As shared by Sister Pat Carson, SSND, with Shilpa George, Waterdown LEAD Team
Sister Pat remembers the weeks before Christmas, when she and her siblings studied the Sears Wish Book to choose the gifts they wanted for Christmas. They also visited the biggest store to sit on Santa’s knee and take pictures!
On Christmas Eve, Santa Claus (a neighbor who dressed up and played the part) gave the children paint books and colours.
Christmas day began with the family reading the Bible before opening gifts. Later, they went to Mass.
Sister Pat remembers her father worked very hard to make their Christmas beautiful. If, as sometimes happened, her father had to work on Christmas, the rest of the family would visit their grandparents.
The last time they celebrated Christmas together, Sister Pat wanted to empty her bank account to buy gifts for everyone. She asked her mother if that would be acceptable, and her mother happily agreed to it.
