Curt Nettinga
Christmas to me has always been about family getting together. Through seeing both of my children realize the splendor of Christmas, and witnessing the same thing with my granddaughter, family getting together has always been at the forefront.
When I was a youngster, Christmas on my Mom’s side of the family always took place on Christmas Eve, following the Christmas pageant at the church. We’d gather for a late dinner, then everyone would open one gift. I remember one year my ‘chosen gift’, was very heavy (a sure sign of something really good!) and when I opened it I found an inflatable Bozo the Clown punching bag. Imagine a cold plastic chamber, that my Dad absolutely had to blow up so I and my cousins could pummel the red-haired clown. It stood on a round base that was filled with sand (so much for the heavier the better theory) and I expect that my Dad was finding it hard to breathe by the time he managed to inflate my toy.
After we punched him a few times, the lateness of the day began to catch up with us. All of us kids were relegated to Grandma’s bed, which was covered with coats, to begin our Christmas slumber. Somehow during the night, we were magically transported back to our own beds, where we woke up on Christmas morning.
As my Mom’s sister was married to my Dad’s brother, all of the cousins from the night before were back at the other Grandma’s house all day on Christmas! The family was together again.
Oh, and because it took up so much room, my Bozo had to be deflated and blown up again for Christmas. I have a much more manageable eight-inch version that sits on the corner of my desk and makes me smile when I think back on that Christmas so many years ago.

Jan Haley
I have many Christmas memories, but what stands out the most is Christmas Eve family celebrations I remember as a child, and into my teen years.
Coming from a large family, Christmas Eve was a special and fun time Some years, it was just Mom and Dad - and my eight brothers and sisters - other years, extended family members were part of the festivities.
From a special evening dinner to opening gifts, a visit from Santa Claus, midnight Mass and my Mom’s yummy caramel rolls after Mass. It was a special night we all shared and enjoyed.
I can’t think of Christmas past without remembering those family times.

Ken
Linblad

I have many fond Christmastime memories. Fortunately for our family, my father shot 8mm home movies of every Christmas morning and birthday party for the first 13 years of my life, so there was a record of it all,
I recall one occasion, when I was maybe 8 or 9 years old that our family was viewing the reels.  My younger brother Scott, who was around 6- or 7-years-old then, piped up, “How come we don’t get nice presents like those kids got?”
I was much older in life when watching those movies again I realized how much my parents did without, so that their kids could have those wonderful memories.

Laurie Shelton
My favorite Christmas memory from growing up is more of the tradition/routine that we had. First thing you have to know is that I grew up in an older two-story home, with a beautiful staircase that was always wonderfully decorated. Each of us kids had to brush their teeth and comb their hair and then line up at the top of the stairs in age order – youngest to oldest.
When we walked down the stairs, Christmas music would be playing but the only lights were candles flickering and then the lights on the tree. It was a magical feeling that created anticipation and excitement from each of us. Of course, seeing our Santa gift under our stocking hanging from the mantle created the chaos that followed.
I cherish the memory and tried to create that same feeling with my girls’ as they were growing up.
 
Mark Smith
Before Christmas in 1950, Dad took me to downtown Huron to get my Mother a present. I was 3-1/2 years old.
Here I was out at night with Dad on a serious mission to pick out the perfect gift.
Huron in those days was lit up with decorations and each of the stores were just as lighted and decorated. I was awestruck. It was so full of color and so vibrant with people. I had never experienced anything like this.
I chose J.J.New Berry’s to shop for my gift. I was immediately drawn  to a display of colorful bottles of perfume/toilet waters.
With the lights behind them they literally sparkled. I chose three different bottles of differing shapes. Two offered Gardenia scents and the other, a candelabra, had three different aromas.
I had a whole dollar to spend. Each of the items were .30 so I bought the three most beautiful. I was certain Mother would love them.
Last year as I was cleaning in the basement, I found them. Kept by Mom all these years. Strangely only one had been tested.
Maybe Gardenia just wasn’t her scent?

Nancy Willard
Santa Surprise!
One Christmas my late husband and I and a group of other friends had the opportunity to spend Christmas in a rental home on the beach at Monterey Bay in California. The house was situated so that you could walk directly out onto the beach from the patio door in the living room and another patio door from the master bedroom.
My husband and I were given the master bedroom.
I opened the closet door and discovered a beautiful Santa Claus suit complete with boots, gloves, wig and beard. I told my husband what I had found and attempted to talk him into putting it on and surprising everyone later in the evening, an offer which he promptly turned down.
I just couldn’t see that beautiful suit not getting used, so I told him to play along with me, that I would do it. He shook his head a little and said “okay.”
We were relaxing around the fireplace later, when I discretely slipped away to the bedroom to make the transformation into Santa. I did not realize how long it would take to put on that whole suit and I heard someone asking in the living room, “Where did Nancy go?” My husband said, “Oh, I think she decided to shower, she will be out soon.” I actually went and turned on the shower to authenticate his story so no one would come looking for me.
I finally got the suit on and stuffed bed pillows into the stomach area so it would fit, quietly opened the bedroom patio door and slipped out and knocked on the living room door. One of our friends came to the door, I didn’t dare speak, and so I just stepped into the living room and grabbed her and gave her a big hug. It scared one of the other couples to death and they were making a run for it to the kitchen, not believing how anyone would just let a complete stranger walk into the living room.
The friend I hugged began knocking on my bedroom door, hollering “Hurry, Hurry! Come out and see Santa!” My husband was about falling off the couch laughing, the other couple was hiding in the kitchen, just about ready to call the police and I couldn’t contain myself any longer and pulled off the beard.
After much laughter and a big sigh of relief from one couple, they all had the grand plan that I should go up and down the entire beach and knock on doors as Santa. Since I really didn’t want to spend Christmas Eve in jail, I said I think Santa’s work is complete for this year.
And words of wisdom from my late husband..….”now you know why I don’t do things like that.” A memory and laughs we shared for many years to come.