SOME THINGS I LOVE ABOUT CHRISTMAS

I JUST LOVE THIS TIME OF YEAR AND THE FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS THAT ARE BROUGHT OUT BECAUSE OF SIGHTS, SMELLS, AND SOUNDS!!! I LOVE THINKING ABOUT THE FUN HOLIDAYS WE HAD GROWING UP, THE EXCITEMENT OF TRYING TO STAY IN BED JUST A LITTLE LONGER, THEN SNEAKING INTO THE LIVING ROOM FOR A PEEK UNDER THE TREE. THE SMELLS OF BAKING, HMMMM HAM I GET ALL WATERY INSIDE MY MOUTH FOR THAT TASTE YUMMY!! I LOVED OPENING MY STOCKING THE MOST, WE DIDN'T GET PRESENTS IN OUR STOCKINGS, LIKE THE KIDS NOW DAYS, WE GOT PEANUTS, FRESHLY ROASTED, ORANGES AND HARD CANDIES THAT STUCK TO YOUR STOCKING, BUT YOU DIDN'T CARE THAT THERE WAS A LITTLE STOCKING FUZZ ON IT, INTO YOUR MOUTH IT WENT!! THERE WAS OF COURSE ALWAYS A TOOTHBRUSH, TUCKED INSIDE SOMEWHERE-OH WHAT SMELLS!!! THEN OF COURSE SOMETIMES OUR DAD WOULD MAKE US GO IN ORDER, SO THAT EVERYONE COULD SEE WHAT EACH OTHER GOT, WELL FUNNY HOW I HATED THAT TRADITION, BUT I HAVE IT IN MY OWN HOME NOW-SOMETIMES I THINK I GOT A LITTLE MORE OF MY PARENTS IN ME, THEN I THOUGHT!! HA-HA I THINK THE WRAPPING PAPER GAVE OFF A CERTAIN SMELL BACK IN THOSE DAYS, OR MAYBE IT WAS A COMBINATION OF THE TREE AND PAPER. I THINK MY MOST FAVORITE CHRISTMAS GROWING UP WAS, WHEN I GOT MY SUNSHINE FAMILY DOLL SET AND FARM SET, I WOULD PLAY WITH THOSE DOLLS FOREVER!! MARTY ACTUALLY FOUND THE DOLLS ON E-BAY AND BOUGHT THEM FOR ME THIS PAST YEAR!!! I REALLY LOVE THE FACT THAT SOMEONE VERY DEAR TO ME GAVE ME A NATIVITY SET FROM THE OLD CHURCH ONES, YOU KNOW THE ONES THAT WAS MADE OUT OF PAPER AND YOU PUT IT IN SLOTS, I WILL TREASURE THAT NATIVITY FOR AS LONG AS I AM HERE, MY KIDS KNOW THAT IT IS NOT TO BE TOUCHED, THEY ALWAYS KID AROUND WITH ME, AND TELL ME IT GOT RIPPED OR SOMETHING, THE LITTLE STINKS!!! I REMEMBER LAYING IN FRONT OF THAT NATIVITY AS A CHILD AND JUST WONDERING IN MY BRAIN ABOUT IT, I WOULD EVEN TALK TO IT, I THINK I MIGHT HAVE HAD SOME MARBLES MISSING BACK THEN!! I LOVED THE HOURS I SPENT OUT IN THE SNOW, HAVING SNOWBALL FIGHTS WITH THE NEIGHBORS ACROSS THE STREET, OR BUILDING SNOW FORTS AND LITTLE CARROT NOSED MEN!! I WOULD ALSO PRETEND TO BE LAURA INGALLS IN A BLIZZARD, BEING TOSSED AROUND BY THAT WICKED WIND, THEN FOUND BY A PRETEND FATHER AND TAKEN HOME TO BE LOVED AND WARMED!! ONE OF MY FAVORITE DOLLS THAT I GOT WAS PROBABLY THE UGLIEST THING EVER, SHE WAS HARD PLASTIC, BUT I FELL IN LOVE WITH HER AT THE HARDWARE STORE DOWN FROM THE OLD WAGON WHEEL STORE MY DAD OWNED. I CALLE HER, "BIG EYES," I THINK THAT IS WHY I FELL IN LOVE WITH HER, I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A SUCKER FOR EYES!! I HAVE A SNOOPY DOG THAT I GOT WHEN I WAS AROUND TWO, IT IS ORANGE AND YELLOW, AND ONE EAR IS RIPPED, BUT I STILL HAVE IT!! I HAVE MY STOCKING FROM WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL, THAT MY DAD STAMPED WITH PLASTIC LETTERING, IN MY NAME, OF COURSE CRICKET!! I STILL HAVE THE ORNAMENT THAT WE HUNG ON OUR CHRISTMAS TREE FOR OUR DADDY, THE YEAR AFTER HE PASSED AWAY. I HAVE FUN MEMORIES WITH MY OWN FAMILY NOW, I HAVE TO LAUGH THAT EVERY YEAR NO MATTER WHAT, MARTY IS THE LAST ONE TO OPEN HIS PRESENTS ALL THE WAY, HE USUALLY GUESSES WHAT IS IN THEM TOO, I HAVE ONLY SURPRISED HIM A COUPLE OF TIMES. THEN THERE IS CONTESSA, WHO ALWAYS ORGANIZED HER PRESENTS A MILLION TIMES IN ONE HOUR, CHEROKEE WHO SCATTERED HER PRESENTS EVERYWHERE, AND WE ALWAYS HAD TO LOOK THRU THE PAPER FOR LOST PRESENTS. CHEVY ALWAYS THROWS HIS CLOTHES BEHIND HIS BACK AND DOES THIS LITTLE GRUNTING NOISE, I AM NOT SURE WHAT CASH WILL DO YET, BUT I AM EXCITED TO SEE A NEW MEMORY CREATED THRU HIM!! OH WE HAD A NEW LITTLE MEMORY HAPPEN YESTERDAY, THE TREE FELL OVER, OF COURSE I WENT NUTS, MARTY JUST CALMLY PUT ALL BACK TOGETHER AND SMILED AND SAID, "IT'S ALL GOOD CRICKET!" WELL I AM OFF TO WATCH A "CHRISTMAS STORY," WITH THE KIDS AND THEN WE ARE GOING SLEDDING!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GREAT NEW YEAR!!! LOVE YA, C