Remembering Christmas past. . . (revisiting a previous year's post from "Chat With Vera")

Things I remember about Christmas past......

• The tinkling of a child's music box as the tiny ballerina twirls in pink splendor.
• The joy of seeing my children in new pajamas I had made for them.
• The thrill on their face as they sing at the top of their voice during the church Christmas program.
• The bedraggled child-shepherd walking down the aisle toward the babe in the manger as only a little one can do when robbed in a too big, plaid bathrobe with a towel wrapped around his head.
• The high school student performing in "Who Stole Baby Jesus" and being so proud.
• The cold of caroling at the grandparents after a three hour drive to get to their house.
• The joy of small children opening mysterious packages wrapped with love and tenderness.
• The weariness of  being a parent and still wrapping, in the middle of the night, those secretive treasures for her beloved children to receive on Christmas morning.
• The twinkle in a grandfather's eyes as he watches his grandchildren unwrap a gift.
• The small gift from a Sunday School teacher.
• Singing in the choir as a high schooler and being so thrilled with the music.
• Opening hymnals to the few pages of Christmas carols each year and singing the beloved favorites.
• Hearing silly songs on the radio.
• Hearing beautiful renditions of beloved, traditional Christmas carols.
• Receiving a bike for Christmas as a child.
• Looking at photographs, black and white of course, of Christmas as a child.
• Stumbling into the train at the base of my parent's Christmas tree when I crept into the living room  under cover of darkness on Christmas Eve to try to peek.
• Maturing and realizing that all the wrapping and all the glitz and all the sparkle is nothing compared to the joy that was brought to the World by the birth of this wee babe in a manage who is Christ the Lord and who came to Save us from our sins.

Dear friends, yes, I wrote this a year ago. But I wanted to share these memories with you once again and perhaps provoke you to dive deep into the recesses of your own memories to recall, recollect, and reminisce a bit. If you wish, share those memories in the comments......