When Christmas Memories Come Calling

Christmas is such a wonderful time of the year. If you think about it, we get an entire month (or two) of the year to be full of Christmas hope and joy. However, for many, it is such a difficult time of the year as well. In reflecting on the loves ones who have passed and gone on before us, Christmas memories seem to flow like a river as we are placing ornaments on the tree and decorating our yards and homes. 

Growing up, my Papa (grandfather) introduced me to my favorite Christmas album of all-time, Alabama’s Christmas. One song on the album, Christmas Memories, talks about how the memories of happy years gone by keep us warm inside. There could not be more truth in the lyrics of this song. Although my papa has been gone for many years now, it is still hard to walk into my grandparent’s house on Christmas morning and not expect to see Papa standing at the stove, scrambling eggs for our Christmas breakfast.

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A lot of families seem to be struggling this year with how to keep those memories alive while forging new traditions. My son, Jackson, 12, is struggling very hard with this. For 36 years of my life, and 10 of Jackson’s, we had the same Christmas Eve/Christmas Day schedule. However, in 2017, my grandma passed away, and our typical family traditions changed. This last Christmas was the first without her, and although we tried to keep her traditions alive, it just wasn’t the same. This year, the family has realized that it is time to make new traditions and press on. Jackson has not liked this idea at all. We have struggled this year with helping him understand that for every season comes change, and we must look towards what is ahead for us and learn to cherish what is behind us.

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Jackson has definitely shown me this year how important it is to not get caught up in all of the memories that bring us sadness but also to celebrate the ones that have brought us happiness and laughter.

One of our favorites memories is from Lucy on Christmas Day 2009.  Sean is the ultimate Springsteen fan, but Lucy took Ol’ Bruce’s song as the ultimate threat. We laugh each time we watch this video thinking about what was going through Lucy’s mind as she was listening to the song that day. Those are the memories that will stick with us forever. Isn’t that what Christmas memories should be, reflecting on the happy times with friends and family?

There will always be heart pangs and tinges when certain reminders come around, but I know that our love ones would want us to think of all the good times that we have had with them instead of focusing on our current sadness.

If you are struggling between the fine line of happiness and heart ache this year, please know that you are not alone. Christmas opens the floodgate to memories that remind us of all the joy we have had in years past. But although Christmas gives us the opportunity to celebrate those we miss, we must also create happy memories for those we have now and for generations to come.

We owe it to our families to press on and create new traditions, I owe it to Jackson and Lucy. Whether you light a candle, place an ornament, set a picture frame, or hang a wreath for Christmas past, let’s also do the same for Christmas present. This will insure that we can shape the very best Christmas memories for future generations.  Just as those lyrics from Alabama reside in my heart and keep it warm this holiday season, may your heart be filled with peace and love as well.

From our family to yours, Merry Christmas everyone!

Do you have special Christmas traditions? We would love to hear from you. Please leave us a comment in the section below!