December 24, 2015

Christmas Memories - Tandy Balson




My daughter recently told me that some of her fondest Christmas memories involve her grandma. When our children were young, the whole family would gather at my mom’s for Christmas day.  She had been widowed for many years before she was ready to give up this tradition.

When we moved the celebration to my house it didn’t take long before she discovered the joy of having no responsibilities and been spoiled for a few days.  We wanted her to feel special and would pick her up on Christmas Eve so she didn’t have to drive.

Our tradition became an early dinner, Christmas Eve service and then driving around town looking at all the Christmas lights.  Once home again, it would be time for hot chocolate and cookies.  A board game completed the evening.  It was a relaxed and loving atmosphere.

Years later, I heard the other part of the kid’s memories with grandma.  One year they got up very early and tiptoed into the living room with a flashlight in hand to peek at their Christmas stockings.  They were startled to hear a sound behind them and turned to see grandma.  The fear of getting caught didn’t last when she said, “SHHH, give me the flashlight.” Then she started looking in her own stocking!

From what I have since learned, the three of them continued this early morning viewing for many years.  It was apparently grandma who would encourage them to wake us up early.  She was as excited as they were.

Other family members would arrive later in the day, but those early morning times with grandma were what formed precious memories for my kids.

This year our daughter has asked my husband and me to spend the night at her house on Christmas Eve.  She wants her children to experience Christmas morning with grandparents.  We are looking forward to love and laugher and creating new memories.  We even have a new board game for the family to play. Don’t tell my daughter, but we just might be setting our alarm to get up before the grandkids do!

May you experience Peace, Love and Joy this Christmas.

9 comments:

  1. I'm still grinning from the story of your Mom with the kids and the flashlight! What a beautiful memory for them to have had tucked away all these years. It would make a wonderful Christmas short story, Tandy! Blessings to you and yours.

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  2. Thank you Bobbi. I might have to give some thought into making it into a short story! Blessings to you and your family as well.

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  3. Anonymous8:56 am GMT-7

    Have a wonderful Christmas Eve Tandy. Looks like you have the opportunity to start a new or even carry-on a grandma and grandpa tradition!

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  4. May you become the new flashlight grandma!

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  5. Being a grandparent at Christmas is the BEST! I'm glad you got to spend Christmas with your grandkids.

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  6. This brought back so many happy memories of Christmas with my own Grandma who just passed away a few years ago at 97 years young. She would be the kind of grandma who peeked in her stocking although I never caught her doing so. Thank you for this simple, sweet story to remind us of how it is the simple things that our kids remember.

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  7. I am smiling inside and outside, Tandy. We just spent a couple days with our grandkids, which is always a good bonding time. This is a wonderful story of the connection between a grandparent and his or her grandchildren. I'm sure your visit with your grandchildren was just as wonderful as your mom's visits were with your children. This is about the love connection. Thanks.

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  8. I am smiling inside and outside, Tandy. We just spent a couple days with our grandkids, which is always a good bonding time. This is a wonderful story of the connection between a grandparent and his or her grandchildren. I'm sure your visit with your grandchildren was just as wonderful as your mom's visits were with your children. This is about the love connection. Thanks.

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  9. Beautiful! Thanks for sharing these smiles, Tandy!

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