Let me tell you of something that happened recently that brought back a rush of memories that warmed our souls.
Our two eldest grandkids came to visit. Michaela, a university graduate working in Toronto, along with her boyfriend Jack plus our eldest grandson Matt who is in his third year at the University of Guelph. So we aren’t talking about little kids coming to visit their grandparents.
When they get back in town they are so good about making a stop at our house. It’s always fun to get caught up with their lives.
Judy had already started pulling up some Christmas décor up from the basement when the kids arrived for a lunchtime visit. It was great timing because there were many Christmas decorations that needed to be brought up from the basement.
The kids noticed Grandma wasn’t bringing up anything that related to building the Christmas Village which had always been part of the family tradition from the earliest of times.
We explained now that everyone had moved away it seemed silly to go to such an extreme of building a village for the two of us. That was the wrong answer.
Suddenly from the basement came Santa’s Workshop followed by an array of other buildings and figures that made up the old village. Now we no longer have the room for the whole village but before long a smaller more refined village appeared and was on full display for the coming season. It looked great!
The grandkids were delighted. It was just like old times. This time they built the village and we helped! Judy and I couldn’t believe how much fun we had. The grandkids loved it and so did we. Five adults were all enjoying old memories in current times!
It’s kind of sad that we lose our way over the years. It will still be Judy and I looking at the village but somehow it all became worthwhile. Maybe we will leave it up all year. Just kidding!
If we don’t take it down then the kids might not return to rebuild it next year.
Christmas traditions are part and parcel of most families. Some great memories and some sad ones may come hand in hand with the Christmas season.
My dad, who was a Christmas baby, died shortly after Christmas a number of years ago. Mom died just before Christmas a couple of years back. My parents both loved Christmas and, to this day, we still celebrate their part in our lives with the wonderful Christmas memories they left us. Sad and happy together!
Christmas is a time for memories and this year with the old village back in place we have another great memory.
Thank you for helping us relive the past, Jack, Michaela and Matt.
Admiring the Christmas Village, Kent Walton can be reached at gbreflections.rogers.com.
