Christmas is a time of love and family; Lights, trees, and presents.  Well for most families, some families choose to celebrate it in different ways.  Others don't acknowledge it at all.  It can be a spiritual enlightening or a time of remembrance   There are families that spend way more than they should, and others who scrape every dime just to put together a little something for their children.  In my life, I have been in various circumstances when it comes to Christmas.  
   When I was really little, Christmas was a big deal that started before Thanksgiving.  I remember having a couple dozen friends and family over.  Adults at the main dining table and all the kids at the kitchen table.  It was quite chaotic at times, but then so are most holiday get togethers.  Christmas day was amazing to see for a little boy.  Our tree was set up in the living room, and it was always real.  A tree that we cut down ourselves I believe from our own property, but not always sure.  It was nothing like the Griswold's when it came to tree cutting.  It was pretty straight forward and without much incident. But when you are small all trees look great when fully decorated, all lit up with lights and surrounded by so many brightly colored packages.

   One year, as we were out looking for a tree, I was left in the truck alone.  At first it was no big deal, but being in the middle of a forest with weird noises can really drive your imagination.  After what seemed like forever, I began screaming out the truck window for who ever would listen.  A few minutes later my Sister's husband came to the truck and started giving me crap about being scared and not being able to stay in the truck.  He got in and after a few minutes, forced me to give him a hand job.  I was about 6 or 7 at the time and he scared me into not telling.  Merry Christmas....

   Other Christmases over the years were better, but varied in levels.  A couple years after we moved to Florida, my Dad had his strokes and couldn't work.  The income in the household dropped considerably and Christmas was quite a stretch for my Mom, but she still manage to make it wonderful for us kids.  Christmas and Easter was very important to my mom and no matter where we lived at the time, she made sure we celebrated them.

   Same can be said for my children, I have lived in some pretty bad places over the years, but we always celebrated the holidays.  Even if we had to get a free Christmas tree from a tree lot.  Something looking not much better then Charlie Brown's tree.  Of course when you stick the dead section in the corner of your trailer it didn't look to bad.  Another year I bought green tissue paper, taped several together, and cut out a two tree shapes.  Taping the two shapes together and stuffing it with newspaper we had a tree.

   Of course, now that life has worked itself into a much better situation.  Christmas is a little easier to come by for the kids.  My tree is now a fake one, that is much more practical to use every year.  And the kids are the main focus of the season, but not beyond our means.  As for me, I still love the smell of Pine Trees and want to put as many lights on the house that I can....

   I still remember all the different Christmases over the years and how we celebrated it with Love and Family, no matter the 'package' the Holiday came in....