Today I was thinking about Christmas traditions and memories of when I was younger.

One of the things I remembered the most was with my Grandma Grace. I was thinking of her this week since she earned her wings on December the 5th of 1973 I believe.

Christmas at Grandmas was the best. She didn’t wrap our gifts like I do for my family and most people do. She would put all the toys and gifts in the middle of her bed and then we got to choose what we wanted one by one. We each took our turn and would hope that the sibling before us didn’t pick the toy
we wanted. I wanted this pink stuffed poodle and was hoping and crossing my fingers that my sisters wasn’t eyeing the same prize I wanted. My turn came and I got the poodle.

We didn’t fight over what we got, we were happy getting anything that Grandma and Grandpa gave us. I loved my other grandparents, but there was nobody like Grandma Grace. And this week I have been thinking about her and what a positive influence she had on my life.

Grandma was very stern, but we knew she loved us. I had such a great time at my grandparents house. My grandma and grandpa didn’t have power until the 70’s and that was only going to a small TV in the living room or should I say the one and only room in the house. Grandma loved Gunsmoke.

When we went to see Grandma and Grandpa we always had fresh veggies and fruits. They also raised their own meat, so I guess that was fresh meat if that’s how I would put it. e there was no power, we had wood burning stoves and one was coal. If Grandma and Grandpa had coal, we would use that. The water came from a water pump. They had a huge garden and
During Christmas, I don’t remember her putting up a tree, but it still seemed like Christmas. Now at my house we always did a tree. And even though we didn’t have alot of money my mom would do her best to give us what we wanted. There were a number of Christmas’s growing up that people would put our names in for the Salvation Army and we would get gifts and coats that way. I don’t know how my parents got us gifts when they had nothing else, but they did and they did the best they could.

One Christmas and I’m sure my mom wouldn’t remember, all I wanted was this little doll that would eat and of course pee. The doll came with little packets of food that you had to mix up and a bottle that I could put water in. All my friends wanted that same doll and I wanted it too. I knew since my mom and dad didn’t have much money that I wouldn’t get that doll. But on Christmas morning as we all waited for my parents to get up. Really, I think I was the last one getting up. Mom and dad woke up before the roosters woke. But we unwrapped our gifts and I was shocked that I got the doll. Nothing else mattered to me on that Christmas either.

I have a grand daughter named Kora and she is the cutest little grand daughter in the world. No arguing needed on this topic please, lol. But I want to give her one of the little babies in a couple years that act like a real baby. Beckiah shook her head and told me no. But, and this is a BIG but, I will have to persuade her. I know Kora would love it so much like I did. If she doesn’t, she will have to keep it to herself. If you see this blog Beckiah, you didn’t read this, lol.

I think back to those Christmas’s and how little my parents and grandparents had and I know that they did the best they could with what they had. The only money my grandparents had was from her Social Security and I think that was at the most $300.00 a month and that was it. And she always made sure we had what we needed when we came to visit. Oh, one other things she made sure she gave us was a candy bar. She didn’t have much for herself, but she still gave as she could.  There was some pretty rough years and I won’t go into those. I’m thankful for the fond memories and the memories of my Grandma Grace and the first doll I ever had.

I have often wondered about what our life would be like if Grandma Grace didn’t pass away when we were so young. Then I think about the greatest reunion that is going to take place in Heaven one day. I can’t wait to introduce Grandma to my daughters and my grand kids. They will love her.

This picture is from when we lived in Indiana… My brother is the one in the front with the striped pants, then there is my sister Joyce, Me and my sister Brenda is the taller one, In the back is my sister Denise. I would say this was taken back in 1972 or 73

Not always were times great back then, but I have chosen to focus on the good times and not the bad.

I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and that everyone focuses on what is important and not what you get or don’t get. For me, the memories are more important than any tangible object. It wasn’t the poodle or the doll that I got, but that I got them from someone who cared and loved me. The memory of that special morning with Grandma and Grandpa will be with me always and so will the moment that I opened the one gift I really wanted. One of the things I remember too is that when we opened the gifts, there was a look of joy on m grandparents face and on my moms. They truly was happy that they were able to give from the heart.