We Must Tell Our Children

The Christmas season has officially arrived. It is a time to bring out the decorations, plan ahead for that family celebration, and do the shopping...To me, it is a time of remembering the beauty of special Christmases in the past. It brings hope for the future and gives joy to the present… It is a special time and I am always touched by the beauty of the season. 


Even though I have seen many Christmases, I still look forward to the celebration of the Christ Child. Some say Christmas is only for the children. I do not believe that for one minute! There is always something unique about Christmas no matter what your age.

I like to wake up early on Christmas morning and if the day is clear, I watch the sky as the sun comes up…The golden glow of the eastern horizon throws off such beauty it astounds me. Pink, red, and purple fingers streak across the sky and drop down as if they are reaching downward to touch something on the ground. The whole world welcomes the awakening of the sun. While there is quietness around me, I talk with God.  

If it should happen to be a freshly fallen snow come during the night, I love the contrast the snow throws of the crisp whiteness hanging on the limbs of the pine trees in my yard. There is the look of pureness in the snow that covers the fields and hillsides. It reminds me we need a pure heart to enter Heaven.

I remember our Christmas tree as children when we were growing up on the Knob. It was always a puny little thing with sparse decorations of homemade paper chains,  sprigs of holly collected from the woods, tinsel icicles saved from years past, and a few red, silver, and gold ornaments hanging on the front of the tree; but it gave us joy. I remember the day mama brought home our first string of electric lights… We could hardly wait to get the tree up and the next day  my brothers and I went to find one. Of course, we came back with a “Charlie Brown” tree, but it didn’t matter how ugly the tree because we had pretty lights to put on it and that was all it needed to make it beautiful.

I remember the presents were usually the same thing year after year. My two brothers got a Roy Rogers or Gene Autry set of cap pistols, an extra box of caps, a shirt, socks, and a big peppermint candy cane. My gifts were a dress or skirt, maybe a purse, and some trinkets from the dime store such as a necklace and bracelet set, and a big candy cane…I would make that candy last as long as possible by taking a small piece to eat every day.  
Today, we might look at this list of gifts and think it was nothing! But, I will tell you now, it was something to us. We were very thankful for each little thing. It made no difference to us that we got a toy gun or a dress years past. Every gift counted for something and we knew what a burden it had been to our parents to work those extra hours to give us the gifts of their love.

I remember the delight on dad and mom’s face as we gathered around the tree on Christmas morning. To this day when my family gathers around my tree to open their gifts, I have that same feeling of serenity my parents had. My special gift each year is to see the faces of the little ones, their joy is my joy.


I have seen Christmas from all sides now. I have experienced the intense joy of a child’s Christmas, felt the warmth and love watching my own children open their packages, and now I find pleasure when my children and grandchildren come home to Christmas…

 My memories are as special as the red berries I collected for my childhood Christmas tree, and as beautiful as a package all done up today in pretty paper and bows... And the good thing is memories are still growing. Each year as the star is hung on top of the tree it’s as if it is still guiding the Wise men...I still find awe in the wonders of Christmas. Today, I see it differently than I did in my youth. I now embrace it with hope for tomorrow and dreams of yesterday…I relish my memories---memories as bright as the winter sun and as soft as the glow of moonlight on newly fallen snow. I lift my eyes to the December sky at night and thank my God for all the Christmases I have lived to see. I have enjoyed many. Some have been lean when the money was tight, but God always provided something and it served to remind me of where my blessings came from.


There is nothing wrong in giving those we love gifts at Christmas, but we must always remind them of why we are celebrating the day. We must tell our children what and who was the most greatest gift of all. WE must tell our children ---That is the way I see it!


And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. * For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord....St. Luke 2:10-11
With a sincere heart I wish you a very Merry Christmas season,

Mary Frances King