Over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house

Recently I ventured into what we officially call the “Fourth Bedroom,” in our house.

Years ago it served as a bedroom for one or more of our kids. It’s been a home-office, perhaps twice over.

Later it was the place where boxes of items from my parent’s house had their temporary resting place, not long after Mom and Dad found their permanent ones.

Now the closet is the place where dusty shoeboxes, tattered manila envelops and old-fashioned photo albums contain special family memories and history, specifically those from Christmas.

Some of my earliest Christmas memories, and a few later ones, we...