Memory Monday....

Today's topic is MY CHRISTMAS MEMORIES!

I wish I had lots more photos to share of the early years.  When I was growing up, we got to celebrate three Christmases!  The weekend before Christmas was with one set of grandparents, and the weekend after Christmas was with the other set of grandparents. Christmas day was spent in our own home, and all the grandparents usually made an appearance later in the day, but we always had three big celebrations!  It was paradise for little ones!!  All the aunts and uncles and cousins were at each of the grandparents' homes.  My mom's side of the family was huge, and there were always 30+ of us.  My dad's side of the family was smaller, but we still had aunts and uncles and cousins. It was a great way to grow up.

As a real little girl (probably 4 or 5) I remember getting a Tiny Tears Doll for Christmas. I loved that doll. You could feed her a bottle of water and she wet her diaper.  Cool stuff for the mid-1950s!!

In my pre-teen and early teens, I thought it was fun to look for my presents and sneak a peak.  One year I found everything, and on Christmas morning, all the fun was gone. I never peaked again.

When I was 16 and driving, I went to a party at a friend's house, for Christmas Eve. I got home at my curfew (11:00) and "Santa" had already come. I was devastated!!  I cried. I asked Mom and Dad to please don't do that again, and of course they said I should stay home on Christmas Eve. They had no idea I would be so upset.  I stayed home for Christmas Eve the next few years. Lesson learned. (I was the oldest of four, and my youngest sister was 9 years younger than me.)

Another memory I will share is that our grandma (mom's mom) made the girls a new flannel nightgown every year for Christmas (for quite a few years, if not every year).  I found this photo of us with our matching nightgowns...

Patti, Tammy and me.  We looked forward to getting them!!

Joe and I have made some wonderful Christmas memories in the 30 years we have been together!  This photo is of the four of us during our first Christmas together as a family, in 1985.

Fast forward to the end of 1999, at the millennium.  We were all worried about the "Y2K bug" destroying all of our computer data.  We had a wonderful Christmas celebration at our son's house, in New Jersey that year.  Joe's mom was there, and Jeff and his family were there.  Joe and Kathy were still married.  The entire D'Orsaneo Familia came to Joey's house on the 27th to celebrate. Little did we know that Mom would be gone the next day.  But it was such a beautiful way for her to leave us, after being with everyone.  It is a Christmas/New Year we we will never forget.

I love this photo of Joe and his mom, under the mistletoe on Christmas morning.

All the D'Orsaneos with mom seated in the center, with Tristan on her lap.  Her heart was full, and gave up later that night.  She actually died in my arms before the EMTs could arrive. 

The Museum, where I work, for several years had a Festival of Trees event.  This picture is of Lauren and Tristan in front of one of the trees.  I think it was in 2003.  

We continue to make wonderful memories. Times change, lives change, unfortunately some families break apart, then new ones are formed.  Love continues, though, and we are all still connected.

We do our best to keep the real reason for the season in our hearts and minds as we move through the hustle and bustle.  Any holiday that brings families together is a good holiday!  And any time the family can be together, IS a holiday in my heart!!

Thanks for reading some of my Christmas memories on this Memory Monday.  If you want to join in on this meme each week, hop over to Retired Not Tired and get started!!  Next week, we will be writing about "My Husband". (Hmmmm....I write about him all the time!!)

Peace, love & hugs!!