7 Christmases



Last week, we went and saw the movie, 4 Christmases. It was pretty funny in certain parts but a few areas were less humorous. Well this isn’t about that movie. This is a meme that I invite you to join in if you like and tell us about 7 Christmases past. No tagging involved here. Just play along if the urge hits you. So here are 7 things about my past Christmases.


1. The stockings were hung.


As far back as I can remember we had stockings but ours were really socks. We didn’t have a chimney though and hanging them by the kerosene stove in the hall just didn’t seem right so we would put them on the edge of the couch by the Christmas tree. We didn’t get toys in our stockings like kids do these days. We usually got the same thing every year. We got an apple, an orange, some nuts with the shells on them and some individually wrapped hard candy. Coincidently our father liked those kinds of nuts and my mother liked the hard candy.


2. Always a shepherd, never a wise man.


Every year, the church we went to would put on a Christmas pageant. Everyone would sing songs and the children would perform the Christmas Play. For some reason I always had to be a shepherd. I wanted to be a wise man but those parts went to the older boys. Many years later, after we switched churches, I was chosen to play Joseph. When you think about it, Joseph was a step down from a shepherd. Still no wise man. :)

3. A new fishing pole.


I can’t remember ever not loving to fish. Dad had lots of old rods and reels in his garage and I would take them apart and fix them so that I had something to fish with. One Christmas I got a brand new rod and reel. I was so happy. The very next day, I got on my bike with that new fishing pole and headed down to the river to try it out. I remember that it was very cold that day and I was bundled up in heavy clothes but I wasn’t going to let that stop me from fishing. On the way to the river though, I hit a bump and as I was falling, my fishing rod went in the spokes and was broken into little pieces. I never even got to use my new fishing pole.


4. Levi’s please.


This particular Christmas, everyone was asking for Levi’s denim jackets. I was no exception. I wanted one in the worst way. I hinted, then begged, pleaded, hoped and prayed that my parents would come through for me. That Christmas morning, I ran to the tree and quickly spied the package that I knew was some kind of clothes. As I tore it open, I could see that it was a denim jacket and I felt like; finally I got what I asked for. As I held the jacket up to admire it, I noticed that it wasn’t a Levi’s jacket, it was an imitation made by J M Fields. You could tell because of the little label and also the name on the brass buttons. The first time I wore it to school, the other kids made fun of me so I took the jacket off. From then on I would wear the jacket in the mornings but take it off and put it in my locker when I got to school.


5. Christmas kiss.


One year, a friend of mine asked if I wanted to go caroling with her church youth group. I gladly accepted. It was a lot of fun and we rode around in the back of several pickup trucks sitting on hay and sipping hot coco. As the night wore on, it got pretty chilly so my friend and I (a girl) began snuggling under a blanket to stay warm. Somehow, we began holding hands and when we got back to her house after the caroling, we kissed. It was my first real kiss. After that, we dated for about a year.


6. The truth about Santa.


I actually found out about Santa from my cousins. The spilled the beans many years before after they stayed up and caught their parents wrapping presents. I was shocked. One year, my father played Santa for the city. Back then, there was only one Santa in town. Not like it is these days where every store in town has a Santa. I spent a lot of time up there around the “North Pole” because my new girlfriend was one of the Santa’s helpers. She wore a little pixie outfit and I felt I should keep an eye on her because I heard someone at school say that the elves up there were cute.


7. Our first Christmas….apart.


Our (my wife and I) first Christmas was actually spent apart. We had met in October and only been dating for two months. I went to Florida to spend Christmas with my family and she stayed in SC with hers. I already knew she was the one for me so I wanted to get her a nice present but I wasn’t sure what to get. A friend of mine worked at a jewelry store and said that I couldn’t go wrong with jewelry. I decided on a nice emerald necklace to go along with the jewelry box that I had already purchased. At that time, it was the most expensive present I had ever bought. I wrapped it and left it at her house for her to open on Christmas. She was impressed with her present and we were married the following June. No since wasting time. Because I was in the Navy, we spent many of the next Christmases apart but we are still together.


Merry Christmas everyone,


Greg

Comments

Monogram Queen said…
Greg I loved reading that... thanks for sharing. I think i'm going to do that one on my blog soon..
I really enjoyed reading about your Christmas memories. I especially like the last one, your really woo-ed your wife!
Kelly said…
I loved this! Some were sad, like the jean jacket story (probably all your folks could afford) and some were sweet.

I will play along on Saturday. I've already written for tomorrow.
Pam said…
I just stumbled upon your blog. What a great meme - the stories are wonderful. I like that you had some sweet, sad and romantic stories. Great post!
Anonymous said…
This is really cool. I've already started one Christmas meme. I might try this one too! :)

You won my giveaway, by the way!
Angie said…
That was fun reading. I love your memes. Going to have to backtrack to see if you ever filled us in on that #15 mystery thing though. I could see my son doing the same thing with a fishing rod. You poor thing. Oh, and I also remember the Levi jacket craze. Too funny. BTW, I think you are a wise man! ;)
Scarlet said…
I loved "Four Christmases" and I love your 7.

Btw, if it makes you feel any better, I think you're a very wise man...and playing the part of Joseph in a play is a HUGE deal!

I love your Christmas kiss story...or should I say your FIRST kiss story? It's very cute.
The Blonde Duck said…
I was wanting to see 4 Christmases. It looked cute.
The Blonde Duck said…
I was wanting to see 4 Christmases. It looked cute.
Okay BFF, I say this with complete love.....playing the part of a Wise Man, well, ummm, trying to be sensitive here....requires you to be WISE!!

Aaahahahahahahahahahahaha!! I just could not help myself!! He he!

Loved the post!!
Lavonda Pflug said…
I came to your blog through Edie's (Rich Gifts). I like this idea. Sorry some of your memories are not so swell. I think the good ones make up for them. And I guess you can be glad that you can still remember... LOL. I might steal your idea, but I'm having a hard time coming up with 7 years that are memorable. I'll have to work on it!
I like your blog. I'll mark ya and come back again. Feel free to visit me at www.writeforhim.blogspot.com
(What's Up)
Daisy said…
The content of your Christmas stocking reminded me of my Christmas stockings. Also, every year my school bus driver gave each kid on my bus a little brown paper bag with an apple, an orange, some nuts and hard candies.
Marla said…
Great post Greg! I think I may list 7 things on my blog, too! We used real socks to and got nuts in the shell and an orange and candy!!
Marla said…
Greg, since I know you are a wise man and a more experienced blogger than me. Why when I post a comment lately, is there a trash can by my comment. I beginning to think I'm a trash talker or just plain trash! How do I get rid of the trash can??? No one else has a trash can!
Edie said…
Hey this was fun! I really enjoyed reading your 7 Christmases. I guess we all have some sad and some glad memories.

#3 - How sad about your fishing rod. I once got me foot caught in the spoke. Ouch!
Edie said…
Oh - I'm gonna try to come up with 7 memories and post soon. Thanks!
My ADHD Me said…
Hi. Thanks for sharing these stories. I often refer to Edie as my sister and it is seeming more and more likely that you just may be our long lost brother.
Besides having such similar childhoods, we got the same stocking stuffers every year and "My Levies Jacket" was a Rugby Shirt. It got the same reaction at school. Kids can be real jerks.

Your #7 was the best and Thank You, Thank You, Thank You for being part of our NAVY!!

I'm going to try to do this one but not sure yet. I don't have many memories of my childhood.....but I can probably come up with something....add a little bit of humor....and PRESTO.... 7 Christmases!
Gwendolyn said…
What a wonderful idea! I loved reading about your Christmas's...and I felt so sorry for you when your fishing pole was broken! :o( Poor kid.
Sharon said…
Your Christmas Memories, wow that was really nice. I really enjoyed the one to your wife. Very Special!
And I liked your first kiss.
Thank you for sharing this, hope you have a blessed weekend
Kelly said…
Hey Greg - I told you I was going to do this today, and I realize I just can't get to it. So wanted to say, I am STILL going to do it. But not today. Thanks for understanding! Busy, busy, busy over here preparing for the holidays. No time to write.
Not an imitation jacket!!! I remember when I wanted one so bad, too. I did get my Levi though....
Jamie Dawn said…
Awww, this ended on a lovely note.
Some of this post was sad. I felt so sorry for you because your new fishing pole got broken before you got to use it.
AND you never ever got to be a wise guy... I mean wise man.
Well, wouldn't you say that you are a wise man now?
Sure you are!!
Beverlydru said…
What a great post. You are obviously a guy who perseveres... the broken new fishing rod didn't deter you from a lifelong love of fishing. I want to do this meme. I'll let you know when I do.
The Patterson 5 said…
Greg,
Hi! I came over from Chatty Kelly's site. I am going to do this meme too! I enjoyed reading your memories!
GodsOwn/Bernice said…
I came accross your blog through Chatty Kelly . And like your christmas mem..I'm new in bloggy land and this ismaybe also good as a get to know me..... I will post this tomorow or saturday
Came over from Chatty Kelly - I can't wait to enjoy my first ever visit. :)

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