Throwback Thursday #42: Christmas Memories

"Something about an old-fashioned Christmas is hard to forget." ~ Hugh Downs

I've blogged before (here....and here......and here) about my Gran. She was hands down one of my favorite people in the whole world. She lived right next door, so my brother and I were lucky to have been raised by great parents and the best grandma ever. She's come up a couple of times on facebook in the last week (which is ironic because I don't think he ever even used a computer) and I decided I should write a blog about her.

Gran had lots of traditions---MASH every afternoon at 4:00, popcorn for dinner every Sunday evening, always watching Andy Rooney and listening to Paul Harvey, taking a walk every morning, wearing either her Big Tex beanie or her summer straw hat---I could go on and on. But in the spirit of the holiday season, I have been thinking about her Christmas traditions.
Every year, our neighborhood exchanges gifts. Usually they are something homeade to eat (hello Aunt Jean's cheesecake!) Gran would always bake loaves of bread and wrap them up in paper. Then she would go to her holly bush in the yard and cut a sprig of holly to tie on each package.

She also really loved candy. Every year she made Tiger Butter and chocolate covered peanuts. I've taken it upon myself to carry on this tradition (probably less about the tradition and more because I love Tiger Butter to be honest). And she would hoard those boxes of chocolate covered cherries she got for Christmas all throughout the year. They are not super tasty when they are fresh, so you can imagine them in July.

Gran, my brother and I always set up her Nativity set. She had a large wooden barn and several Nativity figures---animals, wise men, shepherds, Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus. Anyway, every year she would drag the barn out of the well house and we would set it up together. And, because we were ranchers, we would go to the barn and get some real straw for the figures to sit on. And finally my favorite part of Christmas with Gran was her opening presents. You know there are some people who no matter what you get them, they aren't super excited and say things like, "Ohhhhh, thaaaanks." Yea, Gran wasn't like that. She was the kind of person who even if you wrapped up some pinceone with paper glued to it, she would get super excited and say, "Hey Hey!" and act like you bought her a tennis bracelet from Tiffany's. I haven't found anyone else who is as much fun to give a present to.

I still miss my grandma every day, but I am so glad to have these kinds of memories with her. You notice none of these memories involve expensive gifts or fancy things; they involve our family spending time together.
Remember this when you're with your family this Christmas.....you never know when you're making memories worth more than any present wrapped up under the tree.