Story Time : A Family Affair

Our lives are a multitude of stories.  Some are sad tales, some are filled with stomach wrenching laughter, and some are family legends that grow more epic each time they’re told.  Join me this week as we curl up in our favorite spot in our virtual living room.  The tree casting a twinkling glow.  Hot chocolate, eggnog, and cookies sit in our laps.  Our friends & family sit with us as we laugh, rejoice, & begin to share our tales of Christmas.

Since I was little (aka born) Christmas has always been a family affair.  Tucked away in the small house we grew up in or with Grandpa & Grandma & the my aunt, uncle, & cousins in California.  We were always with family.  Sometimes friends translated into family.  I didn’t have necessarily a wonderful childhood, but I remember pleasant Christmases.

We grew up knowing Santa wasn’t real.  Our gifts were always under the tree days before.  The only thing that wasn’t put out was our stockings.  Mom would fill those after we’d gone to bed on Christmas Eve and hang them on the mantle.  Every year we received a new one.  That was mom’s tradition.  And that would be the first thing we’d open once we were allowed to take them down.

Christmas Eve if we weren’t in California had it’s own special tradition.  We were each allowed to open one gift.  Mom & Dad selected.  Even as a teenager my brother and I looked forward to that one gift.

Today Christmas looks different, but it’s still a family affair.  We’re all grown up and each of our own families.  Time spent with in-laws and our own family.  I have six nephews and a niece due on the 26th.  We eat, we laugh, we Skype open gifts with my brother-in-law & sister-in-law in Northern California.  And I hope that in the quiet of our hearts and hope even more with the words we speak we remember why we’re gathering.

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I hope you enjoyed these stories as much as I did.  Today I’m giving you the opportunity to share your own story.  Click Mr. Linky below to share your Christmas tales.

And since we’re sharing stories I have a gift to share with you.  It is a little canvas I created using written word.  Portions from popular books, including Dracula, various Sherlock Holmes stories, Persuasion, and East of Eden.  Leave a comment on this post to be entered to win the canvas.  Contest ends:  12.31.10 at Midnight Mountain.  One entry per person.  Winner will be announced 01.03.11.