Favorite Holiday Memory Blog Hop Elaine Kaye

Favorite Holiday Memory Blog Hop Elaine Kaye

Blog Hop Question: What is your favorite holiday memory?

(This includes Hanukkah, Kwanza, Yule/Winter Solstice, Christmas, etc.)
Favorite Holiday Memory Blog Hop Elaine Kaye

My Memory:

I remember a chilly Texas night on Highway 69 between Greenville, TX and Whitewright, TX. It was a black night but the stars were bright out in the country away from city lights. I remember the vastness of sky littered with twinkling stars.

I watched the skies for Santa and UFOs.

Oddly, when I remember this it is like I am watching outside the moment as you would watch TV. I suspect it is because I have dreamed about daddy’s truck and seeing it on that road before.

I see my Daddy’s red Ford pickup with the white camper on the back, trees, fields of black dirt, or wheat, or corn, tractors, 18-wheelers parked in front of a house here in there away from the road.

I remember me, mama, and daddy coming back on Christmas Eve night after exchanging gifts with family in Whitewright before midnight. It’s late and we are practically the only vehicle on the road because it is a holiday.

I was laying across my mama and daddy because I was sleepy my head in mama’s lap and feet in daddy’s lap because he was driving. It was late. Whitewright is 33 miles a 20-minute or so drive.

I was so worried we would not get home in time to let Santa in because we did not have a chimney or fireplace for that matter, so someone had to open the door since we locked it. It was like 8 minutes till midnight and we were not even halfway there yet.

My daddy kept reassuring me that we’d make it home in time for Santa. He speeded all the way home. I know because I was watching the speedometer, and for once mama did not fuss at daddy for driving too fast, which was an ongoing thing with them.

We arrived home with a couple of minutes to spare and got ready for bed. I was scared Santa would pass us by cause we were still awake.

Daddy headed to the bedroom. I said, “Daddy, where are you going? He answered, “To bed, of course.

I got so upset again. I told daddy he had to sleep on the couch cause someone had to let Santa Claus in since mama insisted we lock the door. I got him a pillow and blanket off his bed and made the couch for him.

He was still there the next morning and so were the presents from Santa Claus. You gotta understand.

I believed in Santa until I was twelve years old. I did not know until a friend over for a visit argued with me about it. I went to ask my mama to prove it to her. Mama was in her beauty shop next door to our house fixing people’s hair.

If my mama or daddy said it was true then it was true I did not care what she said. Mama thought I already knew so confirmed it. It broke my heart. I cried for a couple of hours about it. I know she felt really bad about the way she just said yes. She was busy doing a lady’s hair so she wasn’t paying that much attention to a kid argument. She really did think I already knew.

I don’t remember my exact age here but it was around 9 or 10, lol. Daddy stayed on the uncomfortable couch all night just to keep my belief alive.

The thing about that memory is I remember how safe I felt with mama and daddy on that drive. I trusted daddy not to have a wreck and get us home in time for Santa.

That is how a home feels: safe and comfortable.

Home is not a house, not really. It is the way you feel about the people in that house that make it home. It is about how accepted you feel and how they feel about you and treat you in a consistent loving way.

It is in tones, actions, and laughter. It about caring about their wellbeing in all aspects, physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritual. It is about wanting to “hand out joy like it is candy in your pocket” just to make them smile. (paraphrased movie quote from “The Postman” Kevin Costner “You hand out hope like its candy in your pocket.”

It is about being with people who want to be with you and share your life. They make your life better and you make their life better just because you are you.

So much JOY in my childhood. I was so lucky and blessed.

God, I want to go home, and maybe I will, if only in my memories or when I dream.

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These photos are very old. We lost our home in a flood in 1989 and most I had were ruined.

Favorite Holiday Memory Blog Hop Elaine Kaye

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Favorite Holiday Memory Blog Hop Elaine Kaye

About the Author:

Elaine Kaye is the author of A Gregory Green Adventure series. She created Gregory Green after her son, who loved her homemade pea soup.

Kaye has worked as a library assistant and teacher’s assistant in elementary schools. She currently lives in Florida, but has called Michigan; Honolulu, Hawaii; and Okinawa, Japan home.

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Favorite Holiday Memory Blog Hop Elaine Kaye

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