Wendi (Wendi’s Book Corner) tagged me for this Christmas meme. It was fun to look at old photos and remember Christmases past!

1. What is your very first Christmas memory?

The first Christmas I remember was actually caught on tape by my Dad. Not video tape (way long before that), but on one of those old reel to reel audio recorders that he hid behind the Christmas Tree. On the tape you can hear this very irritating little girl who kept saying, “Lookee, you guys.” “Lookee, you guys.” I was desperately trying to get the attention of my beloved older brothers.

2. Do you have a favorite Christmas gift?

Our son was our favorite Christmas gift ever! He was born 2 days after Christmas, and we just didn’t have Christmas at all until he arrived. Almost 7 years later, we had his little sister on Halloween. So we have joyous holidays around here.

3. Have you ever celebrated Christmas outside of your country?

I celebrated one Christmas in Argentina! I was an exchange student there in 1967, and Christmas came at the very end of my year-long stay. It was the strangest feeling to have Christmas in the middle of summer, and celebrate it with fireworks as if it were the 4th of July. I loved going to Midnight Mass on that Christmas Eve, and enjoyed a special performance of the Argentine Misa Criolla, beautifully sung. Click here to listen to the Kyrie from Misa Criolla set to photographs of beautiful Argentina.

4. What is your favorite Christmas decoration?

I particularly love our Christmas tree ornaments. Each of them has a special story, so each one is a real favorite. For example, in the photo below, the ornament on the top left was one we got when our son was very young and represents one of his favorite nursery rhymes “Rub-a-Dub Dub.” The ornament on the top right is a tiny little book representing my years of working at the bookstore. On the bottom left, is a Mother Goose ornament from when our daughter was little and her favorite poetry book was The Real Mother Goose. And on the bottom right is an ornament that reminded us of Gimli, from one of the times our family read aloud The Lord of the Rings.

5. What is your favorite Christmas tradition?

We make homemade spaghetti and sauce for Christmas Eve dinner! Yum!

6. Have you ever had a white Christmas?

Yes! Many! I grew up in Salt Lake City, so it was weird NOT to have a white Christmas!

7. Have you ever gone Christmas caroling?

Yes, but not as an adult, just when I was a teenager.

8. What is your favorite Christmas movie or story?

I love the old movie of Miracle on 34th Street, with a very young Natalie Wood.

9. Do you have a Christmas link you would like to share?

A link to my current favorite Christmas song, Sarah MacLaughlin’s Wintersong. Enjoy!