“I’m dreaming of a white Christmas…just like the one I used to have…”
Bing Crosby tender voice fills the room…my family’s artificial Christmas tree light up beautifully.
My mind flew those many years ago, not to the first white Christmas in Upstate NY, not to the first snow angel I ever made or how touching real snow felt like.
It went back to the days where my hair was still chopped short like a boy when climbing trees and racing my little yellow bicycle were my favorite things to do.
On December 24th usually, in the afternoon, you can find little me and my two even smaller brothers out in the backyard of our parents’ house pulling out green grass and stuffed them as many as we could into our small shoes.
We would then carefully place them neatly under our parents’ plastic Christmas tree before the three of us went to bed. Excitedly wishing morning will come soon. Oh, the anticipations…I vividly remember them.
Christmas morning come and with our wrinkled pajamas we would all raced to the tree and found the grass gone, one present would sit neatly right next to our shoes.
After church, we would be busy helping our mother welcoming neighbors who will drop by for lunch to celebrate. The parents would be eating, talking and children would be running around the backyard playing.
Those were good times…
My childhood Christmas memory wasn’t filled with the different presents we got but instead with that green green grass of home.
This year will be my first Christmas as a solo mom – well last year I was alone with my family thanks to the ex’s job – and honestly, it’s not easy. Sending our Christmas cards and writing my last name in my maiden name was tougher than I though it would be.
To pump up the spirit, I had started a new tradition with Lil’ A…Christmas tree decorating. He had so much fun putting all the plastic ornaments on, albeit it was a bit messy with them mostly hanging on the lower branches but the point is he smiled and laughed a lot.
New memories are being carved…we are weaving memories together…
I believe Christmas goes deeper beyond those colorful ribbons, more than how many presents we receive and those are what I’m trying to pass along to this boy. His family may have been torn but he would feel the love engulfing him.
Just because my parents now don’t have a backyard with green grass to run around or pulled out to feed Santa’s reindeer, it doesn’t mean that I won’t be able to weave new Christmas traditions with my 4 years old. I’m sure we’ll be fine; we’ll knit our own traditions along with times.
Merry Christmas, everyone!
Maureen, you are doing a wonderful job. That you are aware that the small things you do with your son are what create memories for him going forward is half the battle.
Thank you for the lovely card and for your friendship this year. I hope 2011 brings you and Lil A wonderful things and all that your heart desires. 🙂
Thank you so much for your support, Gigi! You’ve been a blessing in my life for the past year and I can’t thank you enough for that. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas!
Creating new memories, and remembering the old…Life is good that way!
Enjoy, and Have a Merry Christmas!
Thank you Linda! Hope you and your family had a wonderful Christmas too 🙂
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Never heard of the green grass for Santa’s Reindeer – that’s so sweet. Hope my family’s holidays are as memorable as yours. Merry Xmas.
Thanks Nami, Merry Christmas to you and your beautiful family too! I think the green grass is more like a Dutch traditions 😀
I’ve come to measure the years by the way our tree is decorated. First she put as many ornaments as could fit on one branch and our tree looked really odd. Now she’s getting more grown up about it. I think back and it’s like a Christmas developmental milestone, her tree decorating skills!
Hope you and ‘lil A have a wonderful time making new traditions!
Awww Joey, that is so sweet and so very true! I’m sure next year my boy will be able to decorate much higher than this year lol.
Thanks for being a part of this blog, Joey…your comments always brighten up my day. Hope you and your beautiful family had a wonderful Christmas!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
I’m finally back in Casablanca…
Merry Christmas! May you had a beautiful one in Casa 🙂
‘Lil A is so lucky to have a momma like you, and all of the new Christmas memories you’ll create together.
Happy holidays to you, lovely lady!
Awww I think I am the blessed one to have him in my life.
Thanks girly! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas! 🙂
ooo! we used to put straw in our wooden shoes because that is what the Dutch do (and we are Dutch in our heritage)! How fun!
You are doing a wonderful job with Lil’ A, momma! Merry, MERRY Christmas to the two of you!!!
I think that is Dutch too, Katie 😀 Too bad I can’t recreate that with Lil’ A now since we have no backyards with grass.
Merry Christmas to you and yours too, Katie! Thank you for the friendship you had given me. It means so much much more than you know 🙂 XOXO!
merry christmas maureen!
Merry Christmas to you too Boy! 🙂