Reminiscing about my childhood at Christmastime is so nostalgic and always puts me in a good place. Every detail I remember is magical.  Like watching the first snow of the season as you looked outside your elementary classroom window. Or the first Christmas songs you and your classmates practice to prepare for the upcoming pageant. How about the first TV Christmas specials you waited all year to watch? This memory is one of my favorites!

The anticipation of Christmas shows was a big deal. Mom always reminded me of the program lineup after she perused the TV Guide. The OGs were Rudolph, Frosty, and my favorite, a Charlie Brown Christmas. I grew up way before VCRs so if you missed these shows, you had to wait a year to see them again! Crazy.

Mom always made sure my homework was done and that I had my bath before the shows started. In the winter I always wore those one-piece PJ sets which we called bunny suits. I used to be heard all over the house as I padded around helping Mom to get a snack ready. Since my brother is 10 years older than me with 3 other siblings in between, I was the only one who was excited to cozy up and submerge myself in some frivolous Christmas cheer. When the whirring of the Popcorn Pumper turned silent, the butter was melted, and the salt shook, we settled in front of the TV.

After the shows were over, when my teeth were brushed and I was tucked into my bed, my mind always wandered. I couldn’t wait for Christmas break to begin. As a little girl in elementary school in the mid-70s, Christmas was an amazing time of year when the world felt happy and carefree. Rudolph saved Christmas, Frosty felt like a friend, and Charlie Brown made the world seem like a better place. Cheers to the simplicity and joy of remembering your childhood at Christmas.