We're celebrating Christmas in July with "throwback" photos of some of our hosts! Can you guess who? Enjoy!
Nicole's only pic with Santa! -Pat James Dementri
This picture was taken late Nov 1996 while I was performing on a Japanese Luxury Cruise Ship. This is from one of the Christmas, which we sang/danced on rollerblades! Yes, rollerblades, on a moving ship & in typhoons, at times! It was a hoot! Merry Christmas in July! -Nancy Hornback
My fav childhood memories took place at Christmas. Mom n dad used to put a mini tree nxt 2 my bed, and we'd open a door on my advent calendar every night, and on Christmas Eve we'd put out real candle luminaries and mom would cook my grandmas famous duck rice for dinner. Christmas morning I'd awake to ribbon candy left by Santa on my bedside table, santas footprints left in the chimney (tho they looked suspiciously like dads in white cooking flour) and we had to wait at top of stairs sitting on our brown shag carpeting before dad said coast was clear. Then we'd zip downstairs to find all santas loot. One year I got a goldfish. The best years were full of Barbie everything. our dog Jiggs would eat the candy canes off the Christmas tree...and after gifts, mom wud pop a SaraLee coffee cake in the oven. To this day it's my fav! -Shawn Killinger
Seeing a play, having a great dinner & checking out the tree in Rockefeller Center is a new holiday tradition for me. -Rachel Boesing
I love Christmas! The traditions and time spent with those we love are what make it special. Whether it’s greeting Santa, or trimming the tree, or baking cookies, or singing carols, or helping others, there is a spirit of the season that warms the heart. One of my favorite Christmas memories was when I was about 6, my sister Mona was 4 and my brother Clint was not quite 3. The Christmas tree was up and the lights were strung on our house, and the houses of most of our neighbors, in the 1960's tract home where we lived.
The three of us, Mona, Clint and I, were in our living room staring at our tree with all the lights and decorations (what little kid doesn’t love doing that?) and talking excitedly about what we wanted for Christmas.
I remember my mother saying, simply, "we celebrate Christmas, because it is Jesus’ birthday". Well, for little kids, when it’s someone’s birthday, the thing to do is to sing "Happy Birthday". And that’s exactly what we wanted to do. So, my mother got a candle, and put it in the center of the coffee table there in the living room and lit it, and my sister and brother and I sang “Happy Birthday To You” to baby Jesus. We were thrilled and I can still remember the tickled look on my parents faces as the three of us belted out that birthday song. -Leah Williams
Lol... This is me with my first guitar that I got for Christmas. I wanted to be a Beatle!!! I'm singing "I Wanna Hold Your Hand"... I even had the hair-do right! Tee Hee J Xoxo Antonella Nester
The Joy of Giving - "It's better to Give than it is to Receive." From my Catholic upbringing, it seems to me I've heard that phrase a time or two. But as a kid, when it comes to Christmas presents... receiving is not too bad either!! I vividly remember opening the box, oh so many years ago, to discover that big... yellow... Tonka Truck I'd been wanting. Thank you Santa!!
Santa has continued to be a very jolly, busy visitor to our home through the years. As our sons, Nick and Josh get older, they continue to make lists. And as they're rolling their eyes, we still tell them they have to 'ask Santa'.
Christmas is a time of Joy, family, great food, and for our family, celebrating the birth of Christ. While it's also a time to reflect on the joys of the Holiday season, Christmas, for me, is also a reminder of time moving on. It's seems like just yesterday I was the little kid opening the presents! What happened?? When I look at the Christmas card photos of our sons, I once again drop my jaw at how fast they seem to be growing up. So many wonderful Holiday memories. Why wait for the actual Christmas Holiday season to celebrate the joys of family. Why not give some extra love during Christmas in July! After all, it's better to give than to receive. :)
Merry Christmas (in July)! -Rick Domeier
This Christmas was special because my sister, Barbara, and I got a kid sized pool table! Santa was in such a rush, he lost two of the balls on the way to our house, but we didn't care! It was one of the best gifts ever!
-Sharon Faetsch