In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Mystery Box.”
Sara switched the light on in our room causing the bright lights to explode my dream world and wake me from my blissful sleep.
“Wake up! Santa came. Your gift is here.” Sara yelled with glee, pointing to the shiny package near my bed.
I honestly didn’t think there would be gifts this year, it has been a difficult year for our parents. Sara still believes in Santa. I do not.
“Oh Sara, couldn’t you let me sleep just a little longer.”
“No! Mommy and daddy said to get up and open our gifts.”
I rolled off my bed dragging myself to the package. I was surprised. This was not either of my parents handwriting.
“Open me, if you dare.”
Sara watched me with joy and excitement. My own excitement was short-lived. Who wrote this and what did it mean?
“Open it Sally! It’s from Santa.”
My fingers tenderly tore the bright shiny paper off revealing a plain white box. Handwriting on the box wrote, “All you have to do is believe.”
“No, this couldn’t be right. There is no Santa. I don’t believe in him anymore.”
I slowly lifted the top off the box. Inside was the camera I had been wanting for so long.
“How did this get here? I told no one about wanting this camera.”
A big smile reached my lips, “I believe Santa. I believe.”
Christmas
Christmas Twinkles
I am excited to present you with some beautiful photos of Christmas lights generously loaned to me from Ruchi, whose blog name is, ComeTravelAlong and the url is:
http://cometravelalong.wordpress.com
I will use several of these (at different times) as one of my Christmas Season headers.
Please take a moment and check out Ruchi’s awesome blog!
New Christmas Header
THANK YOU to Dawn, whose blog's name is, Lingering Visions, for lending me a snazzy new Christmas photo for my new Christmas themed blog!
Also, a BIG thank you to everyone that offered to lend me a picture. THANK YOU!
Please check out Dawn's awesome blog:
http://lingeringvisions.wordpress.com
Beautiful photos Dawn!! Thank you!
I have a request
I am looking for a Christmas themed photograph from any one who is feeling generous, to loan to me to use as the header on my blog from now until the end of December. If you don't mind sharing one of your photos with me, and don't mind having it cut down to fit my theme, I would greatly appreciate it. Also, I would give you full credit for the photo. You will still “own” the image, and I would not make money from it any capacity.
Thank you for considering this. 🙂
Christmas Memories
Childhood memories of Christmas Past come to me with great pleasure this time every year.
One of my favorite Christmas memories, happened each year, when I was a little girl, when the much anticipated, the Christmas Edition of the Sears and Roebuck Catalog, arrived in the mail. This treasured catalog was a gift in itself. The first half was filled with clothing and other items of human need, but the second half was filled with nothing but the wonderful world of Toys. How wonderful it was to spend time in the magical toyland of the Sears and Roebuck Christmas Catalog.
My mother would hand me this catalog and tell me to pick out “one” toy for Christmas. It was very difficult to pick out just one item! Adding to the difficulty was the fact that this toy could not be over $20.
Years ago, there were no toy stores like there are today. Money wasn’t easily attainable for young parents raising their families (at least not for our family). Toys were a luxury that were given only at Christmas. Sometimes we would receive a toy for our birthday, but usually we were given clothes on our birthday. Growing children always needed new clothes. However, at Christmas, we were assured of receiving a toy. This one toy had to be the absolute perfect one because there would not be another toy until next Christmas.
Immediately upon the arrival of the Sears and Roebuck Christmas Edition catalog my search for that one perfect toy would begin. I was allowed to change my mind as many times as I wanted as long as I made up my mind two weeks before Christmas; enough time for me to write Santa with my “What I Want for Christmas” letter. (And, of course Santa got his toys from Sears and Roebucks).
I spent hours of my day combing through the toy section of this catalog developing my mental “wish list.” Many times I made up my mind on which toy I wanted only to change it again in a few days. Thinking back on this, I feel sure the main reason I kept changing my mind was because I didn’t want to end the joy of searching for that one perfect toy.
Both of my grandmothers would join us for our Christmas Eve gathering, where we shared a meal of turkey and dressing with all the trimmings. After the meal, the dishes were cleared and cleaned (no automatic dishwashers back then). With the dishes cleaned, it was time to open gifts that were exchanged among family members. The evening would be filled with ooouuus, aaahhhs, laughter, gratitude and love for our gifts, and for each other. I remember one gift I received from my paternal grandmother was a large teddy bear, which I loved and cherished for many years.
Santa would not come unless we were tucked in our beds and fast asleep. This was Santa’s magic hour; the hour in which he came and ate his cookies and milk while filling our stockings with oranges, apples, and candy, and leaving our much anticipated and longed for gifts underneath the twinkling tree.
At the crack of dawn on Christmas morning, four excited little children with bed-head hair and sleepy eyes would scream and laugh with excitement and joy as we all claimed our stockings and our cherished toys.
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Would you like to share some of your cherished (or not cherished) Christmas or any other traditional celebration memories, or any special memory? If so, write your “favorite memory” post, link it to this post and put your url in a comment to me on my post (please). Also, tag your posts with Favorite Memories so we can all read and share each other’s stories.
If you receive an email of my posts, look at the bottom of that email and you will find my url. (If you don’t receive an email, once I have published this post, I will come back and update it with my url).
my url: http://pricelessjoy.co/2014/12/14/christmas-memories/
I Say, “Merry Christmas!”
In today's world many people no longer say, “Merry Christmas.” Instead, they choose to say, Happy Holidays, in order not to offend people. That makes me sad. But, they have the right to say “Happy Holidays” and I have the right to say, “Merry Christmas.”
Merry Christmas everyone!
For Christmas, Eaglerising brings a rendition of a beautiful song, Hallelujah.
“Hallelujah Christmas”
This Lost Lamb (A Christmas Message)
I hate to admit it, but I am that terrible, horrible, disgusting sinner, that Jesus Christ had to come to this earth for. I am that person that rebelled against my parents, rebelled against my marriage, and rebelled against God. However, this is what really gets to me the most, God, through Jesus Christ, left his celestial paradise and came to this horrid sin-filled earth BECAUSE HE LOVES ME! I was that lost lamb that he came to earth to find and bring back to him. He was not willing to lose me to the wolves and other prey of this world that were getting their hold on me.
When I was at my worst and at my darkest time, believing I was beyong saving, my blessed Savior was still there for me. NO TO THE HELL FOR ME! Jesus Christ would have none of that! He was there to rescue me out of those evil jaws!
Something knocked me in the head and I repented and opened my eyes; and my life has not been the same since. (Thank you Jesus! Thank you God!)
Thank you Lord, for leaving your heavenly home to find me and bring me back to your safe and loving arms. Thank you for your precious Grace. Thank you for coming to this earth to rescue me from my sins. I now know your voice and I do not want to be anywhere else, except in your celestial kingdom with you for all eternity.
(Photo borrowed from Pinterest. Thank you Pinterest).
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas to all my friends, readers, and followers! I wish each of you a very Merry Christmas and a blessed and Happy New Year!
I will be reading blogs but I will not be posting for awhile.
I hope you all have a safe and wonderful Christmas. God bless you!
BEAUTIFUL WORDS 