would you mind if this could be your Christmas gift, as I really don't think we can afford anything after we start making these payments." So my first Christmas gift from my new husband was my piano. Years later when he asked if I wanted to get a baby grand to go with the new house, I refused, because I certainly could not keep two pianos, because I would never get rid of my first!

That very same Christmas in 1975, my brother Jim was 9 years old. Mom gave him some money to Christmas shop, and I was to take him shopping. He looked at his money and wondered how he was going to buy gifts with such a small amount of money. I told him those were sometimes the most meaningful gifts ever. We went into a Hallmark store and saw a beautiful candle-it had angels on three sides! I said let's get that for Mom and Dad, and we can create a new Christmas tradition: We will light the candle only while we open gifts. That candle was lit every Christmas, and has lasted over 40 years. We bought a replacement at one point just in case, but I don't think that one has ever been used.

EIGHT

name Ashley

age 22

My memory isn't the best but for what I remember it was 2 Christmas's ago. It was the year I moved to Hawaii so coming home for Christmas was the first time I saw my family in 7 months. I also hasn't seen Jake since September because he had to go to Oklahoma for work and his training wouldn't allow him to leave to celebrate Christmas. So I was so happy to be home to see everyone that I missed so much, I honestly think everyone should experience time away to realize how lucky they are to have people in their lives that care. Anyways I remember we went to your house on Christmas Eve. I was so happy but a little sad because it was my first Christmas in years that Jake wouldn't be a part of. So we woke up on Christmas(and we always open our stocking, have my moms breakfast casserole and open presents Christmas morning)So we opened our stockings and then started to open our presents and this is like 9am and the doorbell rings and I remember saying someone better be dying if our doorbell is ringing on Christmas morning! So my mom gets the door and her face was shocked so I think, "yup someone died" and then she opens the door and Jake comes through. I start instantly crying, he comes over and picks me up, I did't think it was real.

NINE

name Rose

age 16

Alright so I have a really bad memory but I would have to say a memorable Christmas for me was when we went to my papa Marty's house.It was a couple of years ago. I remember Krista was there and Heather and her kids were there and my Great Grandparents were there.I think Steven was there too maybe Eric I can't remember.But yeah we had a bunch of different cookies and when we opened gifts papa Marty gave me 6 cans of pringles, lol 

TEN

name Brittany

age 23

My favorite Christmas was when I was 12 or 13 and I got my guitar.I had wanted it so bad and I was getting down to the last few presents. I remember I got so sad cause I realized none of them were big enough to be a guitar. And at the end, my parents always ask, "Okay is that it? Are you sure there's nothing left under the tree?"  I searched the entire room,looking under the couches/chairs, under my moms desk and there was nothing left. Finally my mom asked me to go refill her coffee and when I came back, there was a huge box leaning up against my chair and it was my guitar. To this day, they never told me where they hid it.

Actually no, my absolute favorite was when Gianna was 4 and I built a tower out of her presents and made a bridge that she had to walk under in order to get to her chair, her face was priceless. I've never seen her smile that big and she started jumping and clapping her hands.

ELEVEN

name Kelly

age 48

The best Christmas I ever had has to be my first Christmas as a mother! December 1991! It's the best feeling ever to be a mom for the first time and the first Christmas together is unforgettable! Not that I didn't love all the other kids Christmas's, but the 1st is the best!

TWELVE

name Steven

age 26

I think the last time we were all at Grandmas together, not the recent, but when it was everyone before Uncle Raymond passed, before Michael left, and before all the bad things.

THIRTEEN

name Lauren

age mid twenties 

I don't really have a favorite Christmas. I like all of my Christmas's. I guess a good one for me would be when I got a playstation when I was 8-9. It was the first expensive thing that I got as a present.

FOURTEEN

name Kimberly

age 28

My favorite Christmas was every year when the traditions still stuck. Santa would leave pajamas under the tree each Eve and all 3 of us would dress up and take pictures and then my parents would dress us up to go see "Santa" (a neighbor who decked his house up and sat and greeted all the neighborhood kids who stood in line.)Then looking back "Mrs.Claus and the Elves" must've had too much to drink cause every present that said my name on it was for my sisters and vice versa. haha Also my Grandparents used to be there every year. The holidays are not the same when you get older and the  family gets smaller. Sorry mushy I know.

FIFTEEN

name Dave

age 65

When I tell you this, you're not going to believe it because it sounds like something out of a Disney film. This was years ago, way before I was with Karen. I took a trip to Mexico with Sarah, it was right before Christmas. We stayed at a place called Acapulco Princess, it was one of the nicest hotels you could think of, if not the most expensive.I remember it being warm and the nice breeze, and  I remember the Christmas tree. One tree,that must have been 10-11 stories tall, right in the center of surrounding smaller Christmas trees. This was like the one in Chicago, except this wasn't a bunch of trees put together, this was one tree. I don't recall there being evergreens in Mexico so they must have had all these delivered from Texas. There was this restaurant we would eat breakfast at all the time, and they were building a gingerbread house. Not some tiny thing, that would sit on a table, a masterpiece. They had chiefs brought in from Europe building it, piece by piece; and then gluing it together. I'd imagine it was as big as Aunt Janet's kitchen and dinette combined. All the windows and doors worked, it really was a work of art. And as the kids walked through they would take pieces off and eat it, but the chiefs did't seem to mind they would just make more. There was a stream that ran through the hotel, not going in any one direction or heading in any place particular, just meandering throughout. Well they went ahead and drained the pool and filled it with chocolate. Yes. 100 feet long stream of chocolate, try and imagine that. There were bridges to cross over and the children would bring mugs or whatever they could to lean over and get the chocolate. The place was shaped like a pyramid on the inside  and you could see stories up. They sprinkled powder dust down on everyone; and so on Christmas Eve it snowed.

SIXTEEN

name Crystal

age 37

My favorite Christmas was my Dad's last Christmas in 2004,nothing really special happened and I didn't get much but my Dad said he wanted to spend this Christmas with me because he wasn't sure if he would be around for another. I made him dinner, nothing special. But it was so special because it was just me and him spending time together hanging out, laughing and talking. I can still see him sitting on the couch at my house. I miss him everyday and wish I could hear his voice, and hug him once more.

none of you counted wrong, there are 16 here. I just keep adding more stories!