My Favorite Christmas

shared by Leeann Crosby

When I was born, guess you would call me the " after thought". Twelve years separated me and my next sister Betty. My two older sisters, Jean and Eileen, were soon gone and starting families of their own. When I was two I lost my sister Betty, she went off to live with one of my sisters.

So guess I can say I don't remember having a family Christmas. I wasn't the only one who missed having a family Christmas.

In 1992, my sister Betty gave me the best Christmas present ever, Really 
she played Santa to us all. We would spend Christmas as a family. 

She arranged for my our older sisters Eileen and Jean to come from New Brunswick also realized that year what wonderful children I had raised. My oldest girl, Michelle and my grand daughter would be spending Christmas with her new family.

It was such a struggle for me, to leave her behind and too miss Christmas
with them. She made it so easy for me, she would not hear of me staying 
home when I finally was going to get a chance to have a " family Christmas
with my sisters".

What a time we had, Santa's sleigh must have been over loaded that year.
And we never forgot the parents who have left us so many years ago. My gift to my sisters was a painting of us all. Betty gave me a broach that had once belonged to my mother.. we shared so much that year.

The meal was perfection, some of my nephew and nieces came to share the meal with us. I set the table that night, and never noticed I set extra plates.. but with but with setting a table with that many settings who was counting..

The door bell rang. Santa had come again.. who was standing at the door
but my daughter Michelle and her family... who came to share a real family Christmas meal.

I might not remember the Christmases when I was one and two years old.
I know I will always cherish the Christmas on 1992. Since then, I have
lost two of my sisters, so I thank God and Santa every day for my sister
Betty, that she had the fore sight to have a family Christmas. 

I have celebrated many Christmas's in this long life of mine.. but this 
will go down in history as my best Christmas ever.