We asked readers to share their thoughts on Christmas. Here are some responses:

Remembering friends and St. Ann’s

Some of my most nostalgic and special times were years ago when myself and my dear friend, Mary Ellen McCall, for several years decorated our church, St. Ann’s, Lansford, for the Christmas season.

Our pastor’s family had a tree farm so decorating involved several tall real trees as well as many other joyful, well placed, bows, etc.

While the project took us away for a day or so from our own Christmas projects, we loved doing it and felt very blessed to be able to contribute to our parish in this way. The undecorating of the church involved the help of the men of our family and dealing with many, many fallen needles!

Sadly our church is only a memory and my dear, sweet Mary Ellen and some of her helpful family have passed away. But, in my heart, I know Mary Ellen has encouraged heavenly angels and there is still some decorating being done. Miss her.

Rose Mary Cannon

Lansford

The Christmas Experience

I don’t have a particular memory, but rather the same memories for every Christmas.

Growing up in South Whitehall Township in Lehigh County, our home was beautifully decorated in a tasteful manner. People would actually slow down and stop to admire the decorations, both inside and outside, at night.

As I grew older, we went to the 11 p.m. church service on Christmas Eve. The hardest part was trying to stay awake.

If there were too many people (family and friends) to fit around the banquet size dining room table, my parents, then later my mother, would set up picnic tables and card tables in the recreation room downstairs. People would sit wherever they could find a seat.

The dinner would be served buffet style from the bar. If there was somebody who did not have a place to go on Christmas, that person would always be welcome at our house. There was always room for one more.

When I was small, I was warned that I had to behave myself, otherwise Santa wouldn’t come. My mother would take me to Hess’s in Allentown to visit Santa. He had a good memory, because there were an ample supply presents wrapped up under the tree.

My annual Christmas wish has never changed. I wish that all children could have a similar experience.

Richard Ochs

Walnutport

The Good Ol’ Days

I Love to reminisce about the good ol days when fondest memories of the good ol homestead of Coal Street, Lehighton (which I frequently passed over the years when I went to work or shopping).

I am thinking about Christmas and holiday family gatherings to celebrate the birth of Jesus and my Mom’s birthday which made it very special.

My mom was a lovely, kind person and made the holidays special, working hard to make all her special meals and really good desserts — she was a very good cook and baker.

There were sisters, brothers, parents, grandchildren, cousins, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law and sometimes aunts and uncles came. We had a fairly large family of 8!

Sometimes we would come in shifts due to living elsewhere and hopefully get to see our loved ones that we haven’t seen in awhile! Fun times with lots of laughs!

I’m also thinking about Christmas Eve with our new PJ’s and going to bed early only to sneak down the stairway and sit on the steps. They couldn’t see us for there was a door in the dining room where they would be pretending to talk to Santa. We’d hear the crinkling of the wrapping paper & then sometimes silence. We would just giggle quietly then dash up the steps when we heard them come near!

My dad had previously put up the platform, we then had an aluminum tree with a round wheel on the side that turned on to make the tree colorful (occasionally had a real tree). He loved race cars so instead of a train he would put a racetrack around the tree on the platform.

To make it exciting for us he always put tinsel on the trees and then would take it and put on the racetrack to make sparks and we would just get wowed as little kids. That was his highlight of the racetrack!

We didn’t get much for Christmas because there were too many of us but they did give us a lot of love, a warm clean house & all the necessities we needed. They taught us to work hard, but most of all have faith and be kind.

Love and miss you mom and dad.

Thank you for all the wonderful memories.

Now I am continuing making memories in our home for our family so one day they can reminisce too!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Happy Birthday Jesus and Mom.

Linda Heffelfinger Clay

JIM THORPE