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Matt's Favorite Christmas Memories

Posted: Tuesday, December 18, 2007 7:00 AM by Dan Fleschner
Filed Under: ,

With Christmas approaching, I asked some of our TODAY personalities for their favorite holiday memories and traditions.

Here's the second entry in the series, from Matt Lauer:

The two most memorable parts of Christmas for me as a kid were that one, I was a child of divorce. So I went from a situation where it was my mom and my dad, we opened our gifts on Christmas Eve, and that was the tradition in our household.

When my mom re-married, my stepfather was a huge proponent -- and very convincing -- of this whole concept of waiting until Christmas morning to open gifts.

So there were a couple of transition years -- when we were young, 8, 9, 10 -- where there was a civil war in the Lauer family as to what we were going to do. And the move from the immediate gratification of Christmas Eve to the delayed gratification of Christmas Day was not an easy one.

And when we finally did it, then, at some point, my stepfather decided at some point that it would be fun to go back to Christmas Eve -- and we didn't want to go back. We finally liked it.

So it was the coming together of Christmas traditions, divorce and marriage, that really shaped the holiday for me.

The other memory is that my dad, for a portion of my time growing up, worked as the vice president of a bicycle company. One of the things that I would get almost every Christmas was a new bike. It wasn't that I needed a new bike, it was because literally, he would use me as a marketing tool in the neighborhood.

He would always bring me the trendiest bike, so it wasn't just the typical Sting-Ray, it was the Sting-Ray with the stick shift and the bells and whistles. He wanted to see how the kids were going to react, which was fine, but what he would want was immediate response.

So it didn't matter if it was 28 degrees on Christmas Day, I was bundled up and sent out on this bike to ride through the neighborhood. Everyone thought I was crazy, but he was doing market research.

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My memories of christmas were that my parents used to wrap our gifts and hide them under their bed. While they were at work my 3 brothers and sisters used to get the gifts out, unwrap them, play with them, and re-wrap them. Everyday til 5:15 we would repeat this offense and then act surprised on christmas day.

Sandy Lewis Austin, Texas (Sent Tuesday, December 18, 2007 8:25 AM)

Like Matt, we always opened our gifts on Christmas Eve, I couldn't imagine why people waited til Christmas morning.  On Christmas morning we would go to church, and then my parents, aunts, uncles and cousins would gather at our house for a big turkey dinner. I guess we did it on Christmas Eve so mom could spend the morning cooking and preparing dinner.

rose argentine, canastota,ny (Sent Tuesday, December 18, 2007 9:55 AM)

My grandmother would give us a present for the twelve days before Christmas.  Each would have the date you could open the gift.  What a wonderful way to build up the suspense for Christmas Day.  Happy Holidays!

Natalie, Topeka, Kansas (Sent Tuesday, December 18, 2007 10:29 AM)

One of my favorite memories is that my two older brothers and I would sit on the very top step, 3 little ducks all in a row, and wait to be told that Santa had been there and that we could come down.  Of course, this never happened soon enough for us, so one spokesman for the group would be sent down every 30 minutes or so to check with our parents to see if we could come down yet.  We would get the "no it's still too early" bit for a while, then finally our parents would cave in and say, "OK, you can come down now".  We always made it to the bottom of the stairs in record time to see what was waiting under the tree.  Santa always came through for us!    

Cheryl Knight, Sellersburg, IN (Sent Tuesday, December 18, 2007 10:40 AM)

I come from a Italian/Catholic family, so every Christmas Eve, after midnight mass, my Mom would make homemade pizza and Italian sausage. My Dad, two brothers and I would also decorate the tree on Christmas Eve, which was tradition, back then.

By the way, Santa wasn't left any pizza.....  

Frances Sudano, Perryville, Maryland (Sent Tuesday, December 18, 2007 1:24 PM)

My best memory was the year my mom had been ill and we didn't have much money so my dad cut down a small oak tree that didn't have leaves, spray painted it silver for our Christmas tree.  Mom bought each of us three girls a simple necklace with our birthstone and wrapped it in a medicine bottle. We were poor by today's standards but we didn't know it because we were rich in love.

Jeanette Lingle, Stephenville, Texas (Sent Tuesday, December 18, 2007 1:29 PM)

My fondest memory was when I was young (no older than 7)and my maternal grandparents were still alive. Their three children and their families would go over to their house on Christmas Eve.  All the women would help cook and the kids would play all day.  We would then sit down to a traditional Italian Christmas Eve dinner (13 different fish). After dessert and clean up all the kids would get ready for bed, watch a Christmas show and then go to bed.  The adults would get ready for Christmas morning - men - put together the toys and women start preparing food for Christmas Day. When they were done they would go to Christmas Eve mass.  Then when they got back home they would play cards or talk until wee hours of the morning.  Then we would all get up, open gifts and celebrate Christmas together!  It is a WONDERFUL memory for me!!  Merry Christmas!!

Christine , Alliance, OH (Sent Tuesday, December 18, 2007 1:47 PM)

My favorite Christmas "memory" is about my 1st Christmas.  I was only 12 days old and my dad was excited to show off his only little girl.  My brothers were put to bed and my Mom and Dad started putting together the gifts.  This was back in 1971 and some of the "some assembly required" wording really meant good luck with that!  So, my Dad pulled out a wooden toybox only to find out that it was a bunch of boards with black dots for him to drill through to put the gift together.(It did come with the screws and thankfully my dad owned a drill)  They followed that up with putting tohether 2 hot cycles- both of which were impossible to get the second wheel on.  They spent several hours with my dad telling my mom to push harder as she stood on the wheels whith her hands on the ceiling trying to get the pin in that held the wheels on.  By the time the finished and went to bed the were exhausted.  They got up the next morning to open presents and host a huge family dinner and as the went around the corner to the stairs to my brothers' room they were shocked to see 25 individual red and green jello molds ground into the carpet on the stairs.  While they were in the basement putting together toys, my brothers were coming up and down the stairs grabbing jello, eating one bite and throwing the rest down the stairs to see them bounce.  My mom said my brothers didn't get to open their gifts until noon!  I'm sure it wasn't funny at the time but it makes us all laugh now.

Meredith , Austin, MN (Sent Tuesday, December 18, 2007 3:11 PM)

Each Chrisrmas is a memory, however, when I saw my wonderful Mom reclining on the couch with her hand held high in a cast, but still smiling and her big beautiful blue eyes on my sister and me as we decented the stairs,why? because I never saw my mother in that position.  She was always up in morning and still up when we went to bed.

Dimples (Sent Tuesday, December 18, 2007 3:15 PM)

My favorite memory is of my son on Christmas Eve.  If he slept 2 hours all night it was alot.  He would wake me up every 30 min or so to go out and see if Santa had arrived yet.  This would go on all night until aprox 4:30 or 5 when he just couldn't stand it anymore, and we would all get up and open presents.  He is now 22 years old and still carries the excitement of Christmas with him.

Pat , Camden NY (Sent Tuesday, December 18, 2007 3:31 PM)

I am part of a huge Polish Family (apx 70 total)and on Christmas Eve we have our celebration at sunset with Polish foods Pierogie,Kielbasy w/sauerkraut,Fresh Ham,Red Ham,Turkey and Mushrooms and huge desserts. Before we eat we have holy wafers which we give each other a piece and say Merry Christmas and Healthy New Year. After dinner we have a a reading of the Gospel and pray for our family and anyone who passed away that year.Then Santa comes and it is truly wonderful. We all cook the foods which our parents and grandparents have done this since Poland. We are truly blessed with our family and we always have a new baby each year.I can't even imagine not having that time.MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR !!!

Stephanie iacopino, Brick New Jersey (Sent Tuesday, December 18, 2007 3:33 PM)

My mother had died when I was 6, and a couple of years later my dad got a big bonus ($250.00 was a lot of money in the 60's) and spent all of it on my older brother and I. He spent most of the night wrapping the presents then fell fast asleep. I woke my brother up around 4:30am and we went into this wild frenzy, ripping and tearing!!! Poor dad, he wakes up a couple hours later and comes into the living room and is walking in knee-deep paper. He was so disappointed that he didn't get to see the joy on our faces. Dad is in a nursing home know and is 94 years old, and that's one story he still remembers.

Rose Miller Arvada, CO. (Sent Tuesday, December 18, 2007 3:48 PM)

I have fond memories of Christmas, yet I always feel a bit sad. But perhaps the feeling of sadness at Christmas time isn’t really sadness, but rather a painful, relentless longing for love, happiness and the kind of perfection found only in novels and movies. For the giddy redemption of Scrooge when he awakes and realizes it isn’t too late, that he is alive and it’s Christmas and that he has time to be kind and good. For happy family gatherings without anger, resentment, competition and pit-in-your- stomach stress. For quiet evenings in front of a roaring fire. For a home with two parents who love each other. We are barraged with peaceful, happy images in our cards and advertisements. Unrealistic as they are, we want them, yearn for them in abundance. In fact, Christmas is a day when many are sick or dying, many are on the brink of divorce or financial ruin or have been recently fired or rejected by a loved one. Many are fighting a war far from home. It’s a day when too many children long for kind words from a parent or sibling…and receive none. For many, life is hard and it goes on, despite the fact that it’s Christmas. Try as we might, it’s impossible to pretend all is well, even for one day. Christmas is, if anything, a time to feel vaguely disappointed and angry that life, realistically, can’t always be better, that people can’t always be loving and kind, that wars will always exist, that parents divorce, that too many diseases cannot be cured, that families will never, never be perfect. Still, we sing, we drink, we dance, we hug and kiss each other and hope for a bit of magic every December 25th.

Diana Jones, Nanuet, New York (Sent Tuesday, December 18, 2007 3:56 PM)

My best memory of Christmas was when my brother called and said he was going to be home on Christmas Eve and could we pick him up at the airport.  You see, my brother served in Vietnam and we were not expecting him home that Christmas so to say the least, we were so excited that he would be with us that Christmas.  I was extremely worried that Santa would not know he was going to be home and there wouldn't be any presents under the tree for him.  I remember my younger brother and I were able to go along to the airport along with my grandparents and parents.  We stuffed our pockets full with Christmas cookies!  They were pretty much crumbs by the time we got the airport but our brother did not care.  What a wonderful Christmas that was!

Judy, St. Cloud, MN (Sent Tuesday, December 18, 2007 4:42 PM)

My most memerable moment to this day is when I was 8 years old. All my mothers sisters came to our home for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. All the cousins played together for hours. Mom and my Aunts cooked all night Chritmas Eve. All I got that year was a white underslip for school, fruit and candy, but I will never forget the love that was shared in our house that year.   My father died when I was 2. My mother never remarried and she raised 9 children alone. No outside help at all. We did not have much but mother taught us to share with others and to lean and love on each other. I am 41 years old now and that is a Christmas that even now makes be bubbly inside to think about.

Gwen Strommer, Shannon, Ms (Sent Tuesday, December 18, 2007 5:06 PM)

How about if your parents are nurse and fireman servants of the community. Our Christmas' were never "traditional".  We would have them at the most obscure moments...like Dec 23rd at midnight or the night of the 25th waiting in the car for 20 min while santa made a visit after  a long travel from grandma's....oh it is what you make it for sure!!! :)

Christa Hammack New Albany IN (Sent Tuesday, December 18, 2007 6:43 PM)

My grandmother and grandfather had 6 daughters. Every Christmas Eve we would go to our aunt's house for the traditional Italian Christmas Eve supper. Their would be 21 of us sitting around this large table in front of a roaring fireplace. It was so hot that you could actually see the candles start to bend over from the heat. We would have the 7 different types of fish for the supper. Everything from bacala to zepoli stuffed with anchovies. I can still see my grandmother, mother and aunts doing all the cooking. The men would be playing cards while us children would just be watching or playing games. Soon we would all be sitting at the supper table. The homemade wines and pastries would end the meal. Soon it was time to open the presents. After a while of relaxation it was then time to go to midnight mass. After mass we would have a snack, then it was time to go to bed. During that short period of time we were amazed as to how Santa Claus could come in so quietly and deliver the presents around the tree. All the elders are gone now except for 1 aunt and 1 uncle. How nice it is to remember those days to our grandchildren. My wife Gail and I on occasion will still have the Christmas Eve supper with the 7 fish.

Joe & Gail Yamello, Cushing, Maine (via Everett, Mass.) (Sent Tuesday, December 18, 2007 8:38 PM)

THIS WILL BE MY MOST MOMORALBE CHRISTMAS BECAUSE WE LOST OUR SON 5 MONTHS AGO SO ALL THE CHRISTMAS'S IN THE PAST WERE ALL GOOD FROM THE POOREST TO THE GREATEST BECAUSE WHO WOULD HAVE KNOW WE WOULD HAVE TO SPEND THIS ONE WITHOUT OUR 26 YEAR OLD SON JAMES RAY DOWDY WHO DIED AF A BRAIN ABCESS. MISS YOU SON

ROBERTA DOWDY MULBERY FLORIDA (Sent Tuesday, December 18, 2007 11:35 PM)

we also would open our presents on christmas eve,even after we were grown and had our own children, we would go to "Nunnie and Pappy's" house on christmas eve. Things have changed, Nunnie and Pappy are celebrating christmas n heaven now,my husband and I are seperated, I've been diagnossed with M.S. we live in public housing . There are no tou drives donating to us. But we still celebrate! I have four children 3 are teenagers and a ten year old,the best gifts I have ever been given. They are good kids, don't get into trouble and love with all their hearts. So to everyone I say Merry Christmas It's not about things, it's about the love you have and give.  

Theresa Powers,Pittsburgh,Pa (Sent Wednesday, December 19, 2007 10:21 AM)

My favorite memories of Christmas when I was growing up was opening our stockings on my parents bed very early in the morning! My two brothers and I then would have to wait at the top of the stairs to come down until my Grand Parents would arrive and the fire was made and the coffee was brewed because of course our parents were up until wee hours putting together something like the Barbie Hotel with elevator that never worked or race car tracks....My Dad would always go to the tree and make very loud excitable noises to let us know that "Oh boy did Santa surely come".  And with that my brothers and I would just get so excited.  Christmas morning was always the best!  It's even better now as an adult with all the little ones in our family now.  The tradition is passed on too that the kids have to wait until I arrive "Auntie" to see them come rushing down.

Laurie Ammann, Portland, ME (Sent Wednesday, December 19, 2007 1:04 PM)

When I was growing up, my dad was a firefighter who worked a 24-hour shift on duty and then a 24-hour shift off duty.  We would figure out sometime in October if he would be on duty on Christmas Eve or Christmas day.  If he was off duty Christmas Eve, that meant he had to go to work Christmas morning at 8:00, so we had our "Santa Claus" before he went to work.  But if he was on duty Christmas Eve, that meant we had to wait until he got home after 8:00 - usually 30 excrutiating minutes or more after 8:00!  So, selfish kids that we were, we hoped he had to work on Christmas day so we could open presents early Christmas morning!

Judy Thomas, Columbus, Georgia (Sent Wednesday, December 19, 2007 3:06 PM)

I have two memorable Christmas'.  The first was when my Mom asked me to wrap presents for her.  Everything was in plain boxes and I never peeked.  I wrapped for everybody in the family--including me.  She had everything in piles with instructions to just wrap and put back the way she had it.  So I did never thinking she'd make me wrap my own presents.  I also have a very sad memory of Christmas, my sister died on December 19th and was buried December 23rd in 1965.  Christmas was not a festive holiday for many years although my parents tried their best to make it that way for my two brothers and myself.  So, this time of year is still very hard for me because I miss her even though over 40 years has passed; she died when she was 18. I always wondered what she would have done with her life because she was a fabulous pianist who studied at the IU Music School while she was in high school; she spoke several languages and she was an artist who specialized in charcoal drawing.

Nancy Tuthill; California (Sent Wednesday, December 19, 2007 6:43 PM)

One of the best Christmas's I remember is the year before my mother passed away. I was 16 came into the living room and as always the Santa had put the presents on the couch. If I had known then it would have been even more special. I had the most beautiful ceramic lamps my mother had ever made, a new Bible with my name and ceramic ring holder I still have. My mother passed away the next year this was all when I was a senior in highschool. I will always remember this because she did this as she was suffering from cancer. It was the one of the hardest and most loving years of my life. To my parents in haven Merry Christmas and I love and miss you.
To every one in the world have a great Christmas and Happy New Year.

Robin Corley, Mobile, Al. (Sent Wednesday, December 19, 2007 10:27 PM)

We also have a very traditional Christmas.  On Christmas Eve, we have a ham and scalloped potato dinner every year.  After dinner, the children find their #1 gift (always pyjamas).  After putting on their pj's, one of them read the Christmas story from the bible.  After that we open presents one at a time which takes 3 to 4 hours, with beverage breaks.  The next morning we go to church, then come home for a huge turkey dinner.  Later lots of family and friends come over, and we sing Christmas carols all evening.  It is wonderful, lots of love and laugher.

Wendy Hendel, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada (Sent Thursday, December 20, 2007 11:46 AM)

My favorite Christmas memory is when I was about 6 years old. I have a family of 7, with 4 brothers and I'm the only girl. (You can imagine their disappointment when I moved to the "dark side" of Barbies) Anyway, I remember that Christmas time is the only time of the year my whole family seems to forget any turmoil of strifes among them, and everyone seems to get along. This was the year of the "Great Ice Storm". We were without electricity for 2 or 3 days. We played card games and told stories by candlelight on Christmas Eve. Somehow, being without our daily "necessities" seemed to unite us. That year, I was so excited, and my brother Justin told me I could sleep in his room to watch for Santa. He told me a story and I fell asleep dreaming I'd actually seen his sleigh.

Bethany M., Fayetteville, TN (Sent Thursday, December 20, 2007 2:56 PM)

All of our Christmas has been wonderful.But the most heart warming Christmas was last year 06 its one my children will never forget.We,re a family of 12 myself my husband, brother his two boys & my seven children at the time.The Bad part theres was only one income coming in at the time it was hard to make mends meet but has a mother of 7 beautiful children and a anut of 2 wonderful nephews I would always find strenth with the support of my husband.Until My Marriage was falling apart thats when things started to go bad it was a few weeks before Christmas of 2006. I went into a deep depression as well as my brother with his problems.I didnt want to face the world until one day I decided to talk to 2 wonderful persons thats always suported me and my family in tough times.They are My school districts advocates for the area we were in.As i told them what was going on they got me help.Days had past by and the only I was able to tell my kids that our chritsmas was going to be different this year.They all understood our situation.Then came Christmas Eve I had recived a phone call.It was from my childrens School district they wanted to meet with us so I gave then my address and ect. As they drove up With a huge pick up we all got surprise they had 7 bikes and there truck full of gifts for all our family.It was the best Christmas of our lifes We are so Thankful If it wasnt for the greenfield sch district and there family resource center we wouldnt of had  Christmas.

Dalila Guzman Bakersfield,California (Sent Thursday, December 20, 2007 4:21 PM)

My grandparents started the tradition back in the early 1950's of allowing us to open 1 gift on Christmas Eve after we came home from church.  Amazingly enough we all got new pajamas or nightgowns.....every year.  It wasn't until I was a teenager that I realized the repetition of the gift and the reason.....that way we would all look good on Christmas morning in our NEW PJ's.  And the tradition continues and my grandchildren look forward to "opening that special gift" on Christmas Eve.

Patti S York, PA (Sent Thursday, December 20, 2007 9:44 PM)

My favorite childhood memories of Christmas were when my siblings and I would wake up really early just to see all the presents under the tree. We wouldn't touch them until we woke up our parents, so the next stop was our parents bedroom. Looking back now, I feel bad for them staying up all night wrapping gifts only to wake up a couple hours later that morning to watch your kids open them...half asleep! It's well worth the 2 hours of sleep just to see how happy my kids are! That makes Christmas all the better.

Kayla Copeland, Seymour, Texas (Sent Friday, December 21, 2007 10:01 AM)

My favorite memories of christmas were the great lengths my mom went to to keep the magic of christmas alive for my sister and I.  She would pour a little water on the tile in front of the fireplace for melted snow, she even took one of my dads boots and left a footprint of soot on that tile one year.  She would get so excited to see the looks on our faces - and we thought it was the coolest thing ever!  Even today, she wants a list of about 50 items, so she 1)has a lot of choices and 2)we have no idea what we could possibly be getting.  Unfortunately, when I was 11 I recognized my mom's handwriting on the to and from tags, that's how I found out.  So, the next year...I had to write out the to and from tags at 2am so my sister wouldn't realize it was her!

Jenn, Omaha, NE (Sent Friday, December 21, 2007 4:37 PM)

Before my parents were divorced we spent our Christmas holiday between both sets of Grandparents. A couple days before Christmas my mom would let me open 1 gift(to ease the anticipation, apparently I drove her nuts)) but as a family we opened our gifts (from family and friends) on Christmas Eve. We would always leave milk and cookies for Santa. One year mom forgot to buy cookies and we ended up leaving Santa a bowl of chicken noodle soup. Christmas morning we found a handwritten note from Santa thanking us for the soup. He said it was a pleasant change from all the cookies and warmed him up enough to finish his trip. On Christmas Eve night, under our tree, was bare, but by Christmas morning Santa Claus had come and the tree was full again. My parents divorced when I was 6 years old and my Father, being a railroader, had to work every Christmas, so my holidays with Daddy usually came a few days after Christmas. I was told at an early age(by an older friend) that moms and dads were really Santa, but i didn't let on I knew. I pretended to believe until I was in the sixth grade. The exact tradition I remember I am continuing with my son.

Laura Marshall, Centralia, Illinois (Sent Sunday, December 23, 2007 9:28 AM)

Christmas is meant to be a celebration of the birth of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. That is what I missed out on as a child, not having that taught to me. I thought Christmas was a time for me to receive; not give. I am trying to make that portion of Christmas a tradition for my child, not what "santa" will put under the tree for him. I love Jesus for Christmas!

Ginger, Evansville In (Sent Monday, December 24, 2007 10:09 AM)

every christmas was special with my parents I was blessed with great parents that went out of there way to make a great christmas for my two sisters and my self  both of my parents are gone now but its still fun to just drift off in the dark on the couch to those christmas of the past thanks mom and dad

EW Troup 11214 lake side dr Manhattan Ks 66503 (Sent Monday, December 24, 2007 2:47 PM)

My parents used to leave a big gift like, The original  Kerplunk-Candy Land or a big doll at the end of our beds on Christmas Eve.   We were only allowed to play with that until they got up and Then we could open all the other presents.    My parents were very smart and knew how to get the extra sleep they needed on Christmas morning!  When we did open presents I remember getting a barbie doll that talked when you pulled the string on her neck.  I also got VELVET  the doll that grew hair. How far we have come with the electronic gifts now!
My next favorite Christmas was when I returned home from the military.  I hadn't seen my sister or parents in almost 2 years.  I was stationed in Hawaii so when I returned back to RI it was very COLD!  My parents purchased a very beautiful gray coat for me.  They really could not afford it but they were so excited that I was home and they were going to do anything to keep me there!  HEE HEE   I purchased many expensive gifts for the family too!  We laughed, ate and told stories.  It was an awesome Christmas!

Cherrilynn, Hampton, NH (Sent Tuesday, December 25, 2007 8:02 AM)

I come from a big family. We open some of the Christmas presents during the big Christmas Eve party (we take turns turns hosting every year) singing Christmas carols, playing old Christmas videos and memories of Christmas while enjoying being together with great food, holiday drinks, playing family trivia questions like who did what or said that during the last year, lo-lites and hi-lites, just like a game show!  Posing questions also like "name something you did to help someone in need", prayers and being grateful for blessings while doing the BIG gift exchange with friends and relatives before Midnight Mass, then afterwards we would all drive back home and open all the presents in the wee hours, as children we'd get home to find Santa had been there while we were gone.  Some relatives liked saving their presents for opening in the morning, but our immediate family always thought it was more exciting to keep the tradition of Christmas Eve night.  Then we would sleep in and make an enormous breakfast on Christmas morning, play games, take pictures, make more videos, watch movies, visit each other's houses until the huge family gathering for Christmas Dinner.

Tina, Denver, CO (Sent Wednesday, December 26, 2007 12:45 AM)

Matt, I can't remember to much about my Christmas as a child.  I was more determined I'd make new memories for my family and children.  We loved decorating, cooking and baking.  Being together laughing and guessing what the gifts would be.  At 61, a grandma, great grandma, mother, wife, and friend.  I start thinking about Christmas the day we take our tree and decorations down. I love the whole thing..and if it starts on Thanksgiving it's alright.  It extends the love and kindness many of us find during the holidays.  It sets aside, if only for a few days all the ills  of the world, and focuses on giving and recognizing what Christmas really is to each individual.
This year, besides working full time, I was able to start a new business, and include my family it's been fun.  We had 4 different celebrations because of extended families.  Helped our family come together as our mom passed 6 weeks prior to Christmas.  I was just diagnosed with cancer for the second time in three years (today) and recognize I will have a huge battle  to be ready for Christmas next year.  Life is swift and life is unknown.we go forward with an open mind and a prayer we'll be here for tomorrow.  Live today as well as you can..there are no guarantees about tomorrow..

My best, Dorothy from grammology
remember to call gram  

Dorothy Stahlnecker Amherst, New York 14221 (Sent Friday, December 28, 2007 2:39 AM)



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