My first Christmas as an Orphan

[BOSSHOG]

I've had 50 good years and have much to be thankful for (including DU). My father passed away last April, my mother died many years ago. My wife and I decided that this Christmas will be spent alone, exchanging gifts and enjoying each others company which is the easiest thing in the world for me to do. I have an electric Christmas candle in the North Window for my Mom and Dad to see. My mother put that candle in my bedroom window when I joined the Navy hundreds of years ago to light my way home. I didn't get home much but the candle was always in the same place. When my Dad died, the candle came home with me and its still providing outstanding service. Merry Christmas all..

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Merry Christmas

I know your folks see the light.

[ernstbass]

2. Hope you have a good peaceful holiday

I'm gald you and your wife have each other

[arwalden]

3. What A Wonderful Symbol Of Your Love For Them...

... I think that's a perfect way to honor your parents. Very touching.

[thinkingwoman]

4. Merry Christmas to you

and your wife. May your holiday be warm, relaxing, and happy.

I'm all for staying home and sharing Christmas with the one(s) you love the most, btw. My husband and I are young, with teenagers, and we've been spending Christmas, Hannukah, and Solstice this way for years.

Others think we're anti-social when we politely decline invitations to big family and friend gatherings. But we just smile and wish them well, because after the holidays they complain and we feel rested and refreshed.

We cherish our private holiday celebrations, where we can reflect and enjoy being together in peace and quiet.

I hope your Christmas is wonderful. I'm sure your parents are with you in spirit. The candle is lighting their way.

Peace.

[BOSSHOG]

5. Thank you very much

for the kind response. We do enough socializing during the year that this time of year gives us an opportunity to concentrate on each other. In recent days I've thought about the big Christmas' we had when Mom and Dad were still here. Mom would go all out with food and decorations and those times make for wonderful memories. I do believe its the best present parents can give. I hope we all have a happy and healthy 2005.

[yellowdogintexas]

6. I am with you Bosshog. My dad died in 1981, but my mom

just passed away this October. So now I am an orphan too.

I will miss my mom at Christmas; we always had a lot of fun together baking cakes, and staying up late to get the "Santa Claus" ready for my younger sisters. One of my best memories is the Great Building of the Barbie Dream House for my middle sister (5 years younger). I was 12, she was 7 and my mom was pregnant w/my baby sister, and we were up until about 1 or 2 am, inserting tab A into Slot B, building the cardboard Barbie Dream House. Lots of hot chocolate, german chocolate cake and fierce fits of giggling went into that project, let me tell you. We always had a lot of fun, but some things just will always stand out.

My Christmas was to have been a quiet day with my daughter until yesterday am when my husband called to get me to book him a flight home from Wyoming.

So we will have a full family Christmas after all.

On that note, I hope your family has a wonderful Holiday, and that there are many wonderful memories to cherish

[Bullwinkle925]

11. Merry Christmas Yellowdog

Thanks for sharing such a wonderful memory. Mine is the fantastic smell of gingerbread baking as I come into the house from frollicking in the snow.

[yellowdogintexas]

16. that is a good one! gingerbread smells like heaven

And thank you too.

God bless us in 2005

[Individualist]

7. I also light Christmas candles for my parents

My dad died of a heart attack in Dec. '64, and my mother of cancer Dec. 30, '96 when I was 53. The next year my (repug) brother and his wife decided to go out of town for Christmas. I'm single, and unfortunately he's the only immediately family member I have left.

Obviously I was depressed as hell that Christmas season, but a couple of days before Christmas a friend from out of state sent me a gift, a beautiful floral arrangement. It had two candles, and I decided on Christmas Eve it would be nice to have a quiet moment and light the two candles in memory of mom and dad. Afterward I emailed my friend and told her what I had done and that I had decided I'd start a tradition of doing this every Christmas Eve. Each year since then, another beautiful floral arrangement has arrived a few days before Christmas, always with two candles, and each year I continue my Christmas Eve tradition.

Peace to you, Bosshog and to you yellowdog. As many of us know, the first year of holidays after the death of a loved one are the most difficult, especially Christmas with all the emphasis on family. When I light my candles tonight, I'll be thinking of you and your wife as well.

[Rowdyboy]

8. My first was in 1999....Mom died on Labor Day....

We had some kick-ass Christmases with 20-25 people cramming into my parents small house. Enough food to feed a football team, screaming children and wonderful smells. Later, at night, we'd crack open a beer, gather round the breakfast bar and play poker. All gone now.....Families are so incredibly fragile and a few years can make an enormous difference.

This year, my guy is away taking care of his elderly mom. I'm probably going to walk to Midnight Mass and have dinner tomorrow with some strangers who invited me through a common friend. They're having fried oysters for Christmas dinner, so they're obviously my kind of people. Think I'll make a cheesecake.

Merry Christmas to you and Mrs BH...

[Solly Mack]

9. (((((((((((((BossHog)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

I couldn't imagine holidays without my mom. She died in '92. It took time before I could even consider a "happy" holiday. In fact, this is my first "celebrated" Christmas since her death.

[Bullwinkle925]

10. My 17th Christmas as an Orphan

I share with you and all the others those special, quiet feelings of love and loss. I wish all of you a wonderful Christmas.
Peace!

[UrbScotty]

12. This is my dad's first Christmas without his father.

Grandpa died in April as well.

Grandma says she thinks this will be her last, even though she has gotten physically better over the past few months.

[RetroLounge]

13. What a nice way to honor them.

May you have a most merry Christmas and Holiday Season.

My folks are still here, and in their 70's. One day I will be in your place and hope to handle it with such grace and honor.

Thank you.

RL

[leftofthedial]

14. Merry Christmas to you and Mrs. BOSSHOG

Peace, Joy and Love

[Midlodemocrat]

15. Mine, too.

My mom died in 2002 and my dad passed in August. I can't believe how sad I am today. I really, really miss them.

[Bullwinkle925]

17. We're all with you in spirit...

I understand the difficulty of this holiday for you. Each of us responds in our own way - do whatever you wish to do that is heartfelt. We are indeed a community of orphans - someone who hasn't walked in our shoes cannot comprehend the overwhelming sensation of loss.
Peace be with you.

[auntAgonist]

18. My husband always had a candle in the window ..

every time his son was hospitalized (cystic fibrosis). Your story touched me deeply. My mother is gone, never forgotten, my candle in the window shines for her. My father is in Canada, I'll call him Christmas morning. D and I will spend Christmas alone too. Just us. together.

Merry Christmas BossHog

:hug:

[flamingyouth]

19. Merry Christmas to you

And here's an extra :hug:

I love the candle - I'm sure your folks will see.

[AngryAmish]

20. Me too

Does sound kinda weird for a middle aged man to call myself an orphan, but what the heck.