By Southern Torch Staff
DeKALB COUNTY, Ala. — This year, we looked back on the many Christmases that have come and gone. Here are the best Christmas memories from the newspaper staff of Southern Torch.
Managing/Sports Editor Marla Jones
As a child, I was easily entertained by one simple book throughout the holidays, the Sears and Roebuck Catalog. In that magical catalog, you could find the latest fashions, home goods and an array of toys.
My mother would sit me down at the kitchen table, while she was doing her holiday baking, and I would spend hours circling the items that I had to have and carefully folding down the edges of the page to mark the spot.
On the Sunday before Christmas, we always had our Church Christmas Play. After the play, Santa came to visit the children. For some reason, Santa always resembled my Dad, older brother or a family friend from the church. I remember one Christmas crawling up and sitting on Santa’s lap. I told him that I wanted a dollhouse so bad. He asked if I had circled which one I wanted in the Sears and Roebuck catalog. I told him yes and he told me that he would try his best to bring it to me. I remember thinking that he really did watch the children because he knew I looked at that catalog religiously.
On Christmas Eve, I put Santa’s cookies and milk by the fireplace. Christmas morning, I ran into the living room and saw Santa’s footprint on the hearth and that the cookies and milk were gone. I remember scanning the room and to my delight, there sat the dollhouse complete with all the accessories that I had circled in the Sears and Roebuck catalog.
Sometimes, I think as adults we get so bombarded with Christmas shopping and events, that we forgot the magic of Christmas. My wish for you is simply that you enjoy this season with friends and family and never forget the magic you felt as a child.
Graphic Designer/Reporter Zach Hester
My favorite Christmas memory coincides with the exact same moment that I became a dog person.
On Christmas Eve eleven years ago, we were cleaning up from dinner with my mother’s side of the family. I noticed my dad, who’s always around to help out, was not there. As the night finally ended and the last extended family left our house, my dad came back, but not by himself.
He walked in with a small cardboard box covered with a blanket and a tiny little head shuffling underneath. It was our first dog in our new house: a tiny dachshund wearing a red bow named Rusty. He was small enough to fit in the palms of your hands (that didn’t last long) and I definitely remember wrapping him up in a blanket on the following Christmas morning because he stayed cold when he was little.
Flash forward to now and Rusty isn’t just a pivotal member of my family, my favorite Christmas present, but also the best memory from Christmas I have. There’s no gift I could ever get that will replace him and I can’t imagine decorating the Christmas tree with him getting into the garland every single year.
Sales Executive Amy Thrash
One of my most favorite Christmas memories growing up was waking early to see what Santa had brought me. After opening all my presents, we had an hour or so before my family would all get ready and head to my Nan-Naw’s house.
At Nan-Naw’s I had an abundance of cousins to play with all day. We played outside, running in and out just to get a Christmas treat, and then went right back to playing, no matter the weather.
At lunch, we all gathered around for a huge Christmas dinner. I remember looking at the table, thinking that was the most food I had ever seen. We all sat around after dinner and remembered the true reason for the season.
I had eight Aunts and Uncles, plus Nan-Naw that gave us kids, their undivided attention. We may not have had an abundance of presents but the love we felt was immeasurable.
My wish to you this Christmas season is to never forget the true meaning of Christmas and may you all enjoy the special day with friends and loved ones.
Distribution Manager Marshall Stiefel
Twas the night before Christmas 1988 and I was just 12 years old. Ronald Reagan was in the White House, the Berlin Wall was about to fall and all was well in my little world. This was before the age of iPads and cell phones when a boy could still go into the woods with his 22 without fear.
The Nintendo gaming system had just arrived in stores, and my more prosperous friends had already been delighting in their achievements on their own Nintendos, but I didn’t have one...yet. However, I knew that with just the right amount of “yes sir” and “no ma’am,” I could acquire one of my own.
I anxiously waited up, in the hopes that Santa Claus might bring my present early that night. I stayed awake, dreaming of Super Mario and Duck Hunt. In the wee hours of December 25, I waded into the living room and what did I find under the tree? A brand new Nintendo. I sat up for the rest of the night shooting ducks and helping Mario get home. Merry Christmas and God Bless.
