Most Memorable Christmas Eve’s

Posted On December 25, 2020

Christmas Eve With Family

From the time I can remember, my entire family went to church on Christmas Eve for the Sunday School program. I have such fond memories of those nights. The younger children would sing, act out the Christmas story and recite poems. Then the oldest youth Sunday School class would put on a play while big bowls of hard candy were passed from pew to pew. The program would end with an appearance by Santa Claus who often would have an orange for each child.

Our little country would be packed for these programs and the plays were everyone’s favorite part. I’m talking hour-long plays with fairly elaborate sets and memorized parts. A curtain was hung across the entire front of the church where actors could enter and exit off the left and right. One of my favorites was something about a Mugsy. I recall it involved a burgulary by two bungling thieves. Some who I remember in the plays are Vicky Schutte, Mary Ann Young, Sue Crawford, Mike Boulware, Kent Haden, Denny & Joe Shryock and Mike & Don Boulware. I was also in a few.

One scene was to have a bowl full of punch. Kent accidently sat in the bowl backstage (at least that’s my memory) and it spilled all over the floor. When we went downstairs later for refreshment, everyone discovered the punch had leaked through the floor, into the basement ceiling and on down onto the women’s bathroom floor. It was a terrible mess and we learned we should’ve just used colored water!

My cousin Don mentioned those Christmas Eve programs just today in a comment on another one of my posts. He said, “I do miss the Christmas programs on Christmas Eve at Pleasant Grove Church… those were pretty special what’s the funny Christmas play put on by the high school age kids… the singing performances by the groups of younger kids… and of course Santa’s visit to end up the evening… I remember how much fun I had playing Santa for that special evening.”

Just like me, my sisters grew up with this tradition and they continued to come back home for it after they were married. Then we would go home and usually unwrap our presents that night.

It became a very special time for me as my sisters began to have children. I was just five when my oldest nephew, Greg, was born. He was soon joined by brothers Tim and Lance. Then my oldest niece, Michele, was born followed by her brother, Craig. Then there was Greg’s sister, Jill and little brother, Tom. The last to be born was Michele’s brother, Brad. You can just imagine how lively our house became when Mother, Daddy and I were joined by twelve other people, eight of them being younger than me.

The Best Christmas Eve of All

By the time I got married, the church no longer had Christmas Eve programs, to the disappointment of my entire family. Still, my sisters families would continue to gather at my mom and dad’s.

1978 was our most memorable year. We had attended morning church services and returned home for lunch. Just as the food was ready to serve, I had a surprising experience. I had gone to the bathroom and my water broke (yes, I was expecting). Nothing else happened and, as it was my first child, I wasn’t totally positive what had happened! I called to my mother. Her response was, “It’s been too long ago for me, let me get your sister!” At this point, Jimmy wanted to know what was going on. As soon as he heard my water might have broken, he began running around panicked saying we had to go immediately to the hospital.

I tried to reassure everyone that I could stay and eat because I was having no contractions. But since we’d gone to lamaze classes where they warned us to go immediately to the hospital in this event, Jimmy insisted we leave.

So, we missed that delicious meal and headed to the hospital. Once there, they ran a test and said my water had not broken and we could go home. Even though I had no contractions, by then I was convinced that was indeed what had happened. Reluctantly, they admitted me and called my doctor. He informed them he was hunting with his sons and would be in later.

Within 45 minutes of arriving at the hospital and after only about 15 minutes of contractions, our daughter, Amy Lynne, was born. We never saw two more disappointed boys than my nephews, Greg and Tim, who arrived shortly after with cigars stating to Jimmy that they were prepared to wait hours with him for the baby to arrive. They could not believe I’d already had her. It was a day we often talk about when we get together.

Through the years, our family grew and grew. To get everyone pictured, we started the Stairs Pictures tradition.

Christmas Eve These Days

My extended family no longer gets together on Christmas Eve due to the number of us, how many live out of state, and the fact that their time has to be shared with many in-laws.

Some years, Jimmy and I attend a candlelight service and communion at church and try to get together with Amy to celebrate her birthday.

This year, because of the pandemic, we were limited to driving by our living Nativity at church and then taking communion in our car with a prayer offered by our pastor. I have to admit, I was most grateful that I wasn’t a participant in the nativity as it was 22 degrees! Thank you, God, for those dedicated folks. https://www.facebook.com/102412763236/videos/792643734648852/

It’s a much quieter time for us and I become very nostalgic. However, no matter how we spend Christmas Eve, it’s always with the anticipation of celebrating the birth of Jesus, our Lord and Savior, the following day.

I pray that you each have wonderful memories of celebrating with loved ones and going to church services to celebrate Christmas. Please share some memories in the comments.