Christmas Memories and Crazy Gifts: Guest Post

I thought it would be fun this week between Christmas and New Year's to do something different.  I have asked a couple of my friends and family members to write a guest post about something holiday-related.  

Today, please welcome my dear friend Carissa, as she recalls some crazy gifts, and time with family at Christmas in Indiana.

Christmas to me equals family. And for years we spent Christmas with our extended family in Indiana.

I grew up with my Uncle Rich, my Aunt Andy and my cousin Jeff.

We were all a part of each other, my family and theirs, for as long as i can remember.  A big roaming, loving, laughing unit of 7.  We traveled together, we gathered together, we ate together, we played together, we swam together, we gambled together, we road tripped together, and we christmas-ed together.

I relish memories of my time with them through the years.

And I especially relish memories of my Aunt Andy and her crazy Christmas gifts.

I certainly can't remember the gifts exactly.  (Well, there was that red boa, and the Lilly family sweatshirts, and the crazy pajamas....those I remember.)

But what I mainly remember was the anticipation.  The anticipation of opening the Aunt Andy gift.  Because just like Aunt Andy herself, you knew the gift would be feisty and full of life, sassy and a little unrealistic, but CHOCK FULL of spunk and BRIMMING OVER with personality.  You'd have no idea what do with the gift after you'd opened it, but you wouldn't be able to wipe the happy smile off your face as it sat in your lap.

My Aunt Andy passed away about 5 years ago.  And life without her in our family has not been the same since.

I miss her smile, I miss her laugh, I miss her gifts, and I miss her bravado.

When I think of crazy christmas gifts, I think of Aunt Andy.

And I wish so much there would be one sitting under the tree this year.