All In A Necklace

For many years, the question always arises – what was your favorite holiday memory or your favorite gift? For me, I always have the same answer. It is my honor to share this wonderful memory with all you readers this holiday season.

Back in 1997 when the famous Titanic movie came to theaters, one of the hottest ticket items was that infamous necklace that Rose donned in the movie. When Avon was popular, my mom would bring the Avon book home after work and ask if there was anything I’d like in it. Christmas of 1998, I was adamant. There was only one thing I wanted: that necklace. My mom said that she had ordered it from her Avon lady, and needless to say, I was excited.

However, that excitement was short-lasting when my Mom said because of its popularity, the necklace was completely sold out. For an 8-year-old girl – this was a disappointment.

On Christmas Eve night, my Mom asked me if I wanted to go for a ride to look at Christmas lights. Looking back now, I would have thought this was rather odd because it was just her and I. However, we went for the ride and we stopped at the Woodbury Township building, and my mom asked for me to get something in her purse. Low and behold, there was the necklace wrapped up for me.

I am getting choked up typing this to you all right now. I think the moral of this story is that although it may be a cheap necklace and I have no idea where that necklace is right now, I will forever cherish that memory and appreciate that my Mom did something so special for me over a simple necklace. I think for a lot of us, we have parents to thank for making Christmas such a wonderful event.

This story inspired my question of the week – what is your favorite holiday memory? Here is what a few residents had to say:

Patrick Detwiler: Being together with my family every Christmas

Vonna Beach: Just getting together

Ella Bell: Snowing as we walked out of Midnight Mass

Bonnie Good: When my Mom was here

Zena Saylor: Waking up on Christmas morning when my kids were little, opening up presents under the tree – the expressions they would have.

Marianne Nicholas: Driving around town with my whole family in the car looking at all the Christmas lights.

Heidi Kitchen: I was watching Rudolph as a child, my mother was taking my Grandmother home after a day of Christmas shopping. She came back in the house with a chocolate Santa on a stick and told me she found it in the yard and that Santa must have been mapping his route out on a practice run and dropped it in the yard for me. I believed her with my whole heart and soul.

Jon McClintock: Tagging along as my older sister, Joanne was doing some shopping, only to discover that she was going to a room where Santa and two actual reindeer were waiting for me to get a picture taken. I think I got a really great present that year too!

Walt Frank: Going to the 1977 Fiesta Bowl in Arizona watching Penn State defeat Arizona State on Christmas Day

Jill Norris: Decorating with my Pap Gwin. He was all about Christmas all through the year.

Polly Eastep: When we were kids, we stood in line from the youngest to the oldest to go in the room to see our presents, miss that.