What do you remember most about Christmas as a child?

[littlesdcen]

Wonder what made the biggest impact on your Christmas memories. Was it a certain present, tradition, or meal? Just wondering what my kids will remember in years to come. How they will associate the Christmas season.

[Pnambic]

One of my earliest and most cherished memories is seeing something very similar to this under the tree when I was 3 or 4 yrs old.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41MB-7jrJjL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

 

Mine looked a little less sleek and more like a 70's Honda CB. And the right handle would move like a real throttle and make a growling engine sound. I had more fun and lost more skin riding that thing than could possibly be legal. No batteries, all foot power (no pedals either). I believe to this day that this gift was the source of my love of the color orange and quite possibly the origin of my love of all things automotive.

[inogenius]

Christmas Eve we always had Santa stop by, and hand out small gifts to the entire family. It was a good time. Now that all of the kids are grown up, the parties are much much smaller.

[abentley]

I remember getting a letter from santa when i was 4 along with a gift i didn't ask for....a cassette player. My next vivid memory is going to mass with my neighbors and coming home while parents were setting gifts out, and being told the reality of the guy in the red suit. I have spent too many Christmas eves in hotels due to parents fighting!lol! I guess that is why i LoVE the holidays now, i can make it magical for my family.

[mom2monkiesx3]

Sadly I remember being rushed through opening gifts only to be dragged to 3 different houses for "christmas" and not being allowed to take my toys because some cousins were less fortunate then us......and THAT is why my kids and I stay at home all day christmas in our pj's....we can visit the day before, the weekend before, the day AFTER but nobody gets our day

[tokanm]

My parents always had a huge Christmas Eve gathering with all the neighbors, friends, family over. The house decorated beautifully, a huge buffet of food, holiday music.

When we (the kids) woke up in the morning Santa had been there and left lots of gifts

 

What I would do to have that again, miss those old traditions!

[donella]

I remember my mom working hard to wrap things so we couldn't rattle or shake but we always managed to peek when they were at work.We always had Christmas on Christmas eve because Dad always worked and sometimes mom too.We were told young there was no real Santa so I always had my kids beleive as long as they would.Since I had kids of my own I always hid things well and put out after they were asleep on Christmas eve.One year I was in the attic checking to see what all I had gotten and fell through the ceiling.My husband had to patch a large hole in the ceiling and never wanted me to hide there again.

[Elmck]

The family (grandparents, uncles aunts, cousins) on my mom's side always gathered for Christmas breakfast early on Christmas morning. Then all the kids would line up down the hall and presents would be passed out. I don't remember any special gift but just the family being together. We are still carrying on the Christmas breakfast tradition, but not so early in the morning.

 

When I was young it seemed all the presents were opened so fast and you did not get to see what others had received or if they liked what they received, so we open one gift at a time now. Christmas day last a long time at our house. However, if one of the kids needs to leave for an in-laws house we make sure they get to finish up first.

[christina5704]

My best memories of Christmas were going to my grandparents house on Christmas Eve. The whole family got together, we had homemade lasagna and all the grandkids got to open up some small night before Christmas presents, which usually consisted of coloring books, crayons, little gadgets. The Christmas I remember the most, I think I was around 5, I got a baby-that-away doll. It was on the top of my list! lol

 

http://girls-toys-dolls.blogspot.com/2010/02/baby-thataway-from-1975.html

 

http://girls-toys-dolls.blogspot.com/2010/02/baby-thataway-from-1975.html

[ryejay98]

I always remember a roaring fire in the fireplace (even if it was warm) and presents ALL over the family room.

 

Present wise, the only one I really remember was when I get my first NES - I cried for like an hour. We were DIRT poor, and I never expected it in a million years. I asked for it the previous Christmas and did not get it, I asked for my birthday and did not get it, and had lost hope. Best Christmas ever.

[Pnambic]

Here's another memory - I was in 2nd grade and some kid said that Santa wasn't real. Them's was fighting words! I defended Santa's honor valiantly. But it got me thinking... So for Christmas my 3rd grade year, I decided to test it. I decided to not tell my parents what I asked Santa for. If they didn't know, then they wouldn't be able to get what I asked for, right? Well this was the Christmas after Return of the Jedi came out and I wanted everything Star Wars. I asked for the Millennium Falcon, characters galore, everything. And every time my parents asked me, I'd tell them, "You'll see!". Thinking back on it now, while I thought I was being clever at the time, it was probably pretty transparent what I wanted. My parents succeeded brilliantly getting me everything I asked for. So I was convinced Santa was real...for about another year anyway...

[siczlo]

My most memorable Christmas was when I was 5. My parents were broke, very broke.

 

My brother and sister got a new sled to share and I got a HUGE Mighty Mouse coloring book and crayons. I layed on my stomach on the floor all day and colored in my life size coloring book.

 

My DH says that's the reason deep down why I spoil my kids on Christmas. IDK, maybe he is right.

 

I think it is because my whole childhood I always wanted a doll house with 'real' working lights. I never got it.

[bluebear]

 

I think it is because my whole childhood I always wanted a doll house with 'real' working lights. I never got it.

My hobby is actually building dollhouses - with real working lights! I think you should build one for yourself now. It is great fun. If you have any questions I'll be glad to help!

[bluebear]

Funny, I was talking to my youngest son about this a couple days ago. I was telling him about all the things I remembered, then asked him what his memories were. As I feared, there weren't that many, I have failed. But maybe as he gets older things will have a bigger impression on him.

 

I always loved our tree, with the twinkling lights. To put the tree up, we'd have to move the cabinet that was usually on that wall down to the end of the hallway. My room was right there, and I would sneak out of my room at night and squeeze between the wall and the cabinet and store at the lights, sometimes even falling asleep there.

 

I also remember some of our ornaments, and decorations. My favorite ornament was a little plastic Nativity scene with silver glitter on top.

 

Mama wasn't much into decorating. We had a tree, stockings, those little plastic candle things in the windows, and a few knick-knacks. One year someone made us a bunch of ceramic ornaments and a ceramic tree. One day I came home from a friend's house, and mama and Nanny had gone all out decorating, compared to what we usually did. There was garland on the mantle, with the new ornaments hanging from it, garland around the big window separating rooms, garland around the door, and the beautiful lighted ceramic tree on the table. I was so excited. I loved especially that tree. A few years ago I bought myself a similar tree to remember it by.

 

Every Christmas Eve we'd go to my dad's family, have a big dinner, sing Christmas carols around the piano, open gifts, then hurry home for Santa. Christmas morning mama's parent's would come over. We never left, so we wouldn't have to leave our stuff. When I had kids, we did the same, mama came to my house so they wouldn't have to leave their stuff, and Christmas dinner became tradition at my house. When my sister had kids, that didn't change, so then they had to leave their toys. My kids are big now, but everyone still comes here.

 

My husband went to his grandmother's the Sunday after Christmas. That continued even after we were married, until she passed about 5 years ago. One of his uncles has now taken up that task.

[starbeck96]

the Christmas I remember best is the one when I figured out that there was no Santa.

 

We had all gone to Walmart (me, my sister, and mom and dad). I saw my dad and Walmart associate with a bike. I remember hearing it clicking. I asked my dad what they were doing and he told me that there was something wrong with it and they were taking it in the back to fix it. I was already having my doubts so I was not so sure my dad was telling me the truth..lol.

 

Well, Christmas Eve night, I heard a click, click, click. lol. I peeked around the corner and there was my mom and dad putting the bike under the tree...

 

Another memory I have is being drug around to 2 or 3 places on Christmas Day. So this is why we only have Christmas dinner with my husband's family and it is at our house.

 

Another memory I have is having so many gifts that my sister and I got tired of opening them. While I would love to spoil our kids, we don't have the money. But, I think it is for the best. The gifts that they ask for are things that they truly want or need. When they open it, they actually use it for a long time..

 

Another thing I remember is that we always got to open 1 gift on Christmas Eve. I have continued this tradition with my kids, but have modified it..We let the kids open 1 gift each and it is usually PJ's for my daughter and jogging pants for the boys. I usually put a DVD or game in there with them also...

[conj]

Working. Being Jewish we volunteered at the local rehab every Xmas. So as a kid i had to figure out how to answer "what did I get from Santa" approximately 4 x per hour.

 

I liked getting to be an elf and pass out the presents.

 

Sent from my iPhone using GottaDeal

[jade2002]

All of my good memories growing up were at my grannies house. My aunt lived with her and she had no kids of her own so me and my cousin were like her kids. She made everything very special for us. I remember how fun it was putting up the tree and everybody taking turns picking out which ornaments we were going to put on the tree. Making homemade sugar cookies and decorating them. Listening to Christmas music while doing these things. Making homemade cider. She spoiled us like you wouldn't believe. She passed away when I was 10 years old and I remember that being the first real true emotional pain and hurt that I had ever felt. It was very hard for me to deal with. I always tell my kids that I wish they could have met her.

 

But anyways...it's not like it used to be when I was a kid. I now put up the tree by myself while one kid is on the ps3 or xbox and the other is on the laptop. Kids are so unappreciative these days.

[jstluvem]

The silver tree with the color wheel....traveling to Missouri to see my Mom's family then quick trip back to Upstate to see my Dad's family and finally home to Queens to play with our presents.

[jeninpa]

I remember always going to my gram's Christmas Eve & getting to open 1 gift from her that night. We lived only half a mile away. I remember how we'd look for Rudolph flying through the sky on the way home in the dark. I remember waking up to a lot of presents under the tree for my sister & I, all mixed up so we had to find our name & all in different wrapping papers. We'd go to my grams at night for dinner after having all day to play with our new toys. Always great memories, I hope my kids have a lot of great memories too

[mgmckny]

The silver tree with the color wheel....traveling to Missouri to see my Mom's family then quick trip back to Upstate to see my Dad's family and finally home to Queens to play with our presents.

My grandmother had the silver tree...Still had it when she passed, I was out of college by then.

[siczlo]

My hobby is actually building dollhouses - with real working lights! I think you should build one for yourself now. It is great fun. If you have any questions I'll be glad to help!

Well, I would have no where safe to put it now in a house full of boys! I am hoping I have a grandaughter one day to buy the biggest most amazing dollhouse in the world for! LOL

 

I forgot to mention one of our traditions is to go to Bass Pro Shop every year and get our picture taken with Santa. I have a collage picture frame with all our Santa pictures through the years. We all love seeing how much we have changed.

 

We also do the open one present Christmas Eve thing. And it's always new PJ's.

[shopping4my3son]

Well, I would have no where safe to put it now in a house full of boys! I am hoping I have a grandaughter one day to buy the biggest most amazing dollhouse in the world for! LOL

 

I forgot to mention one of our traditions is to go to Bass Pro Shop every year and get our picture taken with Santa. I have a collage picture frame with all our Santa pictures through the years. We all love seeing how much we have changed.

 

We also do the open one present Christmas Eve thing. And it's always new PJ's.

 

I'm hoping for the same. My husband has told me to do one for a hobby but I know my boys would ruin it. lol

[Cblaramore]

Sadly I remember being rushed through opening gifts only to be dragged to 3 different houses for "christmas" and not being allowed to take my toys because some cousins were less fortunate then us......and THAT is why my kids and I stay at home all day christmas in our pj's....we can visit the day before, the weekend before, the day AFTER but nobody gets our day

That would be so awesome to do that! My dh and I talked about doing that this year. Always feel bad for my kids because I'm like you, that is how my Christmas mornings were:(

 

But my best Christmas memory is always Christmas Eve. We would go to my grandparents house and they would have Christmas music playing on their old stereo and they made these amazing little rye bread things. It was always just so awesome. We still have my grandparents (thankfully) but we now do it at my parents. Just not the same as the good ole days.

 

This has made me think though, I'm gonna ask my kids what their favorite part is:)

Edited November 29, 2012 by Cblaramore
Grammer Error

[dealluvr]

i always think aboutthe christmas stockings. i guess my mom was very old fashioned.i a;lways wondered why we got oranges and pennies among the other things in our stockings. since having the computer now i looked it up and giving oranges and pennies or loose change was a good luck thing and. the oranges meant to be rich cause in winter oranges were hard to get and the loose change meant to be wealthy in the new year

[jakesmommy403]

My biggest Christmas memories are running down the stairs to see our tree all lit up and packed full of presents. My first Christmas as a big sister (I was 6) is a big one. As far as gifts the ones that stand out are my play kitchen with all the fake food and dishes, Barbie townhouse, and the year Santa brought me a big box of arts and crafts supplies. All the wonderful 80s toys, Rainbow Brite, Huggabunch, Lady Lovelylocks, She-ra....

 

But above all that, the thing that has always stuck with me is the way my mom always made Christmas feel. Warm, cozy, loving, the smells, the music... We never had a lot of money, but on Christmas my mom always made us feel like the richest kids in town. And we were because we had her.

 

She still puts together a mean Christmas, and I hope my kids remember the Christmases I give them as fondly as I remember the ones my mom gave us.

[nikkilugi]

I remember going over to my grandparents house every Christmas Eve and celebrating with my family. My mom is one of 7 kids and I am the oldest grandchild. The next didn't come along until my dumb brother 4 years later, lol. (that was my thought anyway and you can tell by the pictures of me holding him as a baby). I remember one year I got pom pom's and I went outside on the front porch and pretended to be a cheerleader for over an hour.

 

The only other year I can remember vividly is the year my mom got me a Lane Cedar chest as my "big" gift. She was so happy and thrilled and I have to admit - I was a total b about it. I was probably 15 or 16 at the time and I HATED that gift. I still have the chest by the way, lol.