Countdown to Holiday Memories

It is funny the things we remember about the holidays. My mom always did a wonderful job of making each one special; she is much better at it than I have ever been. I tell myself that this skill genetically skips a generation.We always made sugar cookies each holiday and at Christmas time we baked dozens and dozens of other treats. She also decorated the entire house. I can remember her getting out the boxes and knowing exactly where each item would go.Christmas has always been one of my favorite holidays. We spent Christmas Eve at our home as a child, then Christmas day we all went to my grandparents’ farm in Kentucky. When my grandmother passed away, there were very few things I wanted – even though we were close. What I wanted the most were the cookie tins she kept in the garage; we would sneak out and pretend we were checking on the dog but of course we were sneaking treats. Then she and my mother both had ceramic Christmas trees with the little lights that go in a Lite Brite. Those were my heirlooms.The other thing I remember is the countdown. We had one of the big felt Advent calendars on the wall as we marked the days of the Christmas season. I would burst with excitement when it came out and my brother and I would fight -- my sister came around much later so she had the run of it herself by then -- to see who would take off each day’s covering to reveal another day’s passing toward Christmas.This year I decided to load up on Advent calendars from a line called Meri Meri. We have more options than ever before because each year they keep coming up with cute new ones. My personal favorite this year is the hair clip advent calendar. It comes in a jewelry roll and each day there is a different numbered hair clip.We can’t forget the boys. We have wooden train set and one with stamps that everyone will love.Stop in soon. They go really, really quickly and you have to be ready for the countdown to start December 1st. It will be here before you  know it![nemus_slider id="54093"]