Christmas Past

This is the first in a series of three blog posts.  (I bet you can guess what the next two will be called!)

Christmas has always been such a special time of year.  I grew up in Ottawa and we were raised Catholic so there was always a religion component to the holiday.  Besides that, we went all out with baking, decorations, lights, the whole nine yards.  My family always did Christmas big-time!  These are some of the highlights, memories I have of being a kid at Christmas.

*  Bells hanging on the front door.

*  A tree so tall it reached the cathedral ceiling of my childhood home.  Our cat had an adventure that year!

*  Anticipating the moment when our Nanny would arrive with presents for all.  I miss her everyday.  

* Sitting in the dining room that overlooked the living room where the tree was trying to count presents on Christmas morning.  We were NOT allowed in the living room until everyone was awake!

*  The obligatory video of kids coming down the stairs Christmas morning.  We were sometimes told to back up and do it again.

*  Having the aunts, uncles, and cousins over for Christmas Day.  We saw them only a few times a year and I was always excited to see them.

*  Listening to Santa tracking on the radio.  NORAD is awesome.

*  Not being able to fall asleep Christmas Eve.

*  Putting out home made cookies for Santa with egg nog and brown sugar and raisins for the reindeer.

*  Chocolate covered cherries.

*  Going for a drive down Taffy Lane on Christmas Eve.  It was soooo spectacular!  It may still be, haven't done that in a very long time.

I am so fortunate to have all these amazing memories.  As kids, we can't see past ourselves, we are self-centered and sometimes ungrateful.  I know now how lucky I was, and still am to have the family that I do.  We may not always get along, we may not always agree, but we have always been a pretty good unit.  I wish for them all the best this holiday season and even more for the coming year.  Merry Christmas to my mom, dad, sisters and brother.  It wouldn't be Christmas without you.