The Christmas time I most remember was in 1963. President Kennedy had just been killed and as a nine year old I first became aware that this world was a cold place where we faced danger each day. That year he had come to Berlin to give his famous "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech...we were so filled with hope...then this darkness. I was so glad to be with my Oma and Opa in Augsburg celebrating an old fashion Weihnachten. My mother and I had arrived early in November from New Jersey while my stepfather went to his duty station in Korea for two years. I was safe at home again in the house I grew up in with my beloved grandparents. The gifts that I received that year were my first brunette bubble head Barbie doll and some nice outfits. I love my large box of Prang crayons and drew pictures of our cat Peterle in all his cozy sleeping positions on the sofa... It was my most special childhood Christmas. To this day, I keep a fresh box of crayons in a collectors tin and I have a few beautiful Barbie dolls in my china cabinet to remind me how blessed my life has been all of these years. Life is humble and simple at the cozy cottage these days...Dennis and I do not exchange gifts...instead we give each other our time. Each evening we sit together on the love seat and watch an old black & white movie while we sip tea or coffee and eat some yummy goodies. We long for that time to come all day...being together...close. It is not that we have all the things that we want in this world...instead we are happy with the things that we do have. We all need time. Time to live before it is too late. Time to do the things we put off. Time to say I love you. The time is NOW...use your good china each day, wear the fancy perfume for yourself around the house, put on the pretty skirt, wear the necklace to go shopping. Stop saving your life for someday. Each day is precious and deserving of your best. Tomorrow is not promised so stop wasting your today's. For all of us the time will come when the end will ask, "What did you do with all of your beginnings? " May your Christmas be filled with love and memories humble as a box of crayons and a beloved dolly under the tree.
21 comments:
Yes, because you never know what the next day brings.
I do not think I ever had my own Barbie. My oldest sister, Dolley, had one, but my parents were extremely frugal. Joyce and I got a fake Barbe and ken, they turned green one day when we left them out in the sun a bit too long :-)
So we named the girl doll 'Grenell'
haha
MissyPeach, you look so sweet. I wish I could kiss you for real, but I will just send you one **kissss**
love, Rosemary
barbie rocks....mommie was 6 when kennedy was shot and she still remembers that day, all the mommies were crying, we liffed in new jersey
The Woman was four months old--that was her first Christmas after Kennedy was shot--she does not remember it much except in hindsight and some lovely DVDS of movies she found when her father died. What a marvelous gift--time. So often we forget what a gift that is in our rush to DO things, don't we?
What a wonderfurl post today! Mom wasn't borned yet when Kennedy was assasinated, she was born in 1971. Everyday, she is thankful for what we DO have. She nevers asks for much. Mainly, peace. We wish it for everyone. May you have a very Merry Christmas! And Misses Peach...we send you sweet nosetaps on this Christmouse! Hope Santa brings you some really kewl stuff. For Hunny Bunny too!
Good Afternoon Sunshine Wife and Karla :)
That is a very good post!!! Yesterday was too!!!
We believe that it is important to live each day to the fullest!! It took Mom a while to figure that out.
Live and do your best today and try to be a bit better the next day. Compare yourself to no one but yourself.There is a lot of good in this world :)
Mom was 9 when Kennedy died and she also had a Barbie doll :)
Her favourite thing to do at Christmas was colouring the big, jumbo colouring book ;)
Christmas here is simple too. We look forward to having family together and dinner. Mom is from a big family and is lucky that all get along so well,even if they cannot always be together at Christmas :)
WE wish you,your Mom ,Lapdaddy and all the stray kitties a very
MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!!!!!!!!!!
Purrs Mickey, Georgia & Tillie and Nancy
Thank-you for this beautiful post, and its gentle reminder to treasure what is most important.
Liebe Karla, das hast Du so wundervoll geschrieben. Schöner kann man den Sinn des Lebens und seine Erinnerungen an eine schöne Kindheit nicht ausdrücken. Darüber sollten wir das ganze Jahr nachdenken, statt ständig irgendwelchen unnützen Dingen hinterher zu hetzen.
Ich drücke und umarme Dich.
Merry Christmas
Birgit
Dear friend Karla, thank you for your wonderful Christmas post!
My memories are from the dollhouse of my mom which was lost when my parents moved in a new house.
Now I have a new dollhouse but it is not the same like that. I loved it so much and can never forgot it!
Karla, we also love to watch old black and white movies in TV ;)
Merry Christmas to all of you in the cozy cottage!
Love
Stefanie
Dear Karla and Miss Peach, I was born in February 1963. It was 1963 my first Christmas but I can´t remember. The next years we celebrate always in my grandparents house in the "Harz Mountains" with the whole big family. I always remember there was snow and I had a lot of fun with my cousins.
Christian and I also do not exchange gift and we also love watching old movies in TV .
Frohe Weihnachten !
purrrs to Misses Peach and Hunny Bunny
I too got my first Barbie bubble head (Champagne blond) and I still have her. I was thirteen. I still love my crayons, too! I had a great uncle that worked in the Book depository building Kennedy was shot from. He as all the employees of that building, was not allowed to leave Dallas until late January.
Your post is very beautiful today.. We have a saying her which is you never know what is around the corner. I so agree with not saving your nice things but use them, wear them.. Enjoy each others company and love each other. I was living in Berlin for two and a half years in 1972. A beautiful city.Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and much love.. Carol and GJ xx
Merry Christmas Miss Peach and dear Karla. Hugs from Leslie and the topcatrules girls, Trixie and Tigger and Pyewacket.
What a great memory from the past, filled with all sorts of images and colors and experiences. And good advice for living in the present! It's not always the easiest to follow, but worth keeping in mind.
Happy Holidays!
That was a beautiful post. We should all take a lesson from our furry friends. We should live in the now and love unconditionally. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas.
That was a lovely post! We saw your mewmie won the little white cat statue we donated. Our mewmie was supposed to take it to Oregon with her so she could mail it to the winner but she forgot. She will be back home with us on January 1st, so if your mewmie emails us at furrydance@gmail.com, and give us the address to mail it to, she has a box all ready for it! And she will pay the shipping :-)
Thank you for bidding so high and giving lots of green papers to Fiona's fund! Mewmie said she will include a little something for you, too, Miss Peach...
What a lovely post. My mom was also nine when President Kennedy was assassinated. I don't know if she can remember that Christmas or not, but it was wonderful that you shared yours. (Mom doesn't remember what happened to her original Barbie, but she bought one for herself for her 31st birthday. [She liked the original better!])
Merry Christmas to you all.
That was so beautifully said! You're right, it's not about the gifts, it's about time spent with ones we love. I'm lucky to have all my side of the family here at our house this Christmas! Happy Christmas to you all! ~ Jill
Merry Christmas Misses Peach and to her Mamma & the Lapdaddy too! From everyone on the farm. XOX T.
P.S. Sorry we missed your tea yesterday - hope you had a good time.
PPS - We didn't get a Barbie - We got her blond friend Annette (and my grandma had made a whole wardrobe of clothes for her!)
What special memories. We give gifts to various charities mostly rather than buy little gifts to people. Then we give them a card and they give us a card and some animals and people we are thinking of get something they really need.
Have a very purrry Christmas!
That was a beautiful post. I was only four years old in 1963 so my memories are few. Yes, live for now. Tomorrow will take care of itself. Also, don't ever grow up too much to where you lose the child that is in you. I still collect troll dolls-not for their dollar value-but because it is fun! Don't ever lose fun. Merry Christmas and God bless you all.
Oh Miss Peach, I cried a little!
Post a Comment