Thursday Thirteen #170

Today, I offer up 13 Christmas memories . . .

1. The first Christmas I spent with my husband, in 1982. We'd just met in October, but I knew right away that he was the one I would marry. I gave him a leather sweater jacket and he gave me cowboy boots (they were all the rage back then).

2. Rock-em Sock-em robots. I am not sure of the year but I remember being fascinated by these things; using an avatar to punch and beat up my brother was way better than the real thing (and hurt less, too!).

3. A black Epiphone guitar. I was 14 when my parents gave me this lovely beauty, an electric guitar that looked and played much like a Les Paul. It was a pretty little thing, shiny and small. I still have it.

4. A golden diamond heart on a whisper-thin chain, given to me two years ago by my wonderful husband, along with loving words and intense kisses.

5. The year my aunt made fudge just for me, maybe when I was 10?

6. My mother literally jumping up in the air when she saw the grandmother clock my father had bought for her.

7. The look on my husband's face the year I bought him a .270 rifle for deer hunting. He calls it his good luck gun and it is still the one he hunts with.

8. A cowboy ventriloquist doll that I simply had to have in 1975. It was the one thing on my wish list because I was sure I would grow up to be a ventriloquist. I did not.

9. Blue snow toboggans, one for my brother and one for me. These solid plastic sleds were lightning fast and we spent hours trudging up the hills only to zip back down in nanoseconds. They also made good floats in the summer when we played in the creek.

10. A set of luggage. This gift from my parents was a sure sign I was growing up. It went with me to Europe and on numerous trips to the beach before I finally stopped using it.

11.  A children's Bible from my aunt. I read the book from cover to cover and it is how I learned most of the Bible stories. Unfortunately, the dog chewed it up a few years later or I would still have it.

12. A myriad of Christmases trudging to Grandmas house in Salem. Opening the door to see her waiting, with the house smelling of delectable foods for dinner, and my young uncles running around excitedly trying to show us all of their presents at once, and the tree glistening in welcome.

13. The comfortable routines my husband and I have established for the holiday; my family and our friends over on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day spent with his family, our own quiet Christmas early on Christmas Day morning when we exchange presents with one another. Time spent with loved ones is the best present of all.


May the day be blessed for each of you, dear reader, and I hope that your heart is full of love and your bounty good and gracious. Peace to you all.

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here.  I've been playing for a while and this is my 170th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.