Around our house, December 31 is the day we pack away the decorations for next Christmas.

When we take down the tree and pack away the stockings, we do something that preserves the memories of Christmas Past for Christmas Future.

We secretly write a little dated love note/ memory missive and tuck it into the toe of each person’s stocking to be discovered next Christmas.

It’s a little something, nothing grand, just something like
“You should have seen your face when you thought Terry had given you gym socks… until you discovered the necklace underneath!” or

“Sammie’s Christmas cookies were pretty burnt, but you gamely ate them anyway, which Sammie will love you forever for!” or

“It wasn’t your favorite Christmas, I don’t think… but it was mine, because you managed to make it home through 300 miles of traffic.”

Next year, you’ll remember not just what the note says, but the whole holiday. And if you save those notes over the years like I do…

you’ll have a lifetime’s worth of memories to relive again and again every Christmas.