4402 My Christmas Eve Story

 

My Christmas story starts from my earliest memories as a child.  I had no idea then how impactful and significant those memories would be. My fondest memories are of the many years I spent at 4402 (picture enclosed) with my family. 

We all gathered at my Nana and GDaddy’s house every year on Christmas Eve. If I close my eyes and concentrate, I can smell the wood burning in the fireplace.  I can hear the music playing, Nat King Cole or my personal favorite Charlie Brown’s Christmas.

As a young child I remember Christmas Eve being the only night that I wanted to go to bed early. I couldn’t wait to wake up to see what Santa would bring. The year when Cabbage Patch kids were in high demand.  It was at the top of my list. My mother warned me that there were so many little girls like me who wanted one that Santa may not be able to bring one for everyone. As I fell off to sleep, I recall thinking that only the lucky ones would get a doll. Imagine how special I felt when I woke up the next morning to find my very own Cabbage Patch doll (Thanks Santa Auntie Donna)

I was an only child until my late teens when my two younger sisters joined us.  I was old enough to participate in the after-hours Christmas Eve activities.  After the little ones were put to sleep the adults would stay up for hours.  We would wrap gifts, assemble, and play with the toys, listen to music, laugh, and have a good time.  One year it was about 3 am and my grandmother asked if anyone was hungry.  Of course we all said yes, and she went upstairs and made her famous waffles.  Christmas breakfast was probably my second favorite tradition. My uncle always tried to eat more than anyone else even.  He really can eat a lot of food at one time LOL. My grandmother made the best scrambled eggs and biscuits.  For many years, my son has tried to replicate nana’s scrambled eggs. He’s come close but it’s still missing a little something special.  

When my kids were young, they too were brought up with the 4402 Christmas tradition.  At the time I recall feeling so tired and exhausted each year.  Packing up the kids and all of their gifts and driving two hours to Nana’s house seemed like such a chore. Now that we’ve been without that tradition for 16 years now what I wouldn’t give for that experience just one more time. You know that’s the problem we often miss the special things when they are happening.  Later when it’s just a memory we realize how important and special it was.

After my grandparents died and the house was sold things have never been quite the same. We rarely get together with the entire family anymore.  The PA folks don’t usually see the MD folks.  Even here in PA we don’t all gather together on Christmas Eve like we’d done in years past. For many years after 4402 I started having a Christmas Eve gathering but it’s been several years since I’ve done that for a number of reasons. We’ve outgrown the tradition of everyone gathering at one house. We literally couldn’t all fit in anyone’s house the way we used to. We’ve all branched off and started to do our own things, trying to start new traditions.  

This year my daughters and my grands came over and are staying the night.  Well it has been quite the adventure. Four Grandchildren with three under the age of 4 is a lot. All of the grands had on matching pajama tops.

They baked cookies and little tree cakes with mommy and auntie. It’s a little before midnight and they are all tucked in their beds and this MiMi will soon be joining them.

Merry Christmas everyone