Nostalgia: The Greatest Christmas Gift

Christmas 1972: The first picture taken with my new Polaroid Camera

I am immensely grateful for my fifty-two years of perfect Christmas memories that provide me with that wondrous wistful feeling of nostalgia.

There was the love-at-first sight I experienced on that Christmas Eve when my tiny colie, Hadji Baba, poked his head up out of the shoe my Uncle had "wrapped" him in to bestow his first kiss upon me.

There was the aroma of pine scented smoke emitted from my Father's antique American Flyer engine as it hypnotically chugged around its track.

There was the elation I felt when my squealing baby sister eagerly pounced upon me enthusiastically proclaiming, "Wake up! Santa was here!"

There was the magic I experienced pulling up in front of my Grandparent's house to see the menagerie of caroling dolls arrayed in the front window.

There was the care I took to meticulously code the Sears and Robuck catalog so that Santa would know precisely what presents I wanted.

There was the taste of the peppermint flavored cookies that my sister and I dyed, kneaded and shaped into perfectly striped candy canes.

There was the abandonment that I felt at my Great Aunt's Christmas party as I overloaded my paper plate with a plethora of cookies, candies and salty snacks, and then washed them down with sweet Shirley Temples.

There is the memory of the rib straining laughter the first time I cozily curled up beside my baby brother to watch Ralphie's quest for his elusive BB gun.

There was the romance I felt when my husband and I shared a box of Snyder's Hard Pretzels for our first Christmas dinner together.

There is the amused annoyance I felt listening to my Rocky Dog spend 16 Christmas mornings relentlessly barking at his new Flippy-Flopper.

There is the joy I felt at seeing my daughter's eyes light up when she bounded down the stairs to see the Princess kitchenette Santa had left for her.

And there is the excitation I feel when I hear the resounding fire truck sirens mingled with festive Christmas music as Santa visits my neighborhood to announce the beginning of the Christmas season.

Christmas 1976: Displaying my presents.

Inspired by the writings of Richard Wright.