I’m not talking about the FIRST first Christmas. I’m talking about my first Christmases.
When I was a kid, Santa came on Christmas morning, and didn’t wrap the presents. So when we got out of bed, our presents were out there!
In G-Man’s family, on the other hand, Santa came on Christmas Eve, and wrapped his presents.
This was when we lived in Bartlesville in a tiny little house. It’s a real Christmas tree–CEDAR.
Here’s G-Man, wearing his gift from me. (He had a 750 Gold Wing and I wanted him to stay warm while he rode it.) He bought me that rocking chair behind him. It’s still in my living room. 🙂 I don’t know where his insulated coveralls are. LOL.
When we had kids, we had to compromise. Santa came on Christmas morning, but he wrapped his gifts.
More work for Mom. 😦
Our first Christmas with children was when we lived out at Silver Creek Ranch. I ran the dress shop (Four Seasons) and G-Man did what he does when he’s not in a pharmacy. Our tree was a REAL Christmas tree, which means it was a CEDAR. It was small enough to put on top of a card table in the kitchen, so #1 couldn’t reach it. And I bought all unbreakable ornaments in case he did reach it, nothing would break.
Somewhere I have a picture of him trying to reach the tree. 🙂 Of course.
This is Matt’s first Christmas, and Danny’s 4th. I’m not sure if Danny didn’t like to get his hair cut or if I didn’t like wrestling him into the barber chair, but he looks like a little hippie boy here.
A couple of years later, we had another first Christmas.
As you can see, Baby Bradley is disgusted, Middle boy Matt is kind of uncertain, but Big Boy Danny is a happy camper with his mouth full of candy. My kids always knew when they were around the “real” Santa because he knew them by name.
Amazing what a true saint can do! And this Santa was a true saint.
After all the boy’s first Christmases, we had the other kind of first Christmas. First Christmases with wives.
And they’ve come in order. Danny and his wife, China, first.
This year, we’ll have Matt and his wife, Nikki.
Next year, it’ll be Bradley and his wife, Nicole.
At least I have everyone’s stockings ready to fill.
Susan Spess Shay 