Re:Ignite – Creating Christmas Memories

December is Holiday Season

A season for sharing and creating Christmas memories.

Christmas Eve candlelight services are profound to me. How the light of One is passed from one to another, overcoming the darkness. As a mountain lover, the month of December reignites special childhood memories. Memories gives us the opportunity to pass the light of creating Christmas memories on to others.

In some ways Summit Surprise is one aspect of passing the inspiration that comes to us from the mountains on to others, especially at Christmastime.

Mountain Holidays

December in the mountains means so many things, depending on where you grew up or presently live. If you’re inspired, why not share what memories are reignited for you during this Holiday Season?

For me (Scott), growing up in the Berkshires of New England in December meant:

❄ Snow ❄ Sledding ❄ Skiing ❄ Parties ❄ Hot Drinks ❄ Lights ❄ Christmas ❄

Here are some reignited memories as I write this month’s opening muse.

Old Saint Nick

Christmas was and is my favorite holiday. As a kid it was a magical time even though I had no concept of the holidays true meaning, the birth of a Savior, Jesus Christ. I didn’t figure this out until I was 21.

As a kid I believed in Santa Claus. I mean who wouldn’t want to believe in a jolly good fella who brings you toys. And delivers them right to your house –  just like your Summit Surprise Box!

Not only my house, but also to my Grammy Kay’s, Grandpa Stuart’s, and Grammy Du’s. Think of it. Four Christmases! It’s like Christmas heaven.

South Mountain Road

Christmas always began at home on South Mountain Road. Picture a white, late 1700’s colonial style house with green shutters, surrounded by an evergreen hemlock hedge probably dusted with a few inches of fresh snow. The barn is off to the northwest where we kept the skis and sleds.

Keep heading up and around South Mountain and you end up at Bousquet ski area. It’s a 750′ vertical wonder, at least to the kids who who claimed it as their own kingdom.

Never a morning person, especially as a kid, the magic of Christmas meant I couldn’t wait to wake up! First to a stocking filled with goodies that Santa left on my bed. After quickly checking and caching the contents for later, I went bounding downstairs with my brother and sister to the Big Room; the “formal” living room with the fireplace where the stockings hung the night before.

The Christmas Present Tree

After a glance over at the coffee table with the now empty plate and glass where cookies and milk for Santa were put out, all attention was on the focal point. The Christmas tree. There they were. What was a Christmas tree all by itself was now adorned at its base with a pile of brightly colored presents of all sizes and shapes, just waiting to be distributed amongst us.

Over The River and Through The Woods

I guess we ate some kind of breakfast before we all loaded into the car and made the forty-five minute trip over the river and through the woods to grandmothers house in Sharon, Connecticut. She lived on the side of a wooded mountain complete with a little ski hill served by a couple of rope tows. Can you believe it!

This was my dad’s mom, who loved parties. She put on a huge Christmas dinner for us, our aunts and uncles, cousins, and some of her neighboring friends. Of course every room was decorated with traditional New England style, including nuts and candy we only saw one time a year. And always more presents.

From there we’d head over my grandpa’s who also lived on the side of a mountain. There we might eat some leftovers (especially pie) and open more presents. It was usually a quick stop because we had one more place to visit. My mom’s mother or Grammy Du as we kids called her. She didn’t live on the side of a mountain, just at the base of a big hill.

More aunts and uncles, cousins, food and… presents.

Just The Beginning

By the time we arrived back home we three kids were passed out in the car and mom and dad had to make several trips to carry us and the goods into the house. We just couldn’t bear getting out of a warm car into winters’s dark, cold air. Carry me daddy!

But Christmas Day was only the beginning. It also meant the start of –CHRISTMAS VACATION– better translated, skiing. We always had at least a week off from school, most years even longer. Nearly every day we’d head up to Bousquet, our local ski hill less than a mile and a half up the road.

King Of The Hill

We would shred day and night. Winters in the Berkshires back then were still filled with abundant snow all season. It was true. Kids were king of the hill. At least we thought we were. Once we joined the ski team, there was no stopping us.

Top the holidays off with a New Year’s Eve torchlight parade and party. What more could a kid ask for.

Creating Christmas Memories For Others

We’re seasoned enough to know that not everyone was or is fortunate to have a wonderful, magical holiday season as a child. This only increases our gratitude and desire to do whatever can be done to pass the love on to others we’ll be with during the holidays this month.

How about you? Do you have a reignited memory you are willing to share? Join us in creating Christmas memories to share with others in the comments below.