If you are reading at this special time of year then thoughts and feelings are flooding back of Christmases past. Of course, those Christmas years are ones that will never return again. They seemed to come and go like a flicker of light. Those thoughts and feelings maybe of special Christmases and even of tougher ones too. Essentially though, those thoughts and feelings are memories of Christmases gone by. Generally, Christmas reminds us to be thankful, to reflect and to spend some time with family and friends.
Being thankful and reflecting on Christmases past is a thing that many people at this time of year like to do. Memories of your first Christmases, of Santa Claus, of presents and fun times are natural and makes you appreciate having another Christmas with the people that mean the most to you.
Remembering the whistling kettle in the old ESB ad, the sparkling of Christmas tree lights, selection boxes, the last of the sellotape being used up before you have time to wrap the final gift, or the Zig and Zag special on Christmas morning – all, will awaken found childhood memories.
Mince pies, turkeys, stuffing, the Wren, no batteries in the house, Kris Kringle, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Home Alone, tinsel, and a bit more turf or coal needed on the fire have created our memory bank for Christmases past, and will always provide our foundation for our future Christmases too.
For Christians though, the true meaning of Christmas comes when a little infant is placed in the cot. Whether good or bad, most of our memories come from when we were little infants up until we became the people that we are now. Maybe this Christmas we can make sure that many children have a happy time and we can help these children make happy Christmas memories now and in the future.