Christmas--Then and Now

Christmas is a special time of year for me, it always has been, but moreso these past few years. As I begin to decorate the house (after unloading many huge boxes of decoration from garage shelves), my spirit lifts...and I remember.
When our four children were small in our very small house, the handmade sparkly paper snowflakes hanging in the windows and the little decorations stuck here and there created a magic place. Glenn strung lights across the front of the house. The Cash Clan would drive up into the snowy mountains to search for the perfect noble tree, spending the entire day to find one we loved, and coming home in the dark, wet, tired, but satified. For all the kids growing up years, we traveled to my folks in California or to Glenn's in Eugene as we wanted to share this special time with grandparents. Nona Cash had knitted the kids'stockings which were filled with goodies from Santa. All the presents were hidden until Christmas morning, and presents were opened one at a time!
Now Christmas is different in that our house is filled with decorations, a collection of Santas here, Snowmen there, musical workshops to windup, small lights strung everywhere, silver garland on the front door and stairway. But the handmade snowflakes have endured and still hang to remind us of years gone by. Some of the decorations are antiques by now. Wooden toy soldiers guard the front door, from a Holiday Fair years ago. We find going to a rural tree farm serves us better, but we still do it as a family and enjoy the outing anyway. Glenn now strings icicle lights everywhere, with lighted deer in the garden, and he created a giant lighted wreath for the front walkway that you walk through!
Now we are the grandparents, and it gives us joy to watch the little ones' excitement as they see all the lights, eat gingerbread men cookies and push the windup workshops buttons(over and over!) Our beautiful tree is covered with ornaments from years gone by, adding a few each year. The stockings are the ones this Grammy cross stitched for her grandchildren. We are still opening presents one at a time, so each can be appreciated...even though some would like to speed things up. Tradition is hard to change.
Christmas IS a special time, not just for the decorations, but the love we share at the time of year with friends and family. Nothing comes down until after New Year's, as I want to prolong this feeling as long as possible.
We hope you and yours are as blessed as we are.