Treasured holiday memories keep us warm throughout the season

All over town, I asked people to tell me about their fondest holiday memories. Here's what they had to say:

Ellen Anderson: "Some years ago in a very warm December, my husband and son chopped down our family tree, brought it home and we all decorated it. Later in the day I heard all these rustling noises coming from the tree. Seems some caterpillars that were hibernating were encouraged by the warm lights to come out and crawl all over!"

Linda Batchford: "Our first Hanukkah in our new house in Elgin, my husband and I had our cat and two kittens with us as we lit the menorah and sang the song -- our extended family!"

Jerry Cain: "Going with my father to cut down our Christmas tree."

Renae Denunzio: "Three years ago, my cousins drove down to Amarillo, Texas, and brought my aunt, who couldn't drive because of illness, back up here for the holidays. She has just passed, but that time together was wonderful."

Donna Grimmett: "Last year I delighted my two teenage grandchildren by giving them gift certificates for computer gear, and a class in computer usage. It was very cool!"

Chuck Gruber: "Going ice fishing over the holidays with my uncle right off Belmont Harbor in Chicago."

Pat Hagel: "My sister and I were young and in our first jobs. In summer both of us started a layaway plan (unbeknownst to each other) to give our mother a nice gift at Christmas. My sister got mom a Mixmaster, and I got her a silverware set."

Ted Heise: "My dad's birthday was Dec. 24. We always had a party and he got his gifts that day. We were each allowed to open one Christmas present at his party!"

Jon Hutchison: "When I was 10 years old, our grade school class caroled in Thomas Nast Central Park in Morristown, N.J. I remember the light snow falling, Santa and a live reindeer being in the park, the lovely songs, and thinking that it all fit. There really was peace on earth.

Sue Kalfus: "My Catholic mother-in-law asked me for a mezuzah (doorpost prayer holder) for her Christmas present."

Lorraine Lax: "In the early '40s we lived on a pretty tight budget and wore hand-me-downs and got underwear for Christmas. Our kindly neighbor, Mrs. Martin, gave my six years older sister $10 to get her niece a Christmas gift. My sister and I went to Kresge's to get the gifts, and I was grumpy that someone else was going to get the things I helped pick out. On Christmas day, under the tree, was a large box from Mrs. Martin for me with all the things I'd gloomily picked out for her "niece." I learned a lesson!"

Jeanette Mihalec: "Four years ago changes in our family dictated starting new traditions. We began with celebrating St. Nicholas Day on Dec. 6, moved to St. Lucy on Dec. 13, enjoyed Puerto Rican Holiday party, a Colombian holiday party, and Hanukkah. Christmas was our last day, but by then the kids and I were partied out!"

Dan Miller: "Decorating the Christmas tree was a big, fun family project in my home in the '50s. Dad, Mom, my two older sisters and I all worked together on it. My sisters were older and very artistic and they didn't appreciate my throwing handfuls of metal tinsel on the tree. They would go around after me and make the tree a work of art."

Dale Mindell: "In the late '30s, my father, who never could keep a good secret, woke me in the middle of the night to show me my Christmas gift. It was a Sonja Henie doll, with a trunk full of clothes (including a girdle) and accessories like skates and skis. My dad's alterations lady had made the doll a white with red dotted swiss formal."

Bill Moylan: "Our first married Christmas, expecting our first baby, and having no car, we walked home in the snow to our apartment after Midnight Mass, singing carols."

Denise Raleigh: "As a grammar schooler, we'd travel to Grandma Parker's farm in southern Ohio. Grandpa and she were very talented musicians and singers, and the extended family would sing Christmas Carols and gospel songs for hours."

Dick Robinson: "Running security for a USO Bob Hope show in the Central Highlands of South Vietnam in 1967."

Pat Spekowski: "As a girl I lived on the West Side of Chicago. My favorite uncle came to the Christmas celebration and discovered he had left something important at this apartment. I fondly remember driving in his car on the snowy brand new Edens Expressway with almost no other traffic, to go get what he needed."

Pat Tindle: "My family was relatively poor -- both mom and dad worked. We each got a new coat for Christmas in a big box. On Christmas Eve we could pick one gift to open. Knowing about the coat box, I picked a smaller gift, which was a checkerboard. My dad and I played checkers all evening."

Bob Turner: "My fondest memory will be this coming Christmas with our first grandchild."

Larry Zisman: "Several years ago, my partner Karen and I spent the holiday bailing water out of our kids' basement, while they were skiing in Colorado."

Karen Zivin: "Having a Hanukkah meal with my in-laws. They have a musical menorah and our then little daughter used to dance as we lit the candles. Hopefully someday that special menorah will come down in the family.

May these holidays we are celebrating become fond memories for you and yours!

--Sue