'Tis the season for stories that we tell again and again until our family tires of telling us they've heard them before. Because holiday memories are uncompromisingly poignant, funny, and special.
1. A Magical Christmas Pageant
One year I got it in my head that we needed to throw a live donkey into the Christmas Pageant mix at Greens Farms Congregational. I put the word out that I was on the hunt for a well-priced mule, and to my surprise, I received this text, “I found a donkey, I booked it, it’s my gift, it will be there at 9 am on that Sunday.”
As a lifelong lover of donkeys (who knew), she had made it her mission to procure this elusive miracle for our pageant, and now we were all systems GO.
On the morning of the pageant, the donkey arrived on time, ready for a quick run-through. A hush fell over the room as the children gazed in wonder at a donkey strolling down the aisle. The moment felt magical– I silently high-fived myself.
As the donkey approached the front of the church it suddenly stopped, the carpet it had been walking on switched to hardwood floor, and that was enough to spook it. It lost it. Literally. Everywhere. Poop. On the carpet. In the middle of the church. And that… is how we made our church truly feel like a manager that year!
By Caroline B.
2. Driving Lesson
On Christmas Eve my grandson took a long nap. I told everyone to go on to dinner and I’d drive over with him when he woke up.
I was driving along a quiet road and spotted a police car ahead of me. I explained to my toddler in the back seat that the police are helping us by catching cars that are speeding. All of the sudden I saw the police following me.
I stopped my car. "Anything wrong?" I asked rolling down the window. “License please," the officer said. "You were speeding in a school region."
Luckily I only got a warning.
By Maria C.
3. Fire Department Santa
The fire department Santa is magical. So magical that we will continue to sign up for as long as our boys continue to come home for Christmas. And to know that they volunteer to do this and slingshot the money straight out to charity is true Christmas spirit.
By Maggie B.
4. Mrs. Price and the Holidays
Mrs. Price lived with a caretaker next door to us. Her family had moved away and it was sad for her at holiday time. We brought her things - she especially loved the fresh eggs.
We made her Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners and sang carols in her living room. While walking through the woods to deliver these meals, my kids would sing, “Over the river and through the woods to Mrs. Price’s house we go!"
Her son moved her to Texas to be closer to him. She died last year at 99 years old.
By Dierdre O.
5. A White Christmas
I had my first son, a beautiful wife, and was in New Orleans celebrating Christmas with her grandparents. We were at her grandfather’s country club that morning with my wife’s entire family. The buffets were amazing, and I sat down thinking it couldn’t be more perfect.
Then halfway through brunch it started snowing for the first time in New Orleans in 25 years.
By Michael M.
6. Cultural Differences
I grew up in an Orthodox Jewish home. I went to an orthodox jewish school, spoke Hebrew. My grandparents, especially, were very religious.
However, I’m not religious. I married a woman whose Christian family loved a big Christmas. Suddenly every December there was a large tree in my home. I was surprised at how difficult it was, culturally and traditionally, to see a Christmas tree in my home. Sometimes I’d have to walk out of the room.
I’m fine with it now.
Bu Rich J.
7. Island Holiday
“Mooom!! No!! Don’t make us go!! It’s so boooring!” My younger sister and I begged and cried. My older Jewish, Israeli father stomped, argued, and pleaded, but there was no changing my mother’s mind—she was not missing midnight mass on Christmas Eve even though (especially though) we were on vacation in Grand Cayman. It was Christmas week in 1983, and her Catholic guilt was a bullet train rushing us to church. In the early 1970’s, like many newlyweds, my parents struck a deal—my mother would convert to Judaism, cook holiday meals and celebrate our Jewish holidays if he would “let” her have a tree and attend midnight mass annually. My dad was not a cook and thus an agreement was put in place. However, attending a Christian service in an unfamiliar church on an island in the middle of his hard-earned vacation was just more than he could bear. We jumped in a taxi and found ourselves at a dilapidated church far from the resort area. Our touristy faces sorely stood out in the crowd of Caribbean locals, and I tugged on my mom’s dress to go certain that we were uninvited. “Hello little one, Merry Christmas!”, the beautiful lady in front of me turned and with her rhythmic greeting. I remember the amazing music, singing at the top of my lungs, dancing in my seat, and having one of the most fun-filled nights of my 8 year-old life. Even my Dad was dancing and singing joyously. At that moment there was nowhere else I would have rather been. We left the service filled with “the spirit” and overflowing with joy. In subsequent years, every Christmas we would fondly reminisce about that magical night when we were unexpected guests at the little island church. By Lisa W. 8. Worst Gift Ever I was 8 years old and buying my parents Christmas gifts for the first time. We went to a local department store and I must have searched the toy department three times and still came up with nothing. Then I wandered to the jewelry counter and - my heart stopped - the perfect gift! Matching Mickey and Minnie Mouse bracelets! Breathlessly, I made the purchase. Later that night I remembered that men don’t wear Mickey Mouse bracelets. I was inconsolable. When I finally calmed down and could tell my dad what I had done, he told me he loved to wear Mickey Mouse bracelets. By Lee C.