I remember, my sister and I, watching an old Christmas special called "The Night, The Animals Talked" with our father. As soon as it was over, he would have us put out three peanut butter cookies, and a shot of Johnny Walker for Santa. He would tell us that Santa needed something to help him warm up since it was cold out. Dad would then pick us up and carry us up to bed. Before he tucked us in he would always read T'was the Night before Christmas to us. Before turning out the lights he would also have us believing that the dog would talk on Christmas eve.

Dad would then go out side and make noises that would have us believing that Santa was on the roof.

To this day my Father still tries to make Christmas special, and is a big kid at heart when it comes down to it Read Less

It seems I’m not the only one with quite fond memories of Christmas growing up. Like many of you, I don’t have one memory that stands out from the rest, but our yearly traditions were great.

On Christmas Eve, we’d go over to my father’s parents’ house. My father was the only son of an only child of an only child so there wasn’t much extended family to speak of on that side of the family. As such, my grandparents really spoiled my brother and I. On top of that, Christmas was my Grandmother’s favorite holiday and she’d go overboard every year. When we came over, there’d already be a row of presents leaning up against the fireplace in the downstairs’ living room that would easily be 12-15 presents deep for each of us. Every year, they’d print a craft activity in the newspaper and my Grandmother would take time every year to put it together with me. I still have the cardboard Christmas tree we made. She was a great cook, but by God her roast was awful; her mashed potatoes always stole the show anyway. After dinner, we’d take turns opening presents. Above you can see my brother showing off his new cowboy hat and boots. On the right, the little chubster you see is me with my Grandmother holding me. Every year, we’d get a fresh pair of pajamas to put on and wear on our way home. I still remember falling asleep in the back of the car and my dad carrying me to bed.

On Christmas morning, we’d have our family Christmas where my mother, father and brother would take turns opening gifts. My brother and I would be chomping at the bit to open gifts while trying to get my mom and dad up and ready. After that, it was generally a rush to get ready for the Christmas party. As the family with the biggest space (we had a large basement), we hosted the Christmas party for my mother’s side of the family. She has 5 brothers and sisters with plenty of kids. We’d easily have 40+ people over for Christmas evening. We’d have a big dinner in the basement and after all the adults had eaten, all the cousins would say downstairs and sneak a second serving of desert. Afterward, we’d exchange gifts on that side of the family.

All in all, it’d be three Christmas parties packed into two days. As a little kid, it seemed magical. Things changed after we moved to Kentucky. We’d go back to Chicago every Thanksgiving to see family so there were no more Christmas Eve’s at my paternal Grandparents and my Aunt hosted the Thanksgiving at her house. Thinking back on it now, I’d give anything to have one more Christmas like that, even just to see some of those family members again.

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Okay, there’s one memory that does stick out that’s become a family tradition, but it might not necessarily be a good one, haha. One year, my brother and I were opening up my parents’ gifts and every time we’d open a gift, my brother would get a better present than me. We’d both get sweatshirts and his would be Nike and mine would be a generic brand. He’d get a camera and I got some cheap toy. I remember getting annoyed by it, but it bothered my mother more that I was disappointed on Christmas. Ever since, she numbers our presents, like 1 to 7, and we have to open them in order and she makes sure all the presents are pretty even. This has been going on now for some 30 years now. We pretty much always know that the first present is gonna be something simple like socks and the last is the best present. We tease her about it every year now. Read Less