When I was a little girl, my Mamaw would always play the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s Christmas Album on vinyl while we decorated her house.
The sounds of Christmas carols floated through her ranch home while we placed ceramic carolers on various tables and hung heirloom ornaments on tree branches.
As we unpacked and placed ornaments, we’d often ask questions about each individual piece. Where did this one come from? Who gave this one to you? Does this one move when you press its button?
Mamaw was always ready to share the stories of each and every piece. Christmas was important to our family – much like it is in many homes across the world – it was truly the most magical time of the year.
Christmas was guaranteed memory making with all of our dozen and a half cousins. It was enormous gatherings around plates full of delicious food. It was kids tables and adults tables where the adults were happily drinking wine and laughing over their own childhood memories.
I don’t remember many specific gifts. I know I was well loved via gifts throughout my childhood. I know we all opened many boxes. But I don’t remember a lot of specific gifts. What I remember most is the memories – the backyard football games, the walking to the neighborhood elementary school to play on the playground, the bikes we rode through suburban streets together. I remember we’d gather all of the kids in the bedroom side of Mamaw and Papaw’s little ranch house. With forty or so family members in the relatively small home, we kids would lay claim to that side of the house, close all of the doors to it’s small interior hallway and use it as our own fort.
No, the gifts didn’t take center stage. They barely mattered. What we all remember now and what we all valued so much then, was the time we were spending all together. Time with our built in best friends.
My mamaw has been gone 19 years this week. To this day, I’ll still throw on the Mormon Tabernacle Choir while I decorate and think of all the magical times we had in her home.
This holiday season, all of us at Memories In Writing hope you’ll remember the magic you’re making and all of the magic made for you over the years.
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