Victoria’s Read

The Christmas season has always been my favorite time of the year because it holds my most fondest of memories.

In my younger years, Christmas day would begin with my father anxiously waking my brother and me up to see what Santa had brought us and as time went on, only that would change. After opening our presents and eating up all of mom’s delicious home cooked breakfasts, we would head down the highway to Grandma’s house.

The drive was long and I didn’t much appreciate leaving our new toys behind but all that would just disappear the minute I saw Grandma. She would swing open the door and swoop us into her arms, plastering us with enough kisses to last a lifetime. She loved us so and we loved her.

Her home was filled with homemade pies, cakes, breads and everything in between. It was a child’s paradise and selecting just one for dessert was never a problem because Grandma always allowed us a little of each.

I can still smell her turkey cooking to this day. I would happily eat up all my meal for her from the special dinner plate that was only for me. Grandma would praise me for eating all my veggies. Mind you, having her smother them in brown sugar had NOTHING to do with it!

Grandma always kept us busy during our visits. She treasured all of our wonderful creations made of the cardboard tubes and egg cartons she had saved all year long as if they were gifts handed down from the heavens.

At the end of the day, she would settle us down in our P.J’s and new knitted slippers (lovingly made by Grandma). With our trays of goodies and milk beside us, my brother and I would play the new board games she bought us. Only then would she go into the kitchen to play cards with the adults.

The most glorious moment in my life took place on one of those splendid Christmas days at my Grandmas. On bended knee, my husband purposed to me. He could not have chosen a better time or place. Grandma looked on, wiping her teary eyes, thrilled to have another grandchild to love.

Grandma is in heaven now but my Christmas memories of her will live on forever.  Thank you, Grandma.

Written by: Victoria Evangeline Reed