The Ghost of Christmas Past

I think that part of Christmas time is reflection and remembering past Christmases from your childhood. With that in mind, I found myself digging in Grandma Larsen's cedar chest.....

I found a needlepoint-type thing that my Mom made years and years ago (when we were little babies). It used to be in a square frame and hung on the wall each year at this time in our New Hope house, all throughout my childhood.

It must've taken a LONG time to do - there is a lot of detail in it and it was made with love.

But what I was really searching for in the cedar chest was my childhood Christmas stocking that Grandma Larsen made for me when I was born. I used it every year when I was younger, and even into my adulthood. I no longer hang it up because it's kind of fragile and I'm afraid of ruining it. And since Grandma is gone now, I want to keep it as kind of an heirloom of sorts.

Grandma made lots of these craft projects, and we each got a stocking and a decorated Christmas ornament. Even my Dad had one that she made - with his name "Richie" (as she called him - so cute!) and the year he was born (1939).

She even stitched the cursive name in the top - I love it!

Here is my Grandma Larsen - she was quite the lady! We had a lot of similarities - she would be up working on crafts or trimming her hedges at midnight or 2am! Gotta love 'ladies of the night'!

And a non-Christmas find in the cedar chest was my baby blanket! Here's Maggie getting ready to take a nap in my blankie......