The Ghosts of Christmas Past Sharing Your Family History
If your struggling to find your Christmas Spirit start with your family history!
One of my favorite Christmas movies is A Christmas Carol as you can probably tell from the title of this post. My favorite version is the one with George C. Scott because it’s the one I grew up on. Ebenezer Scrooge goes on a journey with three ghosts to regain his Christmas spirit. My favorite spirit is the ghost of Christmas past and not just because I played Ebenezer’s sister in the school play when I was in elementary school.
When Ebenezer looks back the cracks start to appear in his dower exterior. Seeing the past gives him the first sparks that rekindle his holiday flame. Although we can’t go back in time with a glowing ghost, we can do a form of time travel in out own homes.
Sharing You Christmas Family History
Today I decided that even if it’s just our small family we still needed to feel like when we celebrate with out extended family. I employed the help of my daughter. Not just because I want her to stop playing Roblox for a hot second, but because I want to introduce her to our ghosts of Christmas past.
I asked her to pull candy dishes and decorations from the closets and cabinets, and drawers. As she did I was able to share with her the history behind each pieces and the people who once owned or created them.
The Doilies
When she pulled out an extra large crocheted doily that I always use in the center of my dinning room table. I shared the story of her great, great aunt Dorothy Carlson who crocheted so many of the doilies that I own. She was a master of her craft.
She was also a master of embroidery and I asked every year for her flour sack towels to replace the ones that had been damaged over the previous year.
Her creations made all the homes in out family beautiful and they still do to this day.
Santa & Mrs. Clause
Since we’ve just finished our basement this past summer, none of our holiday decorations had migrated down yet, so Victoria decided that Santa and Mrs. Clause should move to the basement to decorate the new family room.
These two adorable figures hold an extra special place in my heart because they’ve been created, effected, and re-created by multiple hands of people I love. They were created by my Grandmother whom I loved so much. She made them in a ceramics class some time in the 1970’s or 80’s.
When she died they came to me. Last year when my Mom was in hospice I brought them to her room to decorate for the holiday. While there one of them was shattered. I was heart broken, but it is just a thing so I moved on.
My husband knowing that they were special to me, quietly collected all the pieces. He took them home and lovingly repaired and restored the broken one so well that I can’t even tell which one it is.
When I shared this story with my daughter, I saw a warm smile light her face. These figurines are now a part of her history. I hoped that when she looks at them after I’m gone she remembers what a loving thing her father did for her mother.
The Candy Dish
There has always been a small dish of M&M’s out during our holiday celebrations. This year shouldn’t be any different just because we can’t all be together.
Victoria took the little dish from the cabinet and I shared with her my memories of my Great Grandma and her Great, Great Grandmother. Most likely purchased some time in the 1930’s. This little dish passed from her to my Grandmother, to my mother, to me and will some day be passed to her.
What’s Your Special Christmas Family History?
There are so many other pieces and I could go on but I don’t want this post to get too long.
What’s Your Special Christmas Family History? Do you have memories to share with your family this year? Comment below to let me know how you plan to make this holiday special even if it’s a small gathering. Share your history below in the comments!
If you haven’t yet checked out my Christmas Cocktails post make sure you check that out here!
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I plan to go through all the Christmas treasures passed down to me and write the history. I think it’s important since I collect vintage items. For eighteen years I painted large Santa gourds for family and friends with a small elf or snoan gourd as a package topper. This year I divided the leftovers small gourds between my two nieces. They were delighted.
That’s a great idea. It’s important to pass these treasures on. I’m so glad they loved them!