Seasonal Memories

[togitc]

This time of the year is full of memories, good and bad. So why not share a few.

My personal favorite for this time of the year:

I was about six and in Washington, out of school for the break. My dad makes this snow wall that spirals about four feet high. To me it was huge. So the neighbor kids all show up and we have this snowball fight, fort vs those outside. I'm tossing snowballs with my big brother and all his friends, I'm in heaven playing with the big kids.

Out of nowhere I shout "I'm going to get you, you sons of bitches."

Everything stops. My brother blushes, my dad stares at me, and my mom pulls me inside to get soap in my mouth.

Still makes me laugh.

 

[Blackie Malone]

One year New Year's eve my uncle who was a bit of a drinker held mass in his kitchen and used slices of keilbasi as the communion wafer.

 

[Huckleman2000]

One year New Year's eve my uncle who was a bit of a drinker held mass in his kitchen and used slices of keilbasi as the communion wafer.

That sounds good!

My own 'crazy aunt' (if you don't have one, demand one!) had a long-term relationship with a priest, though she wasn't Catholic. They visited us over the holidays once, and we had a Mass over the dining room table before the holiday dinner. I think it was Thanksgiving, but it may have been Christmas. It was one of the most deeply religious experiences I can remember. We all drank from the wine, and instead of communion wafers we tore off pieces of fresh-baked bread. The priest had his chalice and stuff in a travel kit, so it still seemed like a real live Mass, with all the official equipment. I just remember it was so cool to have a Mass in our dining room, not in a church, and despite the fact that there were familial difficulties of pretty grave nature at the time, it still strikes me as a moment of family unification.

 

[Belegon]

still one of my favorite memories was being 19 years old and subbing for my 25 yr old best friends boyfriend at her family's huge annual New Years party...don't remember why he couldn't go...ended up very drunk, roaming the halls of the hotel arm in arm with her mother and aunt "singing" Mr.Sandman at a very appreciable volume at 3:30 am...then back to her place and our only full blown sexual encounter in the years I knew her. A few years later she showed me what she had written in her "little black book" about me..."inexperienced but very enthusiastic & very, very oral" .

 

[impressive]

Earliest: My uncle is a prankster -- ornery as can be. I mean, he locked my mom in the rabbit pen when they were kids. Anyway, one Christmas Eve when I was around 5 years old, he told my younger cousin that if she didn't stop running in the house he was going to pick her up & spit in her butt. She scooted around the house on her backside for the rest of the evening. Would not walk -- or even stand up. I never could figure out why the thought of having her butt spit into was so terrifying.

Sexiest: In high school, I had this intense attraction (mutual) to a guy. It seemed, though, that whenever he was available, I was attached and vice versa -- so all it ever amounted to was flirting (and a couple kisses). However, when I went home for holiday break my sophomore year in college, we saw one another at a friend's party and sparks flew when we learned of the other's availability. The tension and excitement grew throughout the evening. We knew how we wanted it to end, but the universe conspired against us. There was already drunken revelry going on in the apartment's only bedroom. Neither of us had a car, and there was 6" of snow on the ground with temps in the 20s. Plus, we wanted more than a quickie outdoors.

We kissed goodnight -- both very disappointed -- when my father arrived to pick me up, and he said he'd call me when he got home so we could make arrangements to get together before we each headed back to school.

Everyone else was asleep when we got home, and my dad retired right away. So, I plopped on the sofa and stared at the Christmas tree for a while -- bummed. Next thing I know, a car pulled up out front and there he was -- standing on the sidewalk and apparently trying to decide whether to knock or toss pebbles at my bedroom window. He'd "borrowed" the car of one of the party-goers who was too inebriated to drive (and returned the keys to his jacket pocket some hours later, with none the wiser).

We had a roaring good time under my parents' Christmas tree. Ornaments flew. If my parents had come downstairs, there is absolutely no way we could've covered. Amazing that we didn't get caught in the act.

I've only seen the guy a couple of times since -- at high school reunions where we were each with our spouses. We just grin at one another.

 

[English Lady]

I have soooooo many great Christmas memories, and most of them get wheeled out each Christmas


There is the time my sister and I were helping Nanna to decorate her tree and my sister (about 4 at the time) had a bit of a cob on her, and retired to a corner to play with Nanna's Nativity scene. Soon we here her growling and shouting in pretend voices, and when we looked up she had Mary in one hand, Joseph in the other and she was knocking them against each other as she pulled a face and made them argue *L*

Then there was another Christmas, a few years later, and a week or two before hand Nanna cooked tea for us and burnt the bottoms of the roast potatoes.

"I don't like burn." My sister announced. "You better not burn the potatoes on Christmas day."

Sure enough, the roast potatoes were left in a little too long and the bottoms were well browned (caramelised I think the chefs call it) and When my sister saw it, she stuck her fork in it and waved it at Nanna. "Look, it's burnt!"

And when we posed for the annual Pre eating Christmas lunch picture Sarah help up the offending spud on her fork and it was saved for posterity!*L*

And I will always remember one very special thing about last Christmas, where my mum and my sister came to my house for a buffet lunch.

"This is the best Christmas I've had in years." my mum said. Not a but or a except in the sentance anywhere!!!

 

[Guest]

my dad would build an ice skating rink in the back yard every year. each year it would get larger...i dont know his motivation for this but it was the time of dorothy hamel (sp) and i was totally enamored.
at night, when i thought no one was lookingi would turn on the spot light off the back of the house and in my nightgown, i would skate forever. i wouldnt even feel the cold. if i close my eyes, i can remember the feeling of snow falling on my bare skin... the air rushing past me as i jumped and spun.
it was truly magical.

 

[EmeraldKitten]

Two years ago, my mom had made a snowman out of a cheese ball. She made arms out of celery sprigs, and a nose out of a pimento. She even got an empty film container and made it into a hat, with a brim made of construction paper, lol. It was the cutest thing ever, lol. She was proud as could be.
Well. My cousin's husband, my stepdad, stepbro, and my uncle decide that the snowman needs a penis.

They were all chuckling in the dining room, and as I walked through I asked what was funny.
They wouldn't answer me, so I went on my way.
A few minutes later I rounded the corner, and there on the dining room table was that poor snowman, with a rolled up piece of fudge placed strategically on his lower half.
I yelped, and ran for it, taking the homemade penis off.
I screeched at them, "There are children!" Which only sent them into peals of laughter.
Not five minutes later I wandered back through, and there was a baby carrot sticking out obscenely from Frosty's nether reigon.
"Boys!" I again rescued the snowman from their clutches.
Shortly after, a wreath shaped cookie had been broken in half, and again, Frosty had plenty of confidence because he was a 'real man'. (Or so they said, lol.)
I glared at these 50+ year old men, (not including my stepbro) and told them they oughta know better. It was all in good fun.

I went upstairs to smoke, and when I came back down, they had taken a pretzel stick out of the Chex Mix, as well as two peanuts. Frosty was now anatomically correct. And there was nothing I could do about it, because all the sick perverts at my family party got their cameras out and took pictures. The men held up the tray, proudly displaying their artwork.

Looking through the photo albums, and seeing each picture of the best Christmas eve ever- it's heartwarming. Then you turn the page, and there lies Frosty, happy to see everybody.

 

[Blackie Malone]

Two years ago, my mom had made a snowman out of a cheese ball. She made arms out of celery sprigs, and a nose out of a pimento. She even got an empty film container and made it into a hat, with a brim made of construction paper, lol. It was the cutest thing ever, lol. She was proud as could be.
Well. My cousin's husband, my stepdad, stepbro, and my uncle decide that the snowman needs a penis.

They were all chuckling in the dining room, and as I walked through I asked what was funny.
They wouldn't answer me, so I went on my way.
A few minutes later I rounded the corner, and there on the dining room table was that poor snowman, with a rolled up piece of fudge placed strategically on his lower half.
I yelped, and ran for it, taking the homemade penis off.
I screeched at them, "There are children!" Which only sent them into peals of laughter.
Not five minutes later I wandered back through, and there was a baby carrot sticking out obscenely from Frosty's nether reigon.
"Boys!" I again rescued the snowman from their clutches.
Shortly after, a wreath shaped cookie had been broken in half, and again, Frosty had plenty of confidence because he was a 'real man'. (Or so they said, lol.)
I glared at these 50+ year old men, (not including my stepbro) and told them they oughta know better. It was all in good fun.

I went upstairs to smoke, and when I came back down, they had taken a pretzel stick out of the Chex Mix, as well as two peanuts. Frosty was now anatomically correct. And there was nothing I could do about it, because all the sick perverts at my family party got their cameras out and took pictures. The men held up the tray, proudly displaying their artwork.

Looking through the photo albums, and seeing each picture of the best Christmas eve ever- it's heartwarming. Then you turn the page, and there lies Frosty, happy to see everybody.

Are you related to me??? or Vella?

 

[woodnymph_O]

As I first started reading this, I thought I didn't have that many, but a few flew to mind. I remember (EARLIEST) getting a real pinball machine, at the age of 4 , I had a pinball thing at the time, and would spend hours at the convience store watching a guy my dad knew playing all day long on one quarter. I didn't get to play with it until christmas day, because my dad's best friend was over, and quite high (1981) he kept sitting there on his knees playing while I stood in the door crying "Dad Tell Frank I wanna turn, he won't let me play,"
My mother says there was almost exactly the same scene when I was two and got one of those busybox bathtub toys. It seems the same guy went and filled the tub, and sat next to it playing with the thing all night.

You had to love the guy though , when we moved to a house with a 25 foot ceiling and got trees as tall as the house, he was the only one who could get the star on top. He went up into my parents room which had a balcony overlooking the living room and stood on the railing, hung on with one hand, and LEANED OUT. I think we prayed harder at that moment than we did in church LOL.
Once I REALLY got a pony for Christmas, I think I had her a month before a neighbor kid let her loose. But the memory of a blonde pony with all her hair in braids is magical.
Now, I don't get much anymore, I just watch the kids open theres and that what I enjoy ,I do sometime laugh to myself when I feel left out.
"Who cares , if you got anything good frank wouldn let ya play with it anyway."

 

[togitc]

Another one by me in a not so blatant way of bumping.

A year before my grandmother past my mother, myself, and my brother went to visit her. She was on all sorts of treatments for her cancer and the steroids were making her look like super-grandma. My cousin Tim was living with her at the time to make sure she was alright and one day we are all wrapping presents for the family.

Tim says something like he can't remember if this present is for his brother or his sister. He thinks it is for his brother but if not he will be getting some sort of doll.

My grandma says "serves him right. Just give it to him and say 'merry christmas you little shit."

We all laughed for a while. It was the first time I heard my grandmother curse. The second funniest part of that moment was the look on my mom's face. She was looking at me and my brother like we were just going to start shouting foul language.

 

[Blackie Malone]

Another one by me in a not so blatant way of bumping.

A year before my grandmother past my mother, myself, and my brother went to visit her. She was on all sorts of treatments for her cancer and the steroids were making her look like super-grandma. My cousin Tim was living with her at the time to make sure she was alright and one day we are all wrapping presents for the family.

Tim says something like he can't remember if this present is for his brother or his sister. He thinks it is for his brother but if not he will be getting some sort of doll.

My grandma says "serves him right. Just give it to him and say 'merry christmas you little shit."

We all laughed for a while. It was the first time I heard my grandmother curse. The second funniest part of that moment was the look on my mom's face. She was looking at me and my brother like we were just going to start shouting foul language.

That's brilliant.

Bumping in the hopes of more stories shared.

 

[oggbashan]

Ghost of Christmas Past

Family Christmases were dominated by the Uncles and Aunts. Even now they seem larger than life, with an infectious joy for living.

Uncle Harry had been a soldier but he had none of the soldier about him. He was the grasshopper who sang while the busy ant gathered food for winter. Not that Harry was much good at singing. Tuberculosis had damaged his lungs. For the two years immediately after the war he had lived in hospital. Even there he came up smelling of roses. He married his nurse and they were blissfully happy together. Harry was a born survivor, living for the moment and apparently careless of whatever the future might bring. Whatever it would be, Harry would survive it, and would get as much enjoyment out of it as he could.

One explanation given for Harry's devil may care attitude was that he had come so close to death from the TB so many times that he was determined to live every day as if it were his last. That can't have been wholly true because his elder brothers moaned about his attitude before the war. While they had been improving themselves at evening classes Harry had been at the Hammersmith Palais with a floozy in his arms. If Aunt Gladys was a sample, Harry had good taste in floozies.

Harry delighted in twisting his brothers' sense of propriety. While they were steadily working their way through the ranks of the Civil Service, he had a barrow in Bethnal Green market. He could get things "off ration", "off the back of a lorry", "no questions asked". He kept his Cockney accent that his brothers suppressed. He could speak the Queen's English but whenever his brothers were near his Cockney became broader. Harry's proper job was as a Bank Messenger in Top Hat and Tails either guarding the door of the bank or taking messages from branch to branch in the City. That brought him the flat above the Bank in Bethnal Green. Whether his barrow goods were legitimate or not, no policeman could search his flat without warning because access was through the Bank.

At Christmas, Harry came into his own. He organised the adults into silly games, into sing-songs that the children could join, far from his brothers' stolid renditions of Victorian Ballads. Harry was "Down at the Old Bull and Bush". His brothers were "The Larboard Watch" or serenading "Ramona". He might accompany them with his trombone but we children expected the fortissimo trombone raspberry. Harry never failed to give one whenever his brothers were in full flow.

 

[carsonshepherd]

All the Christmases seem to run together for me.

Being picked on by my older brother who always got better toys, going to my grandma's and my dad always falling asleep on the couch, the year we got a toy amusement park, my Fozzie Bear hand puppet...

After my parents got divorced Christmas was no fun anymore. It was mostly traveling between my mom's house and my dad's. But I think that happens when you grow up. However, I do still sleep with a blanket I got for Christmas when I was 12.

Interesting note: this thanksgiving my mom told me, she was really glad she'd gotten to spend a holiday with me for the first time in she didn't even remember how long. I told her she always got to spend holidays with us, and she reminded me that no, we were always at our dad's. I guess it was harder on her than it was on us, after all.

/end pointless ramble

 

[togitc]

I always said my mind worked better at night

About two years ago my best friend at the time comes into town. We haven't seen each other in a while and some things have changed, mainly he started smoking pot and I got married.

So my wife hates this guy, with good reason, we do incredibly stupid things when we are together. She goes out of town for the weekend.

So there we are at some horrid diner at 3 am and he tells me we should rob a bank. He has it all planned, except the plan is stupid. I start fixing his plan, telling him where things would fail and exactly how we would get caught. This goes on for an hour or so, all the while he is getting louder and louder.

About the third time he mentions that we need a hacker, or at least call someone on the 'team' a hacker I hear the lady in the corner groan. I look back and she is looking at my friend shaking her head.

I turn to him and tell him he is an idiot and let's get out of here before someone tries to pin us with conspiracy. It was in that moment I realized my wife was right about him. That was the first of many.

 

[togitc]

Just to let you know this isn't a just a Christmas season thread. Seasonal year round.

Five years ago today I was lying in bed thinking of all the things I had to do. Get the hotel room ready, pick up the tux, and shower. Oh and remember the ring and thank whatever force decided to smile on me and allow me to find such an amazing woman to be my wife.

 

[togitc]

Valentine's Day memories:

I was about 12 had a bad crush on a girl. Wrote a valentine's card with my feelings and signed it her secret admirer but had no idea how to spell it or how to get it to her. I gave it to her on the bus right before I got off and felt like an ass for about a month. The girl laughed at me about that long, as did her friends.

 

[English Lady]

It was the february of my last year in secondary school and I woke up to my mother and sister "oooohing" in the hall. I got up and went downstairs and there was a big red envelope with my name and address on it.

I opened it and it was a very nice Valentine's card. No writing on it at all, just lots of stickers. I still don't know who it was from, but I do suspect it was a girl friend of mine. I always hope it was from a real secret admirer, though it's kind of sad if it was.

I never found out who it was...

 

[togitc]

Spring Break:

When I was thirteen I became a hermit for Spring Break. My grandpa had a camping trailer that I lived in for the entire Spring Break as well as the summer afterwards. I wish I could say that I had some wild times, but the most popping memory is rolling over in bed and hitting the floor.