Think of things that bring Christmas memories back to you. Sights, sounds and smells are strong memory simulators. To embed wonderful memories for you children or grandchildren you will need to fill their spaces with beautiful sights, lovely sounds, and luscious smells.
Tour light displays. Set aside one evening to go on a light tour. Make sure that you go into neighborhoods you are familiar with. Some cities have drive through displays that are spectacular. Don’t forget to put up your own light display.
Tour store windows. Take your child on a walking tour of the Christmas windows. Many businesses put up beautiful displays. There is probably a large tree in the park also. Don’t forget the camera.
Go to church. Even if you do not attend regularly, visit a church that is having a Christmas celebration. Large churches that have beautiful stained glass windows and special Christmas programs like Festival of Lessons and Carols. Sights and sounds of this kind opitmize the Christmas spirit.
Fill your home with music. The day after Thanksgiving pull out all of the Christmas albums, sheet music and videos. Keep Christmas music playing twenty-four hours a day. Don’t forget the car. Pipe the music to the outside your house so others can enjoy it.
Read stories together Starting five days before Christmas read a Christmas story or poem together each night. Check with the local library to see if they offer a Christmas story time.
Go to live theater. Take your child to see a live performance. Check the paper each week for concerts and cantatas by local symphonies or churches. Professional performances of A Christmas Carol, The Nutcracker and the Rockettes may require early booking.
Visit an ancestor. If your child has a great-grandmother or a great uncle or aunt that they don’t see very often, take them for a visit. Have their ancestor tell about their own Christmas memories. This is also a good time to record family history by snapping a photo of your child with their ancestor. Share a snack of cookies and milk or tea.
Keep lots of cinnamon smells in the house. Purchase inexpensive decorative brooms that are infused with cinnamon. Put them by entry doors so it is the first smell that greets you when you walk into the house.
Light the fireplace. One of my children’s strongest memories is the cozy smell of their grandparents’ fireplace during Christmas. If you don’t have a fireplace, take a walk around the neighborhood and breathe in the smells of Christmas time.
Get a real tree. They may be messy, but nothing can trigger a memory like the smell of a real Christmas tree. If a real tree is out of the question, get a wreath made of pine or fir branches, scatter loose branches around the house, or burn candles that smell of pine.