My fondest Christmas memory...

[enyawd72]

When my sister and I were little my parents always took us on a car ride through the residential streets on Christmas eve to look at all the lights...we drove around for a couple hours listening to Christmas songs on the radio, while the DJ would interrupt with updates on Santa's progress on radar!
Unknown to us kids, the radio station was about ten miles just outside of town with a lone blinking red light atop the transmission tower. My dad would drive within a few miles of it until you could just see the light through the snowy night sky and would shout, "Look, you can see Rudolph!"

We would get so excited you can't even imagine...it was absolutely magical. I'm actually tearing up as I write this...

That was one of the most awesome things my parents ever did for us. We didn't find out it was a radio station until years later. It's still there today...and I still think of those car rides every time I drive by there in December.

Thanks mom and dad...

[warlock664]

That's an awesome memory, thanks for sharing!

[skid14]

really awesome!

[Goblin19]

That's very cool.

[Nostalgiabuff]

that is so cool. what an amazing memory to have of times with mom and dad. my dad used to take all the kids out to look at people Christmas lights on Christmas Eve so my mom could put out the presents. we always opened on Christmas Eve growing up because we usually were traveling Christmas day.

[PNGwynne]

Lovely story, D. Thanks for sharing.

[YoungOnce]

That is very cool. The fact that your dad made the effort to provide a little "magic" for you guys tells a lot about him.

[Brown Bear]

I absolutely LOVE hearing stories like this one.

This is the kind of thing that makes the season my favorite. Great story.

[HardyGirl]

What a great memory! Thanks for sharing that w/ us!

[Hedji]

There truly is nothing like the childlike sense of wonder we all experience at times like that. The trick is to hold onto that as an adult. Seems to me you're doing a great job of that. I know you've spoken of not always having the happiest of childhoods, so it's great to hear that you had some memories like this.

[enyawd72]

There truly is nothing like the childlike sense of wonder we all experience at times like that. The trick is to hold onto that as an adult. Seems to me you're doing a great job of that. I know you've spoken of not always having the happiest of childhoods, so it's great to hear that you had some memories like this.

Yeah, my parents were very strict and it got worse as we got older. They could even be abusive at times. My mom verbally, and my dad physically, but I've forgiven them both. My mom's been gone 12 years now, and my dad has since realized what he did and regrets it.
Despite everything though, there were good times too. For a long time all I could think about were the bad times.
I had to learn to let it all go and focus on the good stuff. I feel a lot happier these days.

[Hedji]

^ Awesome, buddy. Truly awesome.