Today, at work the computer system was down for the whole day.  There are only so many projects one can do without the information in the computer or using the internet.  Not having enough to do can be hard work, I would rather be busy. 

During this time my co-workers and I had the opportunity to talk and because it is the holiday season, we talked of family and  Christmas memories.  During talking I had the chance to remember lovely memories of my own childhood and how Christmas has always been an honored tradition in my life.  I will probably be writing about these thoughts for the rest of December, I am well into the twilight of my life and I have many memories.

When asked what my favorite part of the holiday was growing up, I immediately answered family.  Growoing up I was fornutae to live close to all of my father's family.  We lived on a hill and we were the second from the top and two doors down was my grandparents home and down the alley was my father's younger brother and his older brother lived close by.  Christmas meant at least Christmas Eve dinner at my grandparents when I was very small and then after all our presents were opened on Christmas morning dinner at one of the relatives house.  My mother's family lived in Utah and we never spent a Christmas with them that I can remember, I am told once when I was an infant we did.

At the family gathering there were always presents to exchange. When the number of grandchildren was few there were wonderful gifts, especially from my Aunt Marge and Umcle Cliff.  They were the rich relatives, owning their own business and having one child.  My favorite gift from them was a bride doll.  This doll was the most beatiful doll I had ever seen and my aunt had made a whole wardrobe for the doll.  I still have this beloved doll today and everytime I take her out of her trunk I an blessed with a rush of childhood memories of hours of playing with her.

Some memories down more to come.