Last weekend, our family spent an evening at Tweetsie Christmas. Tweetsie Railroad in Blowing Rock, North Carolina, has been in existence since I was a child. It’s one of those places you remember from childhood, and later take your children, and this year, our grandchildren.
Holiday events, items, and history, passed on to successive generations, bind us together and create the warmth of family nostalgia.
Events
Holiday events are a vivid part of my memories. We went to the family farm to cut a Christmas tree. I picked out toys I liked in the Bennet Brothers catalog, and practiced with the children’s choir.
The Neely Christmas party is at the top of the list of favorite events. When I was a young child, the party was on Christmas Eve day. I had cousins by the dozens. We ate lunch and then played all afternoon. We gave gifts to those whose names our family had drawn. My dad’s brothers gave each other gag gifts. We read the Christmas story from Luke 2, sang carols, and listened to stories of Christmases past from our parents’ perspective. As an only child, being with this big gaggle of extended family was fun.
On Christmas morning, we had a quiet family time together. Daddy built a roaring fire. We listened to Christmas records as we opened our gifts. Then, we headed to my grandparent’s house for Scruggs Christmas. The house smelled delicious, and our mouths watered as we waited for the Atlanta Scruggs family to arrive. The afternoon was filled with presents, football, and napping. I’m thankful for those memories, especially since many loved ones are no longer with us, and the house belongs to another family.
For our children, Christmas events included making cookies and Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with family.
Today, we make memories with our children and grandchildren. The new memories we make become nostalgia memories for our grandchildren and teach them the importance of family time.
Items
On our Christmas tree hang ornaments of sentimental value. A plastic boot, “THE” boot, that hung on our tree when I was a child. “The elf” filled the boot each night with a stick of gum, candy cane, or a tootsie roll. My children looked in that same boot for a surprise. Now, the grandchildren run to the tree to see what’s in the boot.
A nativity scene from my childhood lives at our house now. Over the years, Mary disappeared. My sweet husband found a Mary that closely resembles the other creche characters.
The Wise Men who sat atop Mama’s piano each Christmas now grace our dining room sideboard.
The golden angel Mama purchased and dressed in velvet robes, that she made, presides over our mantel.
Nostalgia items tie us to family members who are no longer with us and remind us of love, laughter, and togetherness.
History
Many people search for their roots, perhaps because they don’t know their family history. Sometimes family squabbles, divorce, or other issues separate people from knowing their heritage. But family history grounds us and gives us a sense of belonging.
Passing on family history, whether oral, written, or with photos, is an important part of nostalgia and creates forward motion.
Faith
Faith is a missing element in the lives of many. Teaching the importance of faith in dealing with life challenges strengthens families and ties them together. Some of my earliest memories are of sitting between my parents in church, listening to the pipe organ and choir.
Share your faith with your children and grandchildren. Talk about all God has done, and continues to do, for you and in you.
If faith isn’t part of your life, this holiday season, consider deciding to seek God and know Him in a personal way. Your life will change in ways you never expected.
“These are things we learned from our ancestors, and we will tell them to the next generation. We won’t keep secret the glorious deeds and the mighty miracles of the Lord” (Psalm 78:3-4 CEV).
©CandyArrington
Candy Arrington is a writer, blogger, speaker, and freelance editor. She often writes on tough topics with a focus on moving through, and beyond, difficult life circumstances. Candy has written hundreds of articles, stories, and devotionals published by numerous outlets including: Inspiration.org, Arisedaily.com, CBN.com, Healthgrades.com, Care.com, Focus on the Family, NextAvenue.org, CountryLiving.com, and Writer’s Digest. Candy’s books include Life on Pause: Learning to Wait Well (Bold Vision Books), When Your Aging Parent Needs Care (Harvest House), and AFTERSHOCK: Help, Hope, and Healing in the Wake of Suicide (B&H Publishing Group).
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