Christmas Past

I wonder what my kids' favorite Christmas memories will be?

My favorite ones are 1) the Christmas my family made all our presents. My dad made stilts for my sister and me out of 2x2 pine boards. My mom sewed us teddy bears. I sewed my dad a tie which I think he did wear once and then has treasured since. I shellacked a picture on a small wooded box for my mom. I keep mentioning this idea to Todd and the kids and they moan. I still think we'll try it...maybe next year.

2)Another favorite memory is spending Christmas with my Uncle Tim and Aunt Charlotte in Alaska. We lived in Eagle River and they lived in Tanacross, a remote Indian village near the Alaskan/Yukon Territory border where they were missionaries. Sometimes they would come to our house and sometimes we would go to theirs but it was always loud and crazy. I was always a little scared of the Indians, but I think that was because my cousins told me stories (that probably weren't true come to think of it.) That is all of us pictured above. Do you know which one is me?

3) When my family moved to Oregon when I was in the 8th grade, we spent a lot of Christmas days with my Aunt Lib and Uncle Wendell. They would always put up a huge tree and there would be tons of presents...almost all gag/joke gifts. It was always fun to watch everyone else open their presents, but when it was my turn, I'd be nervous not knowing whether I would think the gift was as funny as everyone else would.

I think I'll add the telling my kids these stories to my list of things to do this season.