Memories of Christmas

~Is it the search for the perfect Christmas tree or the outdoor decorating that makes it feel like Christmas? Local men and women reflect on the traditions that make the season bright.

Paul Schnare, Dr. Grow columnist

When I was a child, church was held at 6 p.m. sharp on Christmas Eve. My brothers and I would pile into the car, but for some reason, Dad always had to run back into the house because he forgot something. At the church all of the children in the congregation would relive the wonderful story of Jesus' birth through recitations made by the angels, shepherds, wise men, Mary and Joseph. After church we would make our way home, only to find that Santa Claus had come while we were away. The rest of the evening was spent opening gifts and playing with them. Today we continue this same family tradition. Marilyn and I, my daughter, Nicole, her husband, Gary, and our grandchildren, Kelsi, Coby and Kory, attend church on Christmas Eve. Although the children's Christmas program has been changed to another evening in December, we still listen to the story of Jesus' birth through song and scripture readings. The story never changes, but it seems brand new every Christmas. Then it's off to grandpa's house for snacks. When we get into the house, there is a mad dash to see if Santa may have dropped off a few packages. Of course, every year Santa has made his trip.

Morley Swingle, prosecuting attorney of Cape Girardeau County

We always buy and decorate a real Christmas tree. For many years we sent out Christmas cards, but quit doing so after our list grew so large that the work in getting them out exceeded the fun of doing it. As Christmas nears, the pile of presents underneath the tree grows. We attend Christmas Eve service at Centenary United Methodist Church. At bedtime, we put out cookies and milk for Santa Claus. We never open presents until Christmas morning. Stockings are filled during the night. In the past, Santa handled that chore by himself, but in more recent years family members have contributed surreptitiously to each other's stockings. After spending the morning with family, the prosecutor usually spends Christmas afternoon typing arrest warrants for criminals apprehended during the night. To date, no elves, reindeer nor wise men have ever been nabbed by local police.

Natika Rowles, executive director of the Boys and Girls Club

Moving to Cape Girardeau has been a blessing for my husband, our three sons and me. This Christmas will be special and extremely memorable to our family. Our family will be celebrating Christmas in our first house. We are not only grateful to be able to purchase a home, but are proud that our first home together is in Cape Girardeau. We have always celebrated Christmas with relatives out of town; this year we are inviting our family to Cape Girardeau to celebrate this wonderful holiday and fill our home with the joy of Christmas. This will be the foundation of a new tradition for the Rowles family. The menu will consist of grilled steak and smoked beef brisket, pork loin, vegetables, sweet potatoes, greens, mac and cheese, and my grandmother will be making her famous punch bowl cake. Not the traditional turkey and ham -- nothing is ever typical in the Ellen Shuck, director of religious education at St. Mary Cathedral

Our Christmas traditions have stayed much the same over the years. As a child, our family always mailed cards with an individual note inside each. We also decorated a Christmas tree to stand in our living room in front of a window for all to see. Then we ate various snacks and goodies on Christmas Eve night. The big moment was opening our presents and checking our stockings on Christmas morning, meager though they were.

My dad, Charles, saw to it we all attended Mass on Christmas morning after exchanging gifts. Afterwards, the family gathered for a big feast of turkey, ham and all the trimmings. I always ate until I was stuffed, particularly with mom's dressing.

When my children arrived, we kept most of the same traditions including the Christmas tree with the manger scene underneath. Attending various church services plays a major part. Christmas Eve is still a time to gather and enjoy goodies and fellowship.

We play a game where we throw dice to see who picks a gift from a pile of presents. As it proceeds one can steal a gift from another. We open gifts, children play and we all have fun visiting until late into the evening.

Everyone still attends Mass on Christmas morning or at midnight. More gifts are opened and stockings hanging on the fireplace are checked. I think we still have a Norman Rockwell Christmas!

Tom Harte, A Harte Appetite columnist

Typically we get together with my wife's side of the family on Christmas Eve and attend church services with them. I usually fix a light supper before we go. The menu varies, but it's always a main dish with red and green in it. Dessert varies too, but, of course, it's always something holidayish. I used to make tons of Xmas cookies, but I don't make quite so many any more these days.

After church we come back to the house and open presents and have another dessert -- this time a birthday cake because Christmas Eve is my brother-in-law's birthday.

The next morning my wife and I open our presents, and when the kids were still living here that was when Santa came. This year they'll be here for that along with my 2-year-old granddaughter. We have breakfast -- this year it's pannetone french toast -- and then we head off to St. Louis to spend Christmas afternoon and evening with the Harte side of the family, opening gifts and of course, eating.

Jeff Long, pastor of Centenary United Methodist Church

All of our Christmas traditions come by way of my wife. During the day on Christmas Eve, we take our two kids to the dollar store and give them money. Cash in hand, they walk around and buy Christmas gifts for each other and for their parents. Since they both have cash, they approach the cash register without parental assistance and pay. It's all very hush-hush and truly a surprise when we open their presents.

As pastor of Centenary United Methodist, I preach at both our Christmas Eve services. Once at home, I read "The Night Before Christmas" to my daughters from a big old book we only use for this purpose.

We hold off opening presents until Christmas morning. We eat breakfast first then my wife summons the children into the living room where I hand out presents one at a time. We clean up and call the grandparents.

Most years, our daughters accompany us around town taking a few poinsettias (leftovers from Christmas Eve) to a few folks we know. We try to be done before noon so we can enjoy the rest of the day together.

Carla Wills of Cape Girardeau

My son and his wife from Iowa come down for Christmas. My daughter and her husband, my brother-in-law and his wife all come over and we eat a big dinner.

When it's time to open gifts, we hand them out one at a time -- to make it last longer.

The family stays for about three days, and then my husband takes down the Christmas decorations immediately after they leave.

Mary Gantt of Cape Girardeau

On Christmas Eve, we turn out all the lights in the house, leaving just the lights of the Christmas tree on. I read the Christmas story out of the Bible to remind the children why we are celebrating Christmas. It's a very neat and calming tradition that we've never missed.

Susan McClanahan, Recipe Swap columnist

Christmas Eve is a very special day for our family. All day we prepare for what we call the "Kinsey Food Emporium" that we have after Christmas Eve candle light service at Grace United Methodist Church.

After church we go to my parent's house near McClure to visit with family and friends. It is a huge spread of great food and visiting with those important people is the perfect ending to the day.

My husband Scott and I spend Christmas morning opening gifts with our children. Then we walk to my in-laws for the best Christmas morning brunch and gift opening. Both of Scott's grandmothers and his brother's family join us for this fun time.

Early afternoon takes us back to Illinois where we join my five siblings and their families at our parent's house. If the weather is pretty, the kids love to play outside. Because there are so many of us, the kids go first with their gifts, then the adults join in a little later. It is a flurry of activity.

By the end of the night, we make our way back home to fall in bed and thank God for another blessed year with our family all around us. It truly is a "Wonderful Life!"

Jay Knudtson, Cape Girardeau mayor

Up until two years ago, my family would always search out a Christmas tree farm, find a tree and cut it down. I'm sorry to admit we have surrendered to the artificial tree out of convenience. I really miss that very special tradition.Another thing we always do is church on Christmas Eve, followed by oyster stew that we have cooking on the stove. The best thing we've done in the past is go to my mom's house, back where I grew up in northern Minnesota. We go snowmobiling and ice fishing. Gunnar

and I went into town on a snowmobile, and had a cup of soup and hot chocolate. Those are the memories that are great, those are the traditions we have and those are the things we try to keep alive.

Paul Sander, Jackson mayor

For many years my family, me, my wife of 24 years, Pam, and our sons, Sam and Spencer, have attended an early evening church service on Christmas Eve. Then we go to my father and mother-in-law's for dinner, games and the opening of presents. On Christmas morning my mother, Mrs. Leonard Sander, and my in-laws, Johnny and Joann Hahn, come to our house for a late breakfast. After breakfast some more presents are opened. By midafternoon everyone heads home, and Pam, Sam, Spencer and I go to the movies. However, this year we will break tradition. Every year our family goes snow skiing. We normally would go later in the winter, but this year we are going for a few days over the Christmas holiday. It will be different, not being home for Christmas, but I know we

will have a great time.