Remembering Christmases Past

Growing up we were never the family that had expensive furnishings, a fancy house or tons of presents underneath the Christmas Tree. We lived a modest life. My Mom saved every penny that she possibly could throughout the year, she always paid cash for everything- never once did I remember seeing her ever use a credit card. So when Christmas time came around I was always surprised that through the year she had managed to scrimp and save up enough to get us some small presents. I don't think that I had even once believed in Santa Claus, you see-my childhood belief of things such as Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny had been taken away from me with the suicide death of my father. It was after his death that I was visited by Angels- letting me know that I was going to be alright, that my mother would be alright. That God had sent them and that they were watching over us.

So what did I belive in? I believed in God and that he does indeed answer prayers, that Angels are messengers from heaven and that they watch over us, the virgin Mary and her husband Joseph and their baby Jesus, and the true meaning of Christmas.

Christmas Eve Midnight Mass was wonderful, in my youth I remember attending this Mass and it being done in Latin, it was indeed something to behold! The Cathedral glowing in the candle light, the incense (what a heavenly scent it was too), the children's choir singing like Angels. I would sit in the Cathedral with my mother just feeling as if I was in the presence of God himself. It was very awe inspiring to say the least. We would walk home together hand in hand in the darkness and once we got home my mother would give me a little gift to open. It would always be something small and personal, from a mother to a daughter - right then and there I could feel her love for me knew no bounds. Christmas wasn't about expensive gifts, it was about love. It's special moments like that, that I treasure more than anything.

If you have a special Christmas memory please share it with me by posting it on your blog- write a message about it on my blog.

Bless You and have a Merry Christmas!