Our Christmas "Miracle"?

So, the reindeer sweater Luke "wore when he was 4" has 'magically' resurfaced. I looked up and down and in and out of everywhere to find it, to "prove" to Mr Christmas it didn't fit him anymore.

I guess I neglected one thing in my hasty search; to tell my mother I was looking for it. I showed up at her house the other day, and she casually and nonchalantly said, "Here's the reindeer sweater." I looked at it as though a Christmas miracle had occurred-instead she replied, "Granny made two. Besides, this one has always been too big for Luke." Me, the member of the family, with the near perfect memory, had forgotten that:

a. I returned the sweater to my mother for safe keeping (it should be properly handed down to my brother Casey's kids when he has them)
b. It has always been too big for Luke in years past.
c. There are two sweaters-has he already outgrown the other? Or was 'the other' sweater his size before the Mr Christmas era.

As Mike handed Mr Christmas the sweater on Thursday night, the squeal that came from Mr Christmas, was something, had we anticipated it, would most definitely have been recorded.

As I sat and looked at Luke in church yesterday, proudly wearing his Christmas sweater. I thought back to my dear Granny, who knitted the sweater 20+ years ago. Tears came to my eyes as I reflected on Christmases as a child. As we were Granny's only grandchildren, Christmas always included Granny.

I decided to find Granny's journal and see if she felt the same way about us at Christmas time. Following is written in her own words Christmas of 1986,

"Wonderful day provided by Christine, Peter and the children. A lovely Christmas dinner prepared by Christine...I shall always remember the table display and decoration. So well arranged by the two older grandchildren...Everyone enjoyed their delicious dinner and filled crackers, wore hats and exchanged jokes round the table...At 6pm we were all prepared for Pat and David Brain and children to visit us...'What my Mum and sister would have enjoyed' to see their happy faces and pleased with their many blessings...

Went to bed happy and contented with a lovely day spent with the children."

I have been blessed to have Christmas childhood memories, worth always remembering, hopefully my children will too, especially Mr Christmas and his memories of the reindeer sweater.