COPYRIGHT All content and photographs are property of Linda Dresselhaus. 2009-2016. Powered by Blogger.

One of My Favorite Posts...A Few Christmas Memories and a Special Treasure...

I originally wrote this post December 22nd of 2010.   Some of you might remember it...it is one of my favorites...I hope you will enjoy it, too!  I've done a little editing, to bring it up to date...

 I love this old (over 50 Christmases ago now) photo of my sister and I (I'm on the right) with Santa!  My parents always made the holidays so fun for us...I remember my father decorating~ putting up our trees with colorful lights and ornaments, tinsel, and OH... the bubble lights!  How they fascinated me!  Dad always enjoyed decorating the outdoors~ he would put foil on the front door with a big red bow and greens we cut ourselves, and transform the column poles in front of the house into candy canes.  Our window panes were lit and decoratively sprayed with snow spray and stencils~ we lived in the south for much of my childhood, but you'd never know it by looking at our windows...I can still remember the scent of spray snow!
 
My most special gifts were handmade by my parents~ Barbie and troll clothes, a dollhouse and big doll furniture, and a fun toy box with Dad's hand painted characters from the Sunday Comics...
My mom did crafts with us and had fun art supplies~magical glitters, stars, and construction paper for cards, trees, and chains, and I remember making lots of special cookies~ especially cut-out frosted sugar cookies with sprinkles (dad did the spritz).  She made a VERY special apron for cookie baking- an appliqued and embroidered Santa face with a big pompom.  My sister and I spent many fun hours using it like a mask and pretending to be Santa.  Over the years, and many moves later (my father was in the Air Force for over 20 years) the Santa apron was sadly misplaced.
Two brothers arrived when I was older, and Christmases became even more fun watching them through little ones eyes.  We took many snowy evening drives to see Christmas lights, and played Christmas music on the stereo!   Here's a photo of the four of us... you might remember the furry hats in the late 60's...I LOVED that white hat!  Around this period of time my father was gone for a year in Vietnam~ a hard time for my family...


 
One day several years ago, I received an unexpected package in the mail from my mother...it was THE Santa apron!!  She had found it, quite by accident, in a storage barrel out in the garage!  She worked hard to clean it up and gave it a new fluffy white pom pom!  I had wished for it for so many years!  Needless to say, it reduced me to a blubbering girl, and is my Christmas treasure today!  It takes me right back to being a young girl again...





I think the things I do for Christmas today are directly influenced by my childhood memories...I love to have the outside of our home decorated!  For the last 40 Christmases, my dear husband has decorated every year (and I know it's not his favorite thing to do).  It has been a gift of love to me, our children, and now grandchildren, and I am so grateful for it!  Thank you sweetie...XO



And to my sweet parents...I know many miles separate us this Christmas, but we are with you in spirit...thank you both for so many wonderful Christmas memories, for always being there, and for being the best parents a girl could have!  I love you both!  Merry Christmas! 





Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas with those you love, as we celebrate our Savior's birth... I hope you make some of your own memories this year!

Until next time...I'll be baking cookies and wrapping presents...the kids and grandkids are coming Christmas Eve and I am so grateful they'll all be here!  I'll be back to posting after Christmas!  A big XO to you all!  Merry Christmas!
Until next time...

28 comments

  1. Linda that brought tears to my eyes... A wonderful post and yes I do remember the fur hats

    ☆҉ ‿↗⁀☆҉☆ have a Merry and Bright Christmas☆҉ ‿↗⁀☆҉☆ hugs wendy

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love this post too. The old photos are fabulous. I had one of those fur hats with the balls on the end of the strings too.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dear Linda, what beautiful memories, to treasure year after year,-now being shared with your children and grand childere--and us.
    I love the photoes of your childhood and youth,-so wonderful the apron showed up again, and am now with you.
    I wish you a very merry christmas with your kids and grands... and husbond.
    Warm hug-Dorthe

    ReplyDelete
  4. I was pretty little at the time, but I had one of thise furry hats too! As a matter-of-fact the ties on it were very scratchy so my mom cut them off and crocheted new ones (and reattached the pom poms of course). Oh, these mothers we had! Your Santa apron is a true treasure! So glad it was found! Merry Xmas!

    ReplyDelete
  5. What wonderful memories and I love that you have carried on your childhood traditions. Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete

  6. OK i'm blubbering also

    I miss my family so much from Christmas pass, I did a post not long ago of me under the Christmas tree at age 5 with a cousin.


    The Santa apron, well it is priceless

    Merry Christmas

    ReplyDelete
  7. PS

    I forgot to tell Sophie & Bailey Merry Christmas

    ReplyDelete
  8. A very Merry Christmas to you, too, Linda. I love your Santa apron. How special is that? You have beautiful parents. I love that your Dad was so involved in the Holiday season. What a treasured memory that is- Blessings- xo Diana

    ReplyDelete
  9. Merry Christmas. You have me walking down my own memory lane. Thank you, I needed to remember.

    Bliss

    ReplyDelete
  10. Linda, This post touched my heart. I love hearing about others past. The photo of your parents is nice. Glad you have the apron with all the memories. Merry Christmas to you and yours.xoxo,Susie

    ReplyDelete
  11. MERRY CHRISTMAS, Linda to You and Your Family!
    Love the photo of you and Santa:)
    Happy that you have your Santa apron.
    I'm going to bake cookies today with my Grandgirl after I pick her up from school.
    So MANY Blessing we have!
    Love,
    deb

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love all the wonderful memories you family created for you and that you continue to this day. Merry Christmas to you and yours.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Linda,
    Oh how I remember the post, and the Santa apron. What a sweet box to receive!!! I adore that apron. What wonderful holiday memories! I would say the same is true for me. Holiday were always made so special.
    Hugs,
    Kris

    ReplyDelete
  14. What wonderful memories, Linda! I could tell that was you in the first photo:) That is amazing the santa apron survived all those years, what a great gift! Oh, and I remember those furry hats, wonder if they will ever be back in style? Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Such a sweet post. You are blessed, Linda!!!! Thanks for sharing, and Merry Christmas!!
    xo
    lynn

    ReplyDelete
  16. Dear Linda, this
    sweet post reduced
    me to tears....so
    much love......and
    it all goes so fast.
    All of your memories
    brought back so
    many of my own : )
    And yes, I had a
    furry hat, too!!!

    Loads of love to
    you and those who
    love you.

    Merry Christmas!

    xo Suzanne

    ReplyDelete
  17. This is such a sweet post Linda. What a special surprise that must have been to have the apron with you again after so many years. Love your old black and white photos...I remember those furry hoods:-)

    ReplyDelete
  18. First of all, let me say I have a picture of myself wearing one of those fur hats, but I didn't look as cute as you! You haven't changed a bit, either.

    I wasn't following your blog in 2010, so this post is new to me. It's so true that the way we celebrate today is directly related to our traditions as we were growing up. Your story is sweet and so is the newfound apron. And thank goodness husbands are willing to climb ladders in the cold to do the outdoor decorating!

    Merry Christmas to you and your family!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I can only imagine that feeling of having something from childhood become real again. The apron is so precious as well as the memories while wearing it!! Thanks for posting this!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Hi Linda.
    Enjoyed reading your post about Christmas past.
    Love you santa apron.
    Wishing you a wonderful weekend!
    Sharon

    ReplyDelete
  21. Linda,
    Oh my...you almost made me cry...sweet post:) Happy that your mom found that darling little apron...now your grandkids can enjoy it. MERRY CHRISTMAS to YOU!!!

    Blessings,
    Linda

    ReplyDelete
  22. what a miracle that Mom found the Santa apron! I love stories like this because it proves that she understood how dear that was to you. I don't need to inherit money, just memories from my folks... My husband decorates the outside too, manger scene blow molds, lights and wreaths. Our neighbor kids know our house, just like Fibber McGee's Christmas radio show, "the purdiest decorated house on the whole block!" Happy Christmas Linda!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Oh Linda what a wonderfully sentimental post.... I loved reading about your childhood and I am so happy you got to be reunited with your apron.

    If I wasn't already feeling Christmassy I would have been by the end. I am so glad you still have your parents even if they are miles away and how lovely of your husband about the decorations.

    I am so glad we met in blogland!

    With much love to you and yours

    from me and mine

    Karenx

    ReplyDelete
  24. Linda, I had to laugh when I saw those fur hats - I remember they were the rage when I was in elementary school in Toronto! I thought I was one cool chick.

    Such lovely pictures and memories and how special to see that apron again. I believe I remember reading this post when you first posted it, but it was even better the second time around.

    Best wishes to your family for a lovely Christmas with your family and a great year ahead in 2013. Ann

    ReplyDelete
  25. That's a precious story, how blessed you are to have parents still.
    Your Santa apron is so cute! It must have been a wonderful surprise to find it in your mailbox that day.
    Merry Christmas to you and yours and may 2013 be a blessed year for all of you.
    Hugs, Cindy

    ReplyDelete
  26. I love this post! It's such a wonderful story. The apron is a great present!
    Enjoy the Holiday with your family!!
    Merry Christmas to you and yours!
    xxx Liz

    ReplyDelete
  27. Have a wonderful Christmas with your adorable family! Mimi

    ReplyDelete
  28. Very sweet indeed Linda. Merry Christmas. XO

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for visiting my blog! I love hearing from you and always enjoy reading your comments!