Christmas Memories

Memories don't necessarily have to be fun memories. How a family works together in tough times is a memory that provides direction for a person in adulthood when that person faces difficult times. Valuable memories do not necessarily require money. How gifts are given from the heart at Christmas teaches a child that gifts should be given in love and do not necessarily need to be expensive.

Those of us who lived during the years of the Great Depression are not as alarmed about the state of the nation's economy because our memories teach us that we can survive well without many of the things we have come to enjoy. I'm sure that many others remember as I do having a cedar tree cut from the woods for a Christmas tree. Our tree was often decorated with red and green construction paper chains made in school by cutting strips and pasting the ends together in circles. We would interlock the red in green, then the green in red, etc. We made snowflakes by folding white paper and cutting it in various designs. We would hang the snowflakes on the branches of the tree. Sometimes, we would make strands of cranberries to drape around the tree. We always felt important for contributing to the decorations.

A few years ago, our youngest son and his wife moved from Kentucky toArkansas just before Christmas. We spent Christmas with them sitting among unpacked boxes. All Christmas decorations were packed away. On Christmas Eve, we looked at each other and I could tell that our son was feeling a little apologetic for the situation. I thought hard about what could be done. I found a pen, reached in a box, pulled out some packing paper, and said, "We each have to make our own stocking." We found some scissors, designed our stockings, and laid them on the hearth of the fireplace. I felt good when I heard our son chuckle. A memory had been created.

When my husband and I were working on the Navajo Reservation at Lukachukai,AZ, we had a big snow storm one Christmas. The mail came only three times a week and during the storm, it could not get through at all. No gifts from our homes came in time for Christmas. We had already given each other our gifts thinking there would be more from our homes in MO and NE to open at Christmas. On Christmas morning, we sat looking at each other and a bare tree. That is a memory we will never forget, but it made us appreciate each other more.

We can be very creative in making memories for children. Sometimes it is a good thing to be short of money. It causes us to be more resourceful. We spoil our own Christmas when we place too much emphasis on "things". We should never forget that people are more important than things. The real basis of the Christmas season is love. When couples argue over how much money to spend, unpleasant memories are created for their children. We should not be stingy, but we should never buy beyond our means. We need to learn to make good use of what we have. By doing so, we create good memories for children and set a good example for them.