Favorite Childhood Christmas Memory: 1981

My favorite childhood Christmas memory happened on December 25, 1981. I was 11 years old and living in Fresno, California with my mom, my Aunt Janice and a house full of siblings and cousins. This would be my last Christmas with my Aunt Janice.

At 11 years old I was a shy tomboy dealing with divorced parents and yet another move which required me to attend a new school. I went to 3 different elementary schools and 3 different Jr. High's, but as traumatic as it seemed at the time, I learned a lot from those new experiences.

My mom and her sister Janice were not just sisters, but best friends. When my mom needed to find a new place for us to live and to learn to make it as a single parent, my Aunt Janice moved from Texas back to California to help. Aunt Janice was fighting breast cancer at the time and was preparing for what seemed like the inevitable, her losing the battle. Anyone who knew her knew that she was tough, she was a fighter, she was a never back down-tell you how it is- woman. My aunt was my hero and we had a special bond that began when I was just a baby.

During December of '81, I still held out hope that my aunt would be cured and would be around to lecture me into my adult years. Christmas was always a favorite time of mine because like every other kid, I looked forward to presents, and good food and being around my extended family. I wasn't expecting much for that Christmas because I knew neither my mom nor my aunt was rolling in cash. There were 6 of us kids living there, and just feeding all of us was a chore.

Still, we bought a Christmas tree (mom thought it was beautiful, but it was more like a Charlie Brown tree) and we all decorated it together. On Christmas Eve, my brother Chad, my cousin Lee (who I consider to be my brother) and I, all slept on the floor in my mom's room. I can't remember why, other than I think they wanted to make sure all of us were accounted for while they wrapped presents.

We stayed awake later than we should and told stories and laughed like kids do. At one point we heard bells jingling outside and something on the roof. We all looked at each other to see if any of us actually still believed in Santa, but no one would admit that they did. We fell asleep soon afterwards but by 6 AM we were all wide awake and eager to see our Christmas stockings and open presents. I went straight to my Aunt and then to my mom to beg them to get up and let us open our gifts. They actually complied, though I'm sure they could have used another 4 hours of sleep.

When I walked into the living room and looked at the Christmas tree, I saw a lot of Christmas stockings all lined up in front of the tree. I ran straight to the one with my name on it. Surrounding all the stockings were family sized bags of Nacho Cheese Doritos and 2 bottles of Pepsi for each of us. Those were my favorite 2 foods in the world at that time. It was a big deal to not have to share for a change! The stockings were incredible and mom and Aunt Janice had smiles of satisfaction that they made our Christmas' a great one.

They made us breakfast and then we opened presents, but I really don't even remember what the presents were. I just remember the feeling of being loved and being grateful for 1 great Christmas with my aunt and cousins, no disease clouding our day. I still can't think of that Christmas without smiling.

When we went outside to play with our new toys, we found what looked like a bell collar for a reindeer just lying in our front yard. Maybe Santa really was there after all. My Aunt Janice survived 3 more Christmases but was living back in Texas for those. This was my last Christmas with her and will forever be my best childhood Christmas memory.

** I have included a picture of me in front of the tree on Christmas morning, and a picture of that poor Charlie Brown Christmas tree with all the wonderful stockings!**