Christmas, the time of year when everyone feels good will toward their fellow man. The time to celebrate our Lord's birth. A time for snow, mistletoe, secrets, and delicious aromas fillling the home.
As a child my Christmas was filled with all of this plus traveling to Grandma's.
For as long as I can remember we have traveled to Grandma's for the holiday. On Christmas morning my brother and I would wake up early and run downstairs to the beautiful wrapped gifts that we could hardly believe were ours.
After opening our gifts, we would get ready for church, after church we would travel the hour's trip to Grandma's.After a few hours there we would be off to visit with our other Grandmother.
The years flew by and soon I had my own family.We lived close to our childhood homes then and our family was four, since our traveling time was short, there was no hesitation on our part to travel. More years went by, we moved farther away, and our family increased to six.
Our Christmases now seemed so hectic- getting up early, opening gifts, going to church and then traveling the hour's drive home.
Always at our destination there would be my Dad standing at the door looking for us. The smile on his face and that of my Mother always made the hustle and traveling worthwhile.
Our boys, now growing older, wanted to start spending Christmas at home, to have time to enjoy their gifts. They were tired of spending Christmas traveling.
Last year we almost gave in and stayed home. It was very tempting to be able to have a leisurely Christmas day, but thinking of how our parents looked forward to having us spend the holiday with them, my dad putting up the train platform for his grandchildren. Making sure Santa Claus was there for the little ones, we dismissed the idea and went.
What a wonderful Christmas we had, starting with the traditional dinner and exchanging of gifts. With my Dad's rich baritone voice, my husband playing the guitar, we would close the day by singing Christmas carols.
This Christmas will be a lot different. No longer will my dad be waiting at the door, for he truly has traveled home.
We will have beautiful memories this year and always, because we always traveled home for the holidays.
Written about my dad and puplished in 1976.
Dee
note;
my mom passed away in 1995, since then Christmas has never been the same. I always thought my parents would be around, I could never imagine a day with out them. I still miss them terribly.
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