The Aunt Ida Book
I think this tradition began before I was born. My mother's Aunt Ida would send some money to my parents every year to get each of us girls a Christmas gift. I am not sure if she was the one who came up with the book idea, or if it was my mother. But, every year on Christmas Eve we got to open one gift at home with my mom and dad. Every year, that Christmas Eve gift was a Christmas book from my Aunt Ida. We would curl up on the couches, all 5 girls, the two cats, and my parents, with a million blankets and read. Some years the TV was on for those people who got chapter books that would take longer to read, but most of the time I remember us just hanging out with our books all warm and cozy. Even after Aunt Ida passed away, we carried on this tradition in her memory.
I am pretty sure that my mom has one of the largest private Christmas book collections. My favorite book from her collection though, is The Gingerbears First Christmas. It may seem weird, but all of my favorite books in general seem to have only been published for one year in the 1980s.
This year I had my eye on A Christ-Centered Christmas by Emily Freeman, but Deseret Book beat me to the punch. I guess it's one of the perks of working for a bookstore. So this Christmas Eve, I'll wrap up my copy and probably this book for Jon and we can curl up on my parents couch to read yet again.
Look forward tomorrow to Candy Advent calendars.
P.S. To the readers who are in my family. Yesterday was my first Thanksgiving with the Hamiltons. We had a really fun time, but watching them do their Thanksgiving traditions made me miss ours. And by ours I mean, I really miss Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa Raymond's house. Sitting in the TV den at the card table on the wooden folding chairs. Jessiy goofing off and doing the "paper shredder" with mashed potatoes. Laying on the front room couches with multi-colored knitted blankets. Playing with the old school phone in the basement laundry room. I guess I'm just a little homesick for Michigan. I hope we can all get together again for a holiday some time soon.
I am pretty sure that my mom has one of the largest private Christmas book collections. My favorite book from her collection though, is The Gingerbears First Christmas. It may seem weird, but all of my favorite books in general seem to have only been published for one year in the 1980s.
This year I had my eye on A Christ-Centered Christmas by Emily Freeman, but Deseret Book beat me to the punch. I guess it's one of the perks of working for a bookstore. So this Christmas Eve, I'll wrap up my copy and probably this book for Jon and we can curl up on my parents couch to read yet again.
Look forward tomorrow to Candy Advent calendars.
P.S. To the readers who are in my family. Yesterday was my first Thanksgiving with the Hamiltons. We had a really fun time, but watching them do their Thanksgiving traditions made me miss ours. And by ours I mean, I really miss Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa Raymond's house. Sitting in the TV den at the card table on the wooden folding chairs. Jessiy goofing off and doing the "paper shredder" with mashed potatoes. Laying on the front room couches with multi-colored knitted blankets. Playing with the old school phone in the basement laundry room. I guess I'm just a little homesick for Michigan. I hope we can all get together again for a holiday some time soon.
1 comment:
Awww Rach, you made me cry. I terribly miss our family get-togethers, especially at the holidays. We are so lucky we have such great memories from Grandma and Grandpa's house. I hope you had a great Thanksgiving in California.
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