Submitted by Cheryl Houser
The sight of the twinkling lights on our Christmas tree initiates a long deep breath. I pause. A peace and love for the season warms me.
This is the first Christmas without our parents. It’s hard. But this tree takes me back to all those amazing holidays at their home where there was so much food and so many people. My dad reading the Bible story of the birth of Jesus and mom sitting close by. All 55-60 of us holding skinny candles while listening to the story and singing Christmas carols. One could never forget the infamous crowded dessert table in the dining room.
Nostalgic scenes of Christmas as a young girl with nine siblings come flooding into my mind. Images of my late sister snuggled on the couch by the tree while blasting “Joy to the World” on Christmas morning. I remember the squeals from our three little girls on Christmas morning running down the steps.
It doesn’t matter if I am grieving or tired, grumpy or down, the sight of our Christmas tree fills me with such peace, joy and nostalgia that I only feel this time of year.
We put it up early!
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