SUNDAY MEMORIES
Judy Wills
Yes, it is Christmas once again. Comes around every December 25th. I look back on all the Christmases that we have lived through – and they all bring fond memories to my mind. The Christmases we experienced as children, my brother and myself. My parents always did everything possible to make those times special to us.
1952 – Bill and me – Christmas morning
My family didn’t have a lot of money, but we always had presents under the tree – and sometimes little ones hidden among the branches of the Christmas tree. We really had to hunt for those!
I remember one Christmas that my Aunt Jessie had promised to give me a particular necklace that she had designed. I was so looking forward to that! Well, the only box left for me was a HUGE box! I was beginning to feel disappointment, but began unwrapping that box…and found a smaller, wrapped box inside that one…and another smaller, wrapped box inside that one…you get the picture. Sure enough, after about six or seven boxes, the last one was a small jeweler’s box – with that necklace in it! What a fun memory that is.
I remember the Christmases were usually at our house, but as we got older (Bill and me) we would occasionally go to Aunt Jessie and Granny’s house for opening presents. I loved that house almost as much as I loved ours, so it was a very special time.
1954 – Daddy opening his present – Aunt Jessie’s house
The gifts were more “grown up” then, but always wrapped wonderfully. The idea of a “gift bag” had not been invented in those days, therefore much care and thought went into how each box was wrapped. Aunt Jessie was particularly creative in that department!
1954 – Bill and me – opening presents at Aunt Jessie’s house
notice the wrapping on Bill’s present.
I remember that the first four years of our married life, we couldn’t afford a tree – even a small one. Nor did we have room in our tiny apartment for one. So I remember folding a small magazine (Reader’s Digest size) into tree shape then spray painting it green, and sticking small hand-made ornaments on it. That was our tree. I can’t even begin to remember how I folded that magazine! I’ve tried several times with no success. Oh well, it is a memory in my mind.
A.I generated image. Not the green painted mentioned above.
When we lived in Panama City, Florida (Tyndall AFB) one of our girl’s classrooms had a hamster as a pet. At Christmas break, no one could take her home (Wheezer was her name), so Karen brought her home – plastic cage and all. Unfortunately, she died just weeks before we moved to Heidelberg, Germany.
1984 – Virginia – Karen, Janet and Muffin
I found another hamster in Germany, but he didn’t last too long either. So we kinda gave up on hamsters. However, when we moved to Virginia, near Christmas time, I purchased a hamster in secret, and had a neighbor keep her until the girls were in bed on Christmas Eve. They were both pleased and surprised the next morning to find her. They named her Muffin. I can’t remember how long she lived. They are called “throw-away-pets” because their life span is about three years. But the girls got a few good years of enjoyment out of her.
Our Christmases in Florida have been many now (we’ve lived here 30 years now), and usually with one set of our girls and their families with us. Only once or twice have both girls and their families been here. But they have been wonderful times together.
1997 – Kissimmee, Florida – Forrest and Katie
2009 – Orlando, Florida – The Lawson family
This year we will have Janet, Tom and the twins with us. Karen and Brian were here for Thanksgiving. They helped set up our Christmas tree and the outside decorations – things I hadn’t thought about, and probably wouldn’t have been able to do myself. With Janet’s family here at Christmas, they will help take the decorations down and put away. How’s that for timing?!
Fred and I wish all my readers a wonderful, blessed Christmas 2025. While this year has been a hard one, we are thankful to be living another Christmas. And we are so very thankful to God that we have family and friends who are so close to us. God has blessed us mightily.
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Old Things R New 
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