Having a Moment While in Big Lots

It is always at this time of the year when I get extremely nostalgic, sentimental and extra appreciative for this life of mine.  I assume that is the case for many but of course I only know the extent of it for myself.

 

Last week one morning I was in Big Lots buying additional Santa hats so that my children would no longer fight over the one that makes MANY appearances in this post.  By the way, Big Lots has a ton and they are only $2.50.  Perhaps you can now avoid WW III in your house too!  You’re welcome…

Anyway, of course I could not just pop in there for only one thing (x2), I had to peruse all the other Christmas stuff junk too and I found myself by the Christmas candies and cocoas, etc.  I was looking for something that I might possibly give to K’s pre-school teachers along with the gift cards I plan to give them.  The Ghiradelli peppermint chocolates kept calling my name from the top shelf!  It was sooo strange! 😉

As I glanced down and saw the boxes of cherry cordials I instantly thought of  my Mom’s mom and how she used to give each and every one of her grandchildren a box of them every Christmas.   I would dig into them on the boring drive home from her and my Grandpa’s farm house and just eat the chocolate and cream.  I did not like the cherries.  Still don’t.  Then I would leave the sticky mess of a box full of uneaten cherries on the floorboard of the back seat of our Buick.  I don’t know why my Mom never fussed at me about it.  I guess she came to expect it…

The memory ruminated in my head as I looked to another shelf and saw the “old fashioned” ribbon candies, just like my other Grandma used to have out every holiday season in a little dish on the shelf by “her chair”.  And in that moment it was like they were both there with me, in the middle of the Big Lots, via sugar-filled Christmas candies.  My Grandmas.

I couldn’t stop the rush of scenes going through my head of cousins and food and sharing of gifts and my Grandma Hosek’s “Charlie Brown”-like cedar tree covered in multicolored lights and now-vintage glass ornaments that made the branches droop.  Christmas cookies and kolaches and the old, metal space heater turned up to keep the warmth in her tiny living room,  even though so many of us were packed in there together.

And then I just started to think, about ALL the people in my life.  The ones I am currently thinking about buying gifts for and the ones I will send Christmas cards to and the ones who have come and gone in this life span of mine.  The ones I have known “forever” and those that know me the best.  The ones I hold THE most dear.  The ones who created me.

The people who teach and take care of my children when they are not with me.  The people who have helped my husband in his career and the people I used to work with, when I did.  The ones who entrusted me with their family memories.  The ones who have become friends just recently.  And people who have been major or even minor influences in my life.

The list of course, goes on and on… There are and have been so many amazing people in my life.

 

As I sit and fill out all the Christmas cards with my friends’ and family members addresses, I am again reminded of how many wonderful people are in my life.  And I am thankful for this time to BE reminded.

I also think about my own children and how I want their memories of the holidays to be as rich as mine.  Oh how I want them to remember the magic of family and being around those they love at this beautiful time of the year.

I only hope I can provide that for them and that someday they will write about those memories too, and maybe even recall the beauty and love while in the Christmas goodie aisle at Big Lots.

 

 

 

 

What reminds you of holidays from your childhood?