12 Memories of Christmas

1. It was finally our turn to have Mutti (my grandma) for Christmas. It was so fun to have her with us for all of our festivities. I wish I could remember all the details, but I have one memory that I love. In our family it's a tradition to all sleep in the same room. Well even though Mutti lived around the corner she insisted on joining us in our tradition. Then she insisted on 'sharing the bed with at least one other person.' So my cute 70 year old grandma slept in a little room with seven crazy kids that Christmas Eve and created a memory I'll never forget.
2. Sledding with the family behind the four wheeler. This is the true way to sled, after all you don't have to walk up any hills and the ride is so much longer! I don't know why more people don't do this. I can just picture my family all bundled up fitting three to a sled sometimes as we rode around.
3. It's always hard to come back to school after Thanksgiving break. Last year I was feeling especially down the whole ride to Rexburg. When I walked in the apartment though I was welcomed by tons of Christmas decorations and my roommates were there to welcome me. Amidst our crazy end-of-semester times we still found time to celebrate Christmas. We had a fabulous Christmas party and even sent out Christmas cards. Aren't we adorable?
   
4. Long, long a go we were caroling in our beautiful blue van. I don't remember exactly how it happened but the sliding door broke off so we went around that night holding the van door up as we drove from house to house. I don't think we ever made it through the caroling song that night without one of us laughing remembering the broken door on the van.
5. One of my favorite traditions is we get to open one present on Christmas Eve. Well one Christmas Eve we got back from caroling and all went to change into our pajamas. When we came upstairs we found Benjy, who was probably 5 at the time already playing with the truck/construction set that he had decided to open from Mutti. For some reason I thought this was the funniest thing.
6. One year I really wanted a motor scooter. Mostly because I'm lazy and it seemed nice not to walk everywhere. Well as Christmas got closer there was this big box under the tree with my name on it. I was so excited, I was going to get my sweet scooter! Christmas day came and I opened it to discover...an air purifier! This was also the Christmas that I got contacts in my stocking! I love to tease my mom about this because even though at the time it seemed weird...these are the two gifts that I've used the most and I've loved them.
7. When Sara was a student at BYUI I remember feeling Christmas didn't quite start until she came home. One year her ride was dropping her off in Draper so we all loaded into the car and listened to Christmas music as we drove to pick her up. The weather was really bad and the older folk were nervous but Marie and I seemed oblivious so we just had a party in the backseat as we waited in this mall parking lot for Sara to come. I remember being SO excited and having a blast with Marie.
   
8. I have many memories of Christmas recitals, especially my mom's recitals. These recitals were sweet because they were sing alongs. Well they were sweet when you knew the song. If you didn't know the song the singers didn't wait for you so you had to hurry and catch up. Fast.
9. When Jessie, Marie, and I all shared a room we had a tradition in the winter time. We always woke up to the heater turning on. So we'd grab a big blanket, crawl under it, and then put it over the heater. Then as soon as it was over we'd crawl back into bed. I don't know why our room was always cold at night...
10. Two years a go our family was all together for Christmas. It snowed a ton and we wanted to get out so my brother Chris suggested we go play soccer. (Of course that's the sensible thing to do with a ton of snow.) We put on a gazillion random layers and went to Westridge to play soccer. We could barely run the snow was so deep and we were so bundled, but it was so much fun. Plus we looked really cool:
11. When I was 17 I had the opportunity to be in Savior of the World. This allowed me the chance to bear my testimony of the Savior's birth through song all through the Christmas season. I found it impossible to forget the true meaning of Christmas this year. It was such an amazing experience, I wish everyone could have it.
12. I have so many memories of opening thoughtful gifts Christmas morning and being so touched. There is NO way I could name them all, so I'll pick one of the earliest I remember. On Christmas Eve I went into the laundry room to find Marie ironing which seemed odd. Well she quickly hid what she was doing and so I ran out. Later that night I found out that Chrissy had made all the girls matching pajamas and Marie had made little outfits for our dolls. I'm still so touched when I think of the hours that Marie (who couldn't have been more than 13) and Chrissy spent on those pajamas. This is just one example of so many. Every year gifts like these remind me of the true meaning of Christmas.