Christmas Memories

By Caron Cline

Burke County

I love all things Christmas and I think this gene passed from my mother to me. Growing up, our home was filled with the sights, sounds, and smells associated with Christmas; from Gene Autry singing Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer to Elvis Presley moaning about having a Blue Christmas. The Christmas tree was covered in colored lights, icicle garland, and those so easily broken round ornaments we were commanded not to touch.

But the aroma of baking from the kitchen, which seemed to permeate every room in the house, was my favorite part. Nothing smells better than gingerbread men and chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven. My parents were very intentional about teaching us the true meaning of Christmas but we celebrated everything from Santa Claus coming down the chimney to Jesus being born in a stable and placed in a manger because there was no room in the inn. One

of our traditions on Christmas eve was to place a glass of milk and a plate of cookies near the tree for Santa. Early the next morning, my brother and I would race to the living room to see our gifts, and also to see if Santa ate the snack we had left. Sure enough, the milk and the cookies were gone. It was only after I was a teenager that it dawned on me that Santa evidently washed the glass and the plate after eating because they were completely clean. My mother was not one to allow anyone to leave dirty dishes, not even Santa. We would then run to our parents’ room, jump on the bed, and insist that they get up to see what Santa had left. It took years to realize that they had been up half the night putting together race tracks, train sets, and bicycles.

We never expected much at Christmas and were only encouraged to ask for one or two gifts that we really wanted, but they were always under the tree along with other surprises. Each year, my mother filled a stocking with small things such as candy, fruit and nuts, and other fun items. As the years passed, my mother continued to decorate the tree with the numerous ornaments she had collected and allowed no one to assist. She would sometimes stay up until 2:00 am placing each one in just the perfect place. Can you say, ‘OCD’? She also insisted on filling a stocking for my brother and me, long after we were adults.

This will be our first Christmas without our mom because she will be spending it this year with Jesus. I don’t know if there are trees or stockings or chocolate chip cookies in heaven but if there are, she will be decorating her tree with NO angelic assistance, filling stockings with interesting items, and baking her share of chocolate chip cookies. I can smell them from here!

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Caron is a follower of Jesus Christ and a member of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Morganton, NC. She loves to teach the word of God.

Her desire is to see every believer grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord.

You can read more Christian News from Caron HERE.

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