'Life, Outdoors, Politics, and Whiskey': 'MERRY CHRISTMAS MEMORIES'

Christmas 1973

My brothers and I, along with our cousins, grew up spending our Christmases at our Mamaw and Papaw Pittman's house. After enjoyin' a big supper together on Christmas Eve night, we would open presents from one another. Then, about 9 o'clock or so that night, Channel 10 News out of Birmingham would announce that they were tracking what appeared to be Santa Claus on their weather radar, prompting us to scramble to get ourselves in the bed... 'cause everybody knows that Santa won't come if you're not asleep.

Mamaw & Aunt Joyce cooking supper

Bright and early on Christmas mornin', us kids would wake to find cookie crumbs and a half gone glass of milk left from the goodies we'd left for Santa sittin' on the coffee table and a livingroom full of toys, all assembled and ready to play with. All day long, we played and played and played, ate homemade goodies almost nonstop, and made memories that will be with each of us throughout our lives.

And, yes... Santa DID enter through the cardboard fireplace.

To this day, certain things immediately provoke thoughts of Christmas at Mamaw and Papaw's; things such as homemade chocolate chip cookie squares, deviled eggs with paprika sprinkled on top of 'em, a ham straight from the oven, and silver Christmas tree tinsel; bringing to mind memories of a brick fireplace made of cardboard, a little plastic birdhouse ornament that made the most annoying and incessant chirping and warbling sound ever, and last but not least, our wonderful, lovable Papaw with his 8MM movie camera and it's bright-as-the-sun bulb light. Ahhhh... I truly miss those days!

Our Mamaw & Papaw Pittman

Our Mamaw and Papaw are no longer with us and the old house in the Green Acres neighborhood of B'ham now belongs to someone else, yet still... thanks to the abundant love they showered upon their entire family, we have a lifetime of Merry Christmas Memories that I wouldn't take a million dollars for.