Christmas Memories & Parents´ Love

Selling the christmas trees

Christmas reminds me of my parents working together to earn some extra money for the Christmas season, in the cold Netherlands, the last dark months of the year. My dad was cultivating Christmas trees on a small piece of land in the weekends. In the weeks before Christmas he loaded our parking lot in front of the house full and my mum sold them from our house to people in the neighbourhood. I remember her being busy cooking, taking care of two small kids as an extra job, getting the house to look ´Christmas-proof´ and still being there for us as an amazing mother.

They did it only for their children

Just before my thirtieth birthday, my sister, her husband and I were cleaning out our parents house, after they both deceased of cancer. Back in an old, white with purple box from the brand ´Pampers´, we found back a cash book from the year 1988. My mum had carefully recorded all income and expenses. With tears in our eyes, my sister and me realised that they were only selling the Christmas trees to buy us presents. My poor dad already worked many extra hours as a truck driver and my mum was also having some extra jobs in her already busy life.

Christmas spirits

But still they also sold the trees. Just to buy our presents. But they loved doing things like that and to be able to get us an extra surprise. It made them happy. Christmas was always so nice and mum created such a good vibe with a lovely decorated house and yummy food.

This year I was hanging the balls in the Christmas tree in the hostel where I am working and living at the moment. I started to cry. I couldn’t get the picture of my parents out of my mind. I wished for one small moment to go back to that time. I cannot remember otherwise then that we were truly happy in these times.

Now, I felt sad and a resistance about the fact that my parents can’t have Christmas with us on this planet.

Being grateful & inspired by my parents

Today I felt a change about my sadness. There was a sudden shift. It disappeared by realising that I have more reasons to be grateful for then to feel sad about. I wouldn’t have chosen different then to have had these parents in my life. The longer they are gone from our planet, the more they inspire me. They ARE a true inspiration to me.

Christmas reminds me of good times as a child and there are many children on this planet who are not having a good time at all. Let us not forget them in the holiday season. That’s what we should feel sad about.

Christmas for me is full of beautiful and loving memories. That´s my nostalgia. I have something to be amazingly grateful for.

“MERRY CHRISTMAS!”

Help other children during Christmas

If you´re considering to help children who are not having a good time over Christmas, please see the organisations below if interested:

War Child

UNICEF

If you have a nice Christmas memory to share or are inspired by somebody, share it in the comments box!