Thursday 13- Random Christmas Memories

I've been trying to rack my brain on a good T13 post today. I thought of doing 13 of my fave ornaments and knew you guys were probably sick of seeing my tree. I then thought of making my own Santa list and just sounded to gluttonous. 13 Christmas memories it is. Hopefully I can think of 13.

1. One of the earliest Christmas memories I have is of my aunt coming to my parents house in her full length black fur coat and bringing me a toy sewing machine. The coat always stands out to me. She had that coat forever and when she finally stopped wearing it, it just didn't seem the same.

2. When I was 4 or 5 and really understanding the Santa thing, I remember waking up Christmas morning and being to afraid to get out of bed. I thought that Santa was still there and I would get in trouble for getting up. My parents finally had to come in and get me up.

3. Midnight Mass at midnight like it should be, even though 6pm is so much more convenient.

4. I remember getting my ten speed bike and a whole bunch of other presents. I think that was one of the top notch Christmas' we had. That was at the point where I questioned Santa. Somehow it got re jump started as there was some mystery wrapping paper under the tree. Yes I was quite the snoop.

5. I have no recollection of which exact Christmas I got my first Cabbage Patch.

6. The first couple of years hubs and I were married we didn't even have a tree, even with Gameboy's first Christmas. We just didn't make it a top priority at the time.

7. My MIL actually bought us our first live tree and ornaments to go with it on Christmas eve. That was the first year we started our yearly last minute shopping expeditions.

8. I can remember my pre-school Christmas play. Each kid did a letter from the alphabet about Christmas. Mine was the letter T - T is for the three wise men who traveled very far. Funny how I can remember that but not to get the clothes in the dryer until several hours later.

9. I was the biggest snoop ever once I got around 12-13 and would find my presents every year from then on. Mom was never fast enough to get them wrapped before I would find them.

10. One year my sister neighbor brought me over a present (Operation) and my mom had also gotten the same game. My mom had left to run an errand and told me I could open a present when she got back. She didn't know L had gotten the same present at the time since I unwrapped L's after my mom left. Because the torture was killing me, we ever so slightly unwrapped the present to take a peek. Sure enough it was the same present. We wrapped it back and when she got home and saw that L got the same gift, she wouldn't let me open it. I of course had to give my Oscar performance and wonder why I couldn't open the gift. Knowing exactly why she didn't want me to open it.

11. Christmas Eve was always held at my grandma's house. Since I was one of the last and youngest of the cousins, I was pretty spoiled until the second cousins came along.

12. One year when I was around 12-13, I was asked to house and dog sit for the neighbors. It had snowed pretty good that night and I had to go that morning (after presents of course) down the hill to their house to let the dog out. When I left to go back up the hill to the house, I kept sliding down. I could not get any traction for the life of me, to get back up the hill. It wasn't a very big hill but big enough. I think it took me a good 30 minutes to get back up the hill crawling on my belly while grabbing sticks or anything to help me up. I was so mad at my mom for not coming out to check on me since it had taken so long. She just thought that I was taking my time to let the dog out.

13. You may remember yesterday that hubs had to take a visit to Wally World to fix his tire? Well, Scrooge got in the Christmas spirit and grabbed some ikebays for all three boys. This in itself is a Christmas miracle. Hubs has always been anti -ikebay- as our old neighborhood was not very safe for ikebay riding. He's also just paranoid. Neither one of my boys know how to ride. I know, it's sad. This is one thing I've hounded him to get them since they could walk. They finally have an awesome place to ride (sidewalks line the whole neighborhood) and there is no excuse now for them not to have one. I'm ecstatic and it's probably the best Christmas present ever, that the boys will receive. They've never even asked for one so I think they'll be really surprised.
It's a good thing they don't read the blog right?