Holiday memories

Singing carols, stringing popcorn, making footprints in the snow, Memories, Christmas memories, they're the sweetest ones I know. Cookies baking in the kitchen, cards and ribbons everywhere, Memories, Christmas memories, float like snowflakes in the air. Oh the joy of waking Christmas mornings, the family round the tree, We had a way of making Christmas morning as merry as can be, I close my eyes and see shining faces Of all the children who now have children of their own Funny, but comes December, and I remember every Christmas I've known.

- Christmas Memories as sung by Frank Sinatra

Whether you travel or stay home, open presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, cook a goose or order in a pizza, we all have special memories of the holidays. We asked you to share yours and you did - some funny, some sad, and all touching.

Vicky Homatas-Goudis, Itasca

The co-owner of Bread Butter Restaurant in Itasca says her favorite memory is hanging Christmas lights this season outside her home with her husband, Angelo, and 3-year-old daughter, Leia. She jokes that her husband did most of the work while she and her daughter supervised. Ryan Brown, Palatine"My family and I went down to Memphis to be with my cousin, Kathleen, during the holidays while she was being treated at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. It really showed me how truly special and important family really is.Elise Hauptman, Vernon Hills"New Year's Eve, 1997, I was in labor with my first child and my OB asked me if I could hurry up so he could go out and celebrate with some cocktails. He was joking - sort of - but I love him and he could've drunk by my bedside had he wanted. I'd already been in labor 16 hours at that point, and delivered Haley at 1:45 in the afternoon, so he was safe. I, alas, was NOT given champagne, just more IV drip. Not only was there no hospital celebration, nothing was open, so my visitors all came empty-handed - no room full of pink balloons, flowers or stuffed animals like I'd always seen on TV. A fair trade - I still had my healthy baby girl who's quickly approaching 11." Leslie Piotrowski, Third Lake"One of my favorite holiday memories goes back to the days when I was a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines (1983-85). Every year, the volunteers in my area would get together for the Christmas holiday on a small island. On Christmas Eve, we would sit around a bonfire on the beach and sing Christmas carols. While we all greatly missed our homes and families, there was a great comfort and fellowship in singing those songs." Mathias John Seiwert III, Vernon Hills"When I was roughly six years old, my parents helped me carefully set out homemade cookies and a cold glass of milk in front of the fireplace for Santa. The next morning, I ran into the living room and saw one half eaten cookie surrounded by crumbs, an empty glass of milk, and a note that read 'Thank you, they were delicious! From Santa.' I was filled with awe and wonder as I ran around the house with the note held high, screaming with delight."Maria Fricano, Vernon Hills"We received a very special gift from our eldest son few years ago. He and his girlfriend (now wife) spent hours working on a special project. On Christmas morning he presented our family with the handmade gift. The gift was a game called "Fricanopoly," which incorporated our last name and the ever popular game Monopoly. Each square on the board was hand-painted to mirror the properties that were named after places in and around the town we live in, our places of employment, our favorite stores, our address and more! The game was complete with printed money, handmade gold bars and dollar signs representing the houses and hotels and all of the corresponding property cards. The gift was so special and representative of the love that went into it. Every time our family plays the game, it brings back the incredible memories of that special Christmas Day."Danette Hughes, Hawthorn Woods"This memory regards my dad who passed away this past August from lung cancer. He would get a kick out of wrapping presents in boxes that had nothing to do with the gift. So, you had no idea what you were receiving when you opened a present and looked at the box. One year he wrapped a horse crop in a gift wrapping tube that he shaped into a candy cane. My daughter had no idea what she would be receiving when she looked at the package."Tom Koch, Vernon Hills"When I was a kid, we always spent Christmas with my grandparents. And then I tie that together with a just few years ago my wife and I took all of our grandkids to Puerto Vallarta for eight days at Christmas. From being the kid who spent Christmas with grandma and grandpa to being the grandpa taking the kids on vacation was like a full circle."Joseph Mancino, Hawthorn Woods"In my childhood, every Christmas Eve was celebrated at my home with my entire extended family. I would spend all day helping my mom prepare all the food for the 25 or so guests. The guest would arrive in the late afternoon. We lived in a very small home so we had to move all the furniture in order to have everyone, yes all 25 sit at one long table. After dinner came my favorite memory: The family would sit around the table playing games and hearing stories from my grandfather about the "old country" and life on the farm. The stories were the same each and every year, but I never tired of hearing them told, or imagining grandpa living those tales. The children were allowed to stay up late, and at the stroke of midnight, with Christmas Day officially arriving, the entire family would open presents and the party would continue until the wee morning hours."Melissa Tendick, Hainesville"My favorite memory is waking up early on Christmas morning and sneaking downstairs to look at the presents under the tree before running back upstairs to wake up my sisters." Missy Vogel, CarpentersvilleEvery year Missy, a patient care technician at Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove Village, asked for a dog for Christmas. One year, her parents gave her a paper cutout of a dog. "That made me mad," she says. Her disappointment later turned to joy, however. "A few days before Christmas my Mom and Dad went out and got me a golden retriever and I named him Comet." Missy still remembers the red and green bows he wore on his ears. That was 16 Christmases ago, when she was 12. In the years that followed, Comet became a trusty companion who seemed to sense when she was sad and needed cheering up. Missy's own daughter, Kaily, also fell in love with Comet, who would pull her on her sled. Comet has since left this world, but continues to live on as Missy's favorite Christmas memory.Chris Markgraf, MundeleinOne of the best holiday memories was having the first Christmas after my first child went off to college and came back for Christmas. "It was the first time when we realized that getting the whole family together is a fleeting event." Markgraf's son coming home is something we treasure instead of taking it for granted. "And five years later, that is still true." Jim Conrey, Huntley"When I was growing up, our family tradition was to open Christmas presents beginning with the oldest member of the family and working our way down the age scale - and none of this happened until we had a big breakfast (with the pre- and post-meal duties that came with it). Since I was the youngest person in the house, it wasn't unusual for me to open my presents around noon or later. At first, it was tough to sit and wait, but as the years went by, I grew to enjoy watching everyone else and their reactions. I think it helped me to place less emphasis on receiving gifts and more on giving them."Susan Hawkins, Wadsworth"These are my favorite Christmas memories that I look forward to reliving each year: sitting around a wood-burning fireplace sharing family stories, playing cards and games and laughing together until we can't stay awake any longer. It's about togetherness. Simple but memorable."Marie Allison, Lake Bluff"My all-time favorite Christmas memory was just last year. My brother-in-law came home from Iraq just a few days before the holiday, and the family was not expecting him for another month."Sue Williams, Wadsworth"One year when I was still a kid, my parents bundled us up and took us to Santa's Village on Christmas Eve. As you can expect, they put on quite a show for us kids, and I still remember singing carols and drinking hot chocolate in the auditorium." Doug Whitley of Batavia, president and chief executive officer, Illinois State Chamber of Commerce"My own childhood memories would be that of Christmas Eve dinner at my grandparents farm. Although my grandmother was a wonderful cook, my grandfather would take over on Christmas Eve and prepare, baked ham and Swiss cheese sandwiches to complement rich cream based oyster stew. The milk came from their own cows. Jokingly, the family chorus would inevitably be 'Where's the oysters?' I always wondered how oyster stew became a holiday tradition for a central Illinois farm family that never lived or visited near a saltwater coast. After dinner and gift exchange, our family drove home on what was almost always a cold clear night with thousands of stars overhead. While driving, my dad would do his best imitation of Bing Crosby's 'White Christmas.'"Laurie Stone, president, Schaumburg Business Association"For many years my young grandson and I spent New Year's Eve together. The day would always begin with a great movie and his favorite restaurant. We returned home after stopping to pick up treats and his favorite breakfast foods for the next morning. We snuggled up under the covers to watch television and count down to the New Year, but always ended up sharing secrets, laughing like crazy, and happily falling fast asleep sometime before midnight. Although the years have flown by, and he will spend New Year's Eve with his friends, the love and closeness we shared on those cold, snowy nights will remain with us always."Richard Greene, president and chief executive officer of Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce "My favorite memory? We just made one - our 5-year-old's first snowman in her first winter here, watching her scrape up all the available snow that barely covered the ground, rummaging through boxes of summer clothes to find something to put on the snowman, and then just standing in the cold staring out her new creation. She was born while we were in California and has never experienced the snow."Shelley Fabrizio, Greenbrier Elementary School principal, Arlington Heights"I have a memory as a child of lighting all the candles of the menorah and singing Chanukah songs. We had our extended family together! My sister and I would always hang stockings on our fireplace, and leave milk and cookies in the hope that Santa would make a visit to us - occasionally, much to our great surprise a few gifts would be left by the fireplace! We could never figure it out and just thought he was the kindest man in the world! We also celebrated our family not having to work on Christmas by having a big family dinner. We have kept both traditions alive with our children and have a big neighborhood and family celebration on Christmas Day! Santa has always visited my children, much to their surprise and many times they saw his tiny footprints by the fireplace. To this day, as adults they love Santa and won't let any gifts go under our tree before Christmas morning!" Kevin Dwyer, principal of Westgate Elementary School, Arlington Heights"I grew up in the Berkley Square Neighborhood. I lived with my three brothers in a small split level home without a fire place. I questioned my dad one year how Santa Claus came to our house since we did not have a fire place or chimney. He replied, 'Santa comes out the oven.' On Christmas Eve, I worked with my dad to prepare milk and cookies and left them on top of the stove so when Santa came out of the oven he would have a treat. Before going to bed, I asked dad, how does Santa fit in the oven? How do all of the toys fit in there too? My dad reasoned, 'Santa probably uses the front door when he needs to.' I live in Arlington Heights, and made sure I purchased a home with a fireplace so I would not get so many questions from my children."Dan Venturi, Lake Villa Township"When I was about six years old, we lived in a two-flat on the North Side of Chicago. My aunt and uncle lived upstairs. I would go Christmas caroling with my 3-year-old cousin, Judy. Some people would give us nickels and dimes. We almost made a dollar and thought we were rich. We had everything we wanted: family, friends, our health and safety. Could you imagine a 6-year-old and a 3-year-old going door-to-door today? Our families did not have much money, but we did everything together, every day. Those days were truly wonderful memories."Cynthia Greenwood, Arlington Heights"That's easy. It was the year we got a horse for Christmas. I was around 12 years old. My father sent my brother to take out the garbage, and he ran back into the family room to report there was a pony in the garage. My father kept saying 'There's no pony in the garage,' but there was. We hooked up the horse to an open carriage - another Christmas present - and rode through the countryside all bundled up in blankets." Brad Hawk, Crystal Lake"The ritual of getting the Christmas tree has always been a focus of many stories and memories. As a child growing up on a farm, this ritual included going to a neighbors forest to find the best possible tree. This meant walking the forest and marking the location of the good trees in the snow. Eventually a tree was cut, loaded and taken home to be decorated. The stories however focused on the trees that were even better that were marked and never found. As an adult, I have continued this tree hunting ceremony. About six years ago, my wife and I went to the local tree forest and picked out a big pine that would look great in our family room. Once I cut it down (broke two saw blades), the realization hit us that this tree was far larger than we expected. Even trimmed down, this gigantic tree was too big for us to get on the Jeep. Numerous workers at this forest had a good laugh and eventually got the tree for their warming fire. That year, it cost me the price of two trees and I ended up with a pre-cut tree that could easily be put on top of our vehicle." Gary Percy, Elgin"I'm originally from a small town in Wisconsin - Two Rivers, right on Lake Michigan. I remember going to midnight Mass with my mom, stepdad and little brother on Christmas Eve. Since we lived about six blocks from the church, we would walk. The church was always packed, standing room only with lots of decorations - trees, wreaths and nativity scenes. The choir seemed like it would sing every holiday song ever written. It almost always snowed."Alana Baarda, Libertyville"My favorite holiday was when my mother received her bachelor's degree from Western Illinois University at the age of 64," she says. She and her family went down to Macomb to attend the commencement. "Then I had a special holiday party for her at my house in Libertyville for her friends from high school to family."John Maguire, director of Long Grove Business and Community PartnersWhen he was seven or eight years old, John Maguire remembers waiting in the cold and dark outside the original Santa's Cottage in old downtown Mundelein. Much to his surprise, when he finally made it inside, Santa knew him and his sisters by name. "I actually got what I asked for that year, the black James Bond attache case that fired plastic bullets," he said. What makes that holiday memorable is that Maguire helped re-create that same Santa's Cottage in the 1990s so that a new generation of children could experience the wonder of seeing Santa arrive on a fire truck. He continues to do something similar in Long Grove, helping bring the man in red to downtown every year. Andy Starck, Arlington Heights, chief executive officer, Prudential Starck, Realtors"The most enduring memory is our annual trek after Thanksgiving to a Christmas tree farm in Crystal Lake or McHenry to cut our own tree. The long anticipated event started when our children were quite young, and has continued almost every year, albeit to different farms over the years. Much to my wife's dismay, the sought-after tree was not necessarily the best shaped one, but instead was usually the largest one we could find that our home would accommodate, as I was usually able to get the kids to side with me with their vote. After all, it was often the same price, no matter how large the tree. Even better, more than 30 years later, our daughter has instituted the same tradition for her family. which now numbers three grandchildren."Batavia Fire Chief William Darin"I asked my uncle (who acted as kind of a grandfather to him) 'What happens if there is no snow?" Because that's how Santa travels. He told me 'See that truck going by?' It was like a department store truck. 'Santa uses a truck.' - That sticks with me to this day. I was probably 4 or 5. He protected the mystery."Kelley Happ, Mundelein"My favorite Christmas memories are about activities we did with our children when they were young and that have now become family traditions. We always dressed up and attended midnight Mass together, then came home and had hot chocolate. The next morning we woke up to Santa and opened the piles of wonders under the tree. The children's favorite toys were usually Legos, and they worked together all afternoon to create huge Lego structures. Now that they're all adults, they all still like to come home for midnight Mass and enjoy Christmas morning passing out gifts by the tree." Tom Luedloff, Arlington Heights"It was the year the film, "Polar Express" came out. All of my four kids and my wife when to see it. The next day, which was Christmas, the kids came down to see their presents and Santa had brought them a Polar Express train, which was already set up, and they were more excited about that than any other present." William "Billy" Beaupre, Elk Grove Village"It was the look in my children's eyes when they were six and seven years old and they came running down the stairs to see what Santa had brought them. They were just old enough to understand about Santa but still young enough to believe it."Joshua Hartman, Elgin"Opening up the first 'Nintendo' four years after it had hit the market and 'My Pet Monster' all in the same year. I couldn't wait to finally earn infinite life on the turtle shell on the level three pyramid of Super Mario Brothers. "Charlene Sligting, Elgin"Growing up, my dad was a fireman at Great Lakes Naval Base. Almost every year I would have dinner at the firehouse. My dad would let me put on his gear, go down the fireman's pole and flash the lights on the fire truck so I could pretend to be a hero just like him."Karen Bodach, Schaumburg"One of my favorite Christmas memories is an annual tradition where we cut down a Christmas tree with my family. We bundle up the day after Thanksgiving and drive down to Braidwood. We go to a Christmas tree farm and pick out a tree to cut down. It's normally really cold, but so much fun running around trying to find the perfect tree. After we've found the tree we get lunch and hot cocoa at a local restaurant."Kitty Murphy, assistant superintendent for student services/special education in Naperville Unit District 203"My father, now deceased, was of German heritage and spoke fluent German. Each Christmas Eve he would tuck me and my six sisters into bed, serenading us in his deep baritone voice with "Stille Nacht" - the German "Silent Night." Three years ago, my husband, children and I spent Christmas in Austria. We attended a beautiful Christmas Mass at the Salzburg cathedral. At the conclusion of the service, the church lights were dimmed and the choir sang "Stille Nacht." I had not heard it since I was a young girl. It brought back a flood of memories and connected the generations in a beautiful and touching way for me."Gayle Smolinski, Roselle mayorMy favorite Christmas memory occurred the first Christmas we had our grandson, Ryan, in 2003. He was only six weeks old at Christmas and our daughter was holding him, trying to calm him down as he was fussy. When she turned her back, the tree came into his view and he became perfectly still. He looked up at the lights, which were reflected in his eyes, and gave us our first full-fledged smile. It was just the perfect moment of Christmas magic and I will cherish the memory forever.Michael Madden, Schaumburg Township District Library director"In our family, on Christmas Eve, you always went out for a walk. Because while you were gone, the Christmas tree completely, mysteriously appeared while you were out."Richard AmRhein, past commander of American Legion Post 1983 for Schaumburg/Hoffman Estates.Richard AmRhein's regular practice of visiting with fellow veterans being cared for at the Veterans Administration Hospital in North Chicago for the past 10 to 15 years has provided him with some of his favorite holiday memories, which continue to be added to every December. "They really love to see us," AmRhein said.Victor Pineda, court interpreter for the Elgin Branch Court"We got our presents in Mexico on Jan. 6, the day of the three wise men. The children used to place their shoes at night in one room and the wisemen used to place the presents in or next to the shoes. My favorite present was a bicycle. On Jan. 6, all the children in my town used to come out into the street and play with their toys."South Elgin Police Chief Christopher Merritt"I was lucky and blessed to have so many special Christmases. My favorite memory was coming downstairs on Christmas Day and seeing the Christmas tree all lit up and an entire room filled with presents. Christmas this year will be special for me. Hopefully, my mother who has suffered from a long illness will be out of the hospital by Christmas Day. We are going to spend the day together."