Memories begin with family

As I was growing up, Christmas was always a special time. We lived in a small town outside of Lodi. Both sets of our grandparents lived nearby and holidays meant special family time with both.

There are five of us kids and our parents were hard workers. Dad, however, was unable to work in bad weather. As a result, winters made money scarce. Despite this, they always somehow managed to have a nice Christmas for us kids. Mom especially, as she baked and made sure our stockings were hung.

Even during the toughest winters, Santa always came.

Looking back, though, Santa always forgot to bring mom and dad something.

Now we are all grown and gather at my sister's on Christmas Eve. This annual tradition is a heartfelt time of sharing with family. It begins in early November when we gather to draw names out of a hat for the Christmas Eve gift exchange. Our family continues to grow each year, and drawing names is an affordable and fun way to celebrate on Christmas Eve.

First, we take delight in spoiling mom and dad. They have the most presents stacked by their side. We also make sure Santa goes to their house to fill their stockings and leave a little something under the tree, as they are enjoying Christmas Eve with their five children and spouses, 13 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren with another on the way.

Then, we exchange our gifts, sing Christmas carols, and Aunt Rosy reads "The Night Before Christmas" to all the kids, in front of a warm toasty fire.

Last year, dad found an essay that touched all of us. He asked my niece to read it aloud, because it made him stop and appreciate what family means. By the end of the reading, it brought us all to tears. The moral of the story was, cherish the time you have with the people you love, because there will be a time when they are no longer around.

One thing my memories of the past and present have in common is that family is what it's all about. We may not have a lot of money, but the holidays were special because of family, and not material items. Now, we are passing this everlasting tradition to our children and our children's children, and creating Christmas memories with them.

Darlene Garcia and Melissa Stroud
Lodi