Christmas Memories Last A Lifetime

We all have special memories of Christmas. Certain things, scents, foods, or songs can bring back a memory like it was yesterday. Close your eyes and see what takes you back. A couple of our local residents agreed to share some of their favorite memories, and I included some of mine as well.

“We moved to Mt. Juliet in June of 1967 from Huntsville AL. We knew no one here and come Christmas time, my mom was really homesick. It snowed a bunch and I do mean a bunch. Since we would not be able to drive to Huntsville to spend it with family, my grandfather drove up here and picked us up and took us “home” for Christmas. One of my favorite memories.”

• Tina Hutsenpiller

“One of my favorite Christmas memories is when I was nine years old, Cabbage Patch dolls were “THE” gift to receive. I wanted one so bad. My parents were hearing from various people that they were sold out. They let me know that Santa is trying his best but to try not to be upset if he can’t get one. Christmas Eve was always my favorite, we would go to our candlelight service, and each year we loved to hear ‘O Holy night’. This was my mother’s favorite song. The next morning, I woke up to open all my presents and, though I was disappointed I didn’t get my cabbage patch doll, I was grateful for my gifts. Suddenly, Mom and Dad said, “There’s something over there by the fireplace that Santa left.” It was THE Cabbage Patch doll and she looked just like me. I screamed because I was so excited. They not only got me the doll but also the clothes and accessories. I will never forget the smell of the doll and how happy I was to get my doll. My mother and I named her. We celebrated the rest of the day with our family and neighbors. This is one of my favorite memories. My parents never let me down with the perfect gift.”

• Heather Young

“Santa looked a lot like daddy, or daddy looked a lot like him!” That song reminds me a lot of my childhood Christmases. My parents did Christmas right. I didn’t know we were poor until I was a teenager, and I didn’t feel like we were then. They always made the holidays special. Daddy had these red long johns (aka thermal underwear) and he glued cotton on them to look like a Santa Suit. Mom would take different pictures of him where we couldn’t see his face. There were so many great childhood Christmas memories. One year, my brother got a Big Wheel and loved it so much. At some point over that year, he lost it. The very next Christmas, he got a new Big Wheel that looked just like the one he lost, except painted white. It turns out that Dad found it floating down the creek and fixed it up for him. Bob was young and was super excited to get ‘another’ new Big Wheel. Another time, they got us a box of Barbies, and Mom made clothes for a few of them. She also gave us material to make more Barbie clothes. My favorite Barbie was a Princess one and I named her Ginger.

One time my parents bought my baby brother a BB Gun and hid it in the chimney of the fireplace we did not use. They forgot about it until a few weeks later. They said Santa found it in his sleigh and must have dropped it off.
I buy gifts all the time and lose them for months. I must get that from them.
Mom and Dad were always great cooks and would make big meals. On occasion, we’d be almost done eating and Dad would toss a piece of food at Mom, she’d toss something back. Before long, it became a full-on food fight, and someone was wearing the rest of the gravy. Everyone would laugh, at least until it was time to clean it up.

I have 13 years of fun memories with my dad. I wish that my baby sister, kids, and grandkids could have grown up with him in their life. He was a character. Of Course, Mom still goes all out for Christmas.

She makes us all gourmet candy and surprises us with things she knows we’d want. She always gets it right, too. Her gifts are the best. She also has a big Christmas Village and a beautiful tree. The best part of Christmas is when all of my family and friends come together to help the kids on our Give A Little Christmas list.

Memories make the best gifts. We don’t remember the gifts as much as we remember the memories and that someone cared enough to think of us. It really is the thought that counts. (But please don’t wrap it in styrofoam or give me bacon. Not naming names but I also call them sisters)

Love, Krys Midgett