Since I was a little girl, I remember when Christmas was approaching and I would be so excited to wear different dresses and see my cousins who would come out of town and those who are in town. I remember how much fun we all had together and we still do. We had so much food cooked every year, each person would bring something, and then Santa Comes over, and sings along with us and everything. We used to go all out. I love this time of year when my family comes together and celebrate the greatness of Christmas and the bonds and memories of it all. When we had Christmas parties at my cousins house, there would be Christmas Carolers coming over and singing a few Christmas songs and then heading over to the next house wherever you would call them. It was super nice and I would look around the room to see my family and just enjoy those moments when these songs were being sung. I said I am so lucky and so thankful to God, I have a great family like them and they all have a special place in my heart, my life and beyond. I would do anything for my family. I remember Traveling to Daytona Beach, Florida for 2 weeks during Christmas and New Years. We made a road trip out of it and we drove all the way to Daytona, It was long for me at the time in 1997 because I was too young to drive, and I was so bored, I said are we there yet? LOL, but when we went down there, we went to a Christmas party and then we went to this restaurant for New Years. It was a fun time. We have also been on Some Cruise Ship vacations during that time of year. I will never forget these moments for as long as I live. In the recent years, It has become difficult to get together with family, but this year we will be celebrating altogether in one roof again and I am very happy and cannot wait. Merry Early Christmas everyone! Enjoy!
What are your traditions and memories you have had?
Talin Orfali Ghazarian 
What a beautiful post, Merry Christmas to you too!! xoxo
Most of us are grateful that we can put food on the table, never mind afford gifts. Cruises and the like are far beyond the reach of most people.
I wouldn’t change my lot though; all the glamour and glitz in the world couldn’t replace my quiet Christmasses with my husband. For me it’s what’s in the heart that matters more than anything that money can buy.
Besides; I don’t like boats 🙂
Every year we would have a holiday party at my great-grandparents house and my great grandfather (we called him Poppy) would act like Santa Clause and give all of the kids presents. It’s a little sad now around the holidays since my great-grandparents are gone, but we know they are still with us in our hearts and around the holidays.
Christmas has been a very hard time of year for me these last two years since my divorce – not because I got divorced, that was the healthiest choice I made for myself in two decades – but because my children chose to stay with my ex-husband. They are all older now, and maybe that was why. He is well-off and I’m struggling to have enough groceries and keep a roof over my head, so maybe it was best for them in the long run. I am very thankful that I have a roof over my head, a full stomach, and an old, used laptop that I can pick up wi-fi and come to wordpress and write (writing has been my therapy since the divorce), and READ uplifting posts like this one. I have to reinvent what Christmas is for me, in order to keep from being extremely sad from around Thanksgiving to January. Things I used to do with my children – set up the tree the day after Thanksgiving, make macaroni and popcorn tinsel and hang them on the tree, make cookies, make cards for family with their hand prints on them, and I loved to bake their favorite desserts. Now the children live with their father. He took all those special things that we once shared at Christmas. I really despise this time of year now. Its all about family, and now I have none.