Our Thanksgiving was usually a time when Momma and Daddy were both off from work. And we could spend the whole day playing games, reading and being extra thankful for our many blessings. Momma would get up at 5 a.m. and start lunch so by the time us children woke up the house was smelling mighty fine! It was never just us. Momma and Daddy had a way of always finding others who did not have family to include in our day. We have had many "Aunts and Uncles" who really are not blood kin but became a yearly addition to our holidays. One such Uncle was Uncle Charlie. He lived across the street and had no family of his own but through the years became a part of us. Each year he would come and bring a fruitcake to Daddy and flowers to Momma. He would then tell us girls stories or play chess with us. We also had a lady who was a retired school teacher who came with her husband and their little dog named Blackie. At Christmas, Blackie would give each of us girls a scrapbook with lots of pictures from magazines and using our names in it. They were GREAT fun to read. Also Blackie would give us crayons, pencils, soap and other little girl goodies in a stocking.

Our pastor and his wife had children hundreds of miles away and they could not come in for just one day so they came to our home. It was a wonderful day of fellowship, laughing, talking and fun so me and my sisters were surrounded by lots of loving adults on Thanksgiving. We would sit and listen to stories of their childhood. This was so much fun for me because I love to learn how life was in the "good ole' days".

My birthday is on December 20 so I was almost a Christmas baby. Each year back as far as I can remember my Daddy would be checking out our car or van and getting it ready for our Christmas trip from California to Florida to see the Grandparents. Daddy would make me stay up until the hour and minute that I was born 10:20pm...so I was usually outside working with him under the car ;) I tell Daddy now that he warped me making me stay up so late. We usually left early on the morning of the 21st of December headed for Florida. Momma drove by herself and Daddy would fly in just for the day (he worked for Boeing Airlines) since he usually only had the 1 day off for Christmas. The rest of us would spend two weeks between the 2 sets of Grandparents. I can remember the wonderful cooking smells and the warmth and laughter of the family time. I remember the smell of the new doll that my GrannyLee would usually give me each Christmas. And remember the fun of the "new fangled" baby bottles that the milk disappeared from as you fed your baby!

Each year at home in California we had one of those foil trees with the light wheel that had 4 colors. I would sit in the dark and look as the tree changed colors. I still love to look at the Christmas tree. I like to squint my eyes and see all the lovely colors run together like a kaleidoscope. I have done this as far back as I can remember. Recently one of the little girls that I took care of, sat in front of my Christmas tree. She had never seen a Christmas tree with colored lights (she was only 3 and her family had only white lights on their trees) I told her about squinting her eyes and looking at it. After sitting there for a good while, she came running to me. "Oh Debwa! you have the most beautiful-est twee in the whole wide world!!!" Needless to say, she made a memory for me that I will not soon forget. It was a very special moment for me and it did not cost a thing!!!

When I was 12, we moved from California to Tennessee and a new tradition began. (By now the Grandparents would come see us because we lived closer and one set had moved less than a mile from us!) On my birthday I would take one of my younger sisters and a saw and an ax and we would "go find our tree"! School usually got out that day or the day before. Momma was a school teacher so we were all home for the holidays!!!

Any way, we would search our wooded acres for just the right tree! (I am not sure that we ALWAYS got our tree on our land because woods all grow together out there at home but no one cared). Hours later, we would come home dragging the best, most beautiful tree we could find. The first year was the most exciting because we had never had a real live Christmas tree in our lives! The smell was heavenly. AND when we got home Momma had hot chocolate with marshmallows. After we warmed up and changed clothes, the whole family would help decorate the tree. We popped popcorn and made chains. We strung cranberries to hang. And made paper chains from leftover scraps of paper from Momma's teaching. We made dough ornaments and strung a few lights. Many times there was not a lot of gifts to put under the tree but we felt rich. We had the 6 of us and a warm home. Sometimes in the evenings Momma would read to us around the wood heater.

In our Family we call the little things--"Making memories". The first year that we were in Tennessee, right after Christmas Break-we were to start back to school on Monday but it SNOWED and snowed and snowed. It was so very beautiful! We had never seen snow like this-up close and personal. Little did we know but we were to be snowed in for 6 weeks. It would stop snowing and melt and they would say on the radio that we would go to school on Monday...and it would snow again on Sunday night. Momma got smart and went to the library and got ALL of the Little House on the Prairie Books to read to us girls. (We had enjoyed Laura Ingalls Wilder's Children's Library in California so this was a special treat) That Christmas Season lasted until February's end because of all the snow and time together. I felt like we made some memories that year that will last us all the rest of our days.

We started a new tradition in 1984 with the first Grandbaby in our family-my oldest sister's little girl. I was teaching school and had learned how to make really simple "gingerbread" houses from a milk carton and graham crackers. On Thanksgiving while dinner was being prepared I took my niece aside and helped her make her first gingerbread house and decorate it. She had more icing and decorations on her than on the house but many pictures were made and lots of laughter and fun for all of us was made. That tradition has continued ever since and we now make those gingerbread houses with my niece's daughter as well! And of course, all the other nieces and nephews that have been added to the family through the years. My husband and I work in the Foster Care program and we have had dozens of children come through our home. Recently one girl that made a gingerbread house with me one Christmas season was telling a new girl about it! She said "Oh and if you get to be at Deborah's at Christmas time-you get to make a gingerbread house". It is such a thrill to know that this tradition has been enjoyed by several generations in my family plus many others who have blessed us with their time through the years!

Making Christmas cookies is another tradition that I remember through the years. Momma would make a ga-zillion cookies and give them as gifts to all the "Aunts and uncles", our pastor and his wife, neighbors, the mailman, the milkman, our teachers at school and church. And us girls got to help in the stirring, making and boxing of the cookies! It was fun to put the cookies in the mailbox and sit and watch for the mailman to come and get his cookies! Momma would also make sugar cookies for us to decorate...that was fun to do with each of us making our own creation. We would decorate a whole plate full and wait with that and a big glass of milk for Daddy when he got home from work!

At 47, I still enjoy the holidays. Starting at Halloween and going right through the New Year's...and IF it snows even longer!!! This year I will be married half of my life. I met my Honey at Halloween October 1974. We became best friends. He has made my holidays special ever since that first year we met. My Momma secretly invited him and several other dear friends to be at my family home on my birthday---when I got home with my sister and our Christmas tree! I was so surprised that I cried and cried. Momma had made hot chocolate and (My favorite) a german chocolate cake. We had a surprise birthday party that year--for sure! In 1980 I married the man that God has blessed me with. It took me 4 years to realize how smart (and thrifty) he really is! He proposed to me on December 27, 1978 and 2 years later married me on December 27th...one week after my birthday. I guess that I am a little slow since in took me 4 years to realize he now only has to buy me one gift for birthday, Christmas AND anniversary. But we have had nearly 24 years of happiness together and we have made many wonderful memories together. The holidays are very special to me and I am still a child at heart through them all!!!

Best wishes to all for a blessed holiday season!