Here is your assignment, should you decide to accept it (you ARE reading this, so I assume that you really want to play along; cue the Mission: Impossible! music!):
(1) Many of us grew up believing in Santa Claus as children, having a Christmas tree, going to church, and visiting relatives and friends at Christmas time.
(2) Tell us your "best" Christmas memory: What Christmas holiday event is still vivid and real in your mind?
I hope this doesn't make me sound like a Scrooge, but I had serious trouble remembering anything specific about Christmas. I know we celebrated it when I was a child (and my mother jokingly called the Christmas tree a "Chanukah bush"), and I used to believe in Santa Claus, but I couldn't come up with any special presents, any Christmas visitors, nothin'. My mother's family is Jewish, so they weren't doing anything with us for Christmas, and my father wasn't close to his family. Neither of my parents was observant about religion.
The memory I was finally able to come up with was, of all things, going to Midnight Mass with my mother while I still lived in Niceville, Florida. Even though my mother was Jewish, she had a lifelong fascination with Catholicism. I don't know if Niceville even had a synagogue (somehow I doubt it, and it doesn't seem to now), but it definitely had at least one Catholic church (it appears to have two currently). I think two years in a row my mother and I attended Midnight Mass. I remember being impressed with all the pomp and ritual, but I don't recall any details. I also remember my mother being very happy that she was able to find someone to go with, and I guess that's the most important part.
I used to go to Midnight Mass and loved the traditions. However, nowadays, I don't want to be up that late! :) Happy Holidays!
ReplyDeleteNow that you mention it, I'm kind of surprised that my mother had no problem with me being up that late when I was a young teenager. On the other hand, I know she liked the company, so I guess that won out.
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