kitkathi Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 This is going to be such a hard time of the year for me. Pop's was Christmas!! He did all of the holiday shopping (food and gifts). He was always Santa Claus. I was chatting with mom last night and I suddenly realized that this would be the first Christmas that I would not get these special old fashioned chocolate covered marshmallow Santas wrapped in red foil. Even when they seemed to disappear from stores, Pops would somehow get them from a specialty shop (mom is soooo not a shopper; she will just give out checks this year). Every year Pop's and I would go out the day after Christmas and shop. We would hit a few stores super early and then have a nice breakfast somewhere. Now I have no one to make fun of about their preference for the horrible jellied cranberry sauce with the can marks still on the slices Perhaps I can leave a can at his grave. I used to joke with Pop's that it was his love of the canned cranberry sauce and the instant powered gravy that made him ill!! Anyway, just babbling. I know Christmas is a few months off but Pop's was thinking about Christmas year round.............. Kathi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeR Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 Kathi, My Dad was all about Christmas too! I miss him everyday, but the holidays are extremely hard. It sounds like you have so many wonderful memories of your pop. I think it is those very precious special memories that help you make it through the holidays. I know it sure helps me. Your pop sounded like a wonderful dad. What a gift we were given in this life to have dad's we adored. Take care, Diane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patkid Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 (((Kathi))) Honey, we are so sorry for your sadness. Love Brat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patkid Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 PS Brian and I giggle about the jellied cranberry sauce, too. We have a family member who thinks it is manna from Heaven. Some years she makes little wiggly sandwiches of it w/ cream cheese in the middle and once she mixed it all up w/ whipping cream. It is so yucky. But aren't those memories just wonderful?????? And we love her a ton, there is just no accounting for cranberry preferences!! P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LynneH Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 Kathi, What wonderful Christmas memories you have of your Pop. I know the memories cannot replace him being here, but perhaps they will help you smile a little during the tough holiday time. I think leaving a can of that nasty cranberry stuff is a great idea. I don't think you would have to worry about anyone stealing the stuff! Pat said it -yucky. Take care, Lynne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunny Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 I don't know what to say. just know we're here. I'm so sorry for all this sadness. xoxo amie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharyn Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 Christmas is so very hard. We lost Dad a week before Christmas last year. So this is really my second Christmas without him, but, I think I was still too numb last year to realize what was going on. I was going through Christmas ornaments in my basement the other night, and found the card he had written to me on Christmas 2003... his last Christmas with us... I would like to share what he wrote to me... "Hi Hon, Thanks for being so good to me. I love you and I am so lucky to have a child like you, so nice and always looking out for me. I am blessed. I wish the best for you always. God has blessed me also. I feel so good. Thanks to you and Mom and God. You will always have a special place in my heart. I love you so much. See you at Christmas time. Love you always, Daddy..." I read the card and just cried and cried... but I am so glad I kept it..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nancy c Posted November 6, 2005 Share Posted November 6, 2005 I am sorry for everyone's heartache at Christmas. I know mine won't be the same. God bless you all, and I am holding everyone in my prayers. God bless,Nancy C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stand4hope Posted November 6, 2005 Share Posted November 6, 2005 Kathi, I love the holidays and am going to do EVERYTHING I can to make them enjoyable in spite of our loss. I know Don would not want me to change anything because he knew how much I love Thanksgiving and Christmas. I'm having a huge crowd of 23 for dinner Thanksgiving (well, actually the Friday after Thanksgiving). I plan to have them all back for Christmas. My son, however, isn't so enthusiastic. Last year he had moved to Arizona in November and we told him if he went then that he wouldn't be able to come home for Thanksgiving and Christmas, to which he very much agreed. Now he blames ME that he didn't get to have Christmas with his dad last year because it was ME who wouldn't let him come home. Actually, it was mostly Don. As Christmas got closer, he pushed for a ticket to come home, but it was next to impossible to get a flight, and even if we did find a seat, I think it was going to cost $600-$800. Don told him NO WAY! He told him that he knew when he went out there that he wouldn't be able to come home. He actually had a very nice Christmas with some friends out there and even bragged about sitting out in the sun around a swimming pool on Christmas Day. But now, it's another reason for him to be angry about something else. He doesn't want to have anything to do with the holidays and says he isn't even coming to my *#%^&@ house for Thanksgiving. I told him "WHATEVER!" Just wait - he'll be here! Love to all, Peggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treebywater Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 (((((Kathi)))))) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 I know that we all still have the real meaning of Christmas in our hearts, even if it is hard to outwardly celebrate and enjoy it as we once did. I lost Dennis 10 days before Christmas. He absolutely loved the holidays and was more childlike than any of our boys ever were. We always joked him about his Christmas shopping. He always had a really great idea of what he was buying for everyone but without fail, he would wait until Christmas Eve to hit the malls. Then, he would come home so happy with all his treasures. I can't believe that this will be his third Christmas in Heaven. I sure hope he can see the lights from all the trees, as this was his favorite thing. Kathi, we just have to all pull through this time together. I am so very sorry for your pain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staceyabee Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 This will be our first year without Dad around for the holidays. I am dreading them. Our loss is still very fresh (Sept) though I doubt it'd be easier if he'd died many months ago. My dad loved Christmas. He'd insist that my mom hang up our construction paper Christmas trees and stockings - yup - the ones we'd made in grade school. And my siblings and I are in our 30s!!!!!!!!! It's going to be so hard. My brother and sister-in-law will travel home, too, with my beautiful niece. She'll be 1 on my Dad's birthday (also in December - it's going to be a brutal month). How bittersweet that'll be. My dad was overjoyed to be a grandfather at last so whenever I spend time with my niece, I am happy because I adore her, but at the same time, it breaks my heart that my Dad isn't around to enjoy her. He'd be on Cloud Nine to spend her first Christmas with his granddaughter. I hope everyone is kind to themselves this holiday season. It'll be tough. I'm going to try to remember the good times and, though it'll hurt like heck, it seems far better than just pretending nothing has happened. What else can you do but go on and carry their memory with you? Take care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJAS Posted November 10, 2005 Share Posted November 10, 2005 Kathi, I haven't been able to come to the board much over the last few months, so I missed the post on the loss of your father. I am so sorry to hear that this wonderful man has passed away. Your stories such as this one illustrate the loving legacy of memories which he left with his family. I hope the memories of all those happy Christmas celebrations will help fill the emptiness of this year. You are in my heart and thoughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kim Posted November 10, 2005 Share Posted November 10, 2005 Kathi, I know how you feel. Christmas was my mom's favorite too. She would buy the grand kids LOTS of presents. Dad would tell her she was spending to much, but then he would look under the tree and tell her she didn't get enough, so she would get the second load out of the closet because she knew he would say that! She loved to watch the grand kids open their presents and I always just loved watching her watch them! Try to be happy this Christmas, what better place to celebrate than at Jesus's side! I will try very hard, to do the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hankon Posted November 12, 2005 Share Posted November 12, 2005 I know it is difficult.My daughter wanted it tobe the biggest christmas ever.She passed away oct 22.We decided in her honor to try tomake it agood christmas.I hope you can somehow clebrate christmas in your fathers honor Henry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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