Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Christmas Memories....I See

My father throwing tinsel on the tree.

My mother making us pose, holding an ornament.

4 separated piles for us under the tree.

A special gift from my father that my mother didn't even know about.

Getting my hair set in bobby pins. I still feel them sticking my scalp.

Matching pajamas with my sisters.

The smell of a real tree.

Huge family dinner on Christmas Eve.

Sitting on the opposite end of the table of where the fish landed.

My mother opening the fridge to find an open jewelry box with something gorgeous in it.

Calling this number that 'tracked' Santa and told us where he was.

Going to bed very early. Did you know Santa will skip your house if your still awake?

Being woken up at midnight to open our gifts. (Italian tradition)

18 years of my father molding traditions for us to carry on for decades.....

I still do tinsel.
Our kids hold the ornaments and pose.
There are now 9 separate piles, and they are for his grandchildren.
He gave me so many special gifts of the heart, that will never perish.
My mother set the girls hair in bobby pins, as long as they let her.
Our kids wear matching pajamas, although it would be fun to still match with my sisters.
I will never own a fake tree for tradition purposes, and they are too much work/maintenance.
The kids also know that Santa doesn't come if your not sleeping.
HUGE dinner, as usual.
I don't run from the fish anymore, but my sister still does.

No more tangible gifts for my mother, but he is still her one and only, and to me that is the best gift of all.

HAPPY MEMORIES.......

2 comments:

Marie Marsicano said...

Through eyes full of tears - of both joy and sadness that our kids missed out on Daddy's awesomeness -I sit here reading this and think -Colleen really captured it all.

Well most of it - you did pass over the part about relatives that came at Thanksgiving and ended up staying through New Years!!!

Marie Marsicano said...

PS - I do want credit for still cooking and serving fish even though I don't eat it - because it is a long standing family tradition....