The Gifts That Keep Giving.

I'm 27. I've been privileged to celebrate the birth of Christ in the company of family twenty-seven times. Every year we had a tree and the base was always hugged by gifts, surrounded by family and most years a warm fireplace. Christmas morning was the same most years; we got up early, read the Christmas story, prayed, opened gifts, ate breakfast, went back to sleep and then ate lunch. I never had a bad Christmas. They have all been full and wonderful.

This year we are getting the kids three gifts each. If it was good enough for Christ, it's plenty enough for them.

I just had a revelation though. I have an impecable memory. Like, seriously, there aren't too many details I forget but I just sat and racked my brain trying to think of gifts I got as a child. I literally cannot recall one. Not a single one! I remember the Christmas before I got married my parents got us laptops but I seriously cannot remember one single gift I got as a kid. I hate to admit it because I know my parents worked so very hard to provide gifts for us but the truth is, I only remember the memories.

I know, it sounds like I am just trying to prove a point that I made in a previous blog (family matters most at the holidays, not gifts) but I promise you I only remember memories made around the kitchen table playing games like Bolderdash, Trivial Pursuit, and Taboo. I remember every year hearing a small whisper talking over whoever read the Christmas story and looking over only to see my grandmother quoting the entire story along with my dad or grandfather, totally by memory. I remember when I was really little, running like crazy through my Granny's house with my cousins, laughing our heads off and my one cousin who always peed in her pants when we got to laughing really hard.

Then there was the year when it was strange to feel the child like excitement all over again because I had a son to share the morning with. He wore red pajamas and had the cutest little tummy ever. I remember the first Christmas my grandfather was gone and the year my uncle was in Iraq. I remember last year, like it was yesterday. Our first Christmas just us four Hoods. We did only what we wanted to do. It was peaceful and full and fun.

Memories are the gifts that keep giving-giving me laughter, smiles and assurance that when I take the difficult stand to emphasize Christ (which is totally minimized by society these days) and do away with the stress of excess I am ABSOLUTELY doing the RIGHT thing. I know ten years from now I won't remember what's under the tree, but I will treasure who sat around it.

How many child gifts can you remember? Do you remember more memories than gifts?