This time of year can induce all sorts of feelings: some good and others not so good but for me it’s a reminder of good times and heartfelt celebrations that still fill my heart with joy even though many of the people that I shared those memories with are now gone. From the time I was 17 and my grandma was diagnosed with lung cancer, we have suffered a fair amount of loss in our family, that being the first big loss of my life. She was my second mama and my teacher, my lover of music and all things Elvis and one of the biggest influences in my life so losing her during my junior year of high school was truly devastating. I say this, however, not to dwell on the sorrow but to focus on all of the joy, especially with regard to Christmas, that she brought into my life.

From my first Christmas on, she and my grandpa and my mom made Christmas feel like the best, most exciting, fun-filled event. It wasn’t the gifts, although those were nice, but it was my grandparents’ attitudes and general love of the holidays that always inspired me the most.

My grandma and mama have always tended to lean towards the bright and splashy, some might say a little gaudy, decorations, which include many musical Santas, brightly colored garland, big inflatables for the yard and so forth but it always made for some fun times figuring out where to put things. And if they didn’t go together, so what; Santa didn’t mind, he admired their creativity.

From the time we went to cut down our Christmas tree and my foot got stuck in the mud, in my brand new tennis shoes, to the time when Santa hid my gifts in the closet instead of under the tree, Christmas has always been a time filled with love, laughter and joy.

In our hectic lives that are filled with running from one thing to the other or trying to be present for everyone and everything in our lives, it’s hard to slow down and just enjoy what is happening right now. For me though, right now is a great time to slow down and reminisce about all of the wonderful holidays I spent with my family, listening to Elvis’s Christmas Album (the best of all time, in my humble opinion) to decorating the tree together, to making eggnog for the family and mainly just being grateful for that time together, under one roof, sharing tales of past holidays while making new memories during the current ones.

Just like everyone, sometimes I get sad thinking about the people that I have lost but then I remember that the greatest gift they ever gave me were the memories that I have of spending so many magical Christmases with them.

—  Kristi Mayfield is a staff reporter for The Oakdale Leader and may be reached at kmayfield@oakdaleleader.com