Christmas Memories

I have one distinct memorie about Christmas during my childhood. My mom would get out all the Christmas records. Yes. Records.

One, when opened, held a little secret house. It unfolded and showed a family in a victorian house. My mom would put it on the coffee table and I could spend hours looking at the house and playing make believe that I lived in that house with the family.

About 2006 I invested in some Dept. 56 houses. It's actually Santa's village. I've got the post office, santa's toy shop and the game factory. Last year Nathan and Sydney contributed an Apple Farm and this year, Mickey Mouse's house is coming. It's phenominal.

I didn't buy these for me, they are an investment in my kids' memories. Today was proof. While putting them together, Sydney says, "These houses are the very best part about our Christmas. I just love these houses."

So when she broke the weather vane off Santa's toy factory, she was devastated. Not just for what it meant for the house, but how I would feel and how she would feel. Just another memory to be made. I chose not to make it more traumatic than it could have been. I hugged her and told her it was ok but we needed to be really careful.

She went back to imagining that she was Santa's little girl and the village is where she lived with Mickey Mouse.

I am so thankful she still believes in Santa. Of course, I've had to pull out some technology to accomplish this.... personalized videos from Santa, emails to santa, letters from santa, letters to santa. The Weddle family is keeping Santa busy this year. I believe the Polar Express may need to visit next year.