Christmas is always a special time of year, one I look forward to each year. Over the years, it has been a time filled with family. As a child we would spend Christmas Even with my dad’s family, Christmas Day with my mom’s family, and then swap the next year. The time would be filled with food, cousins, laughter, and games. Lots and lots of games.

My favorite Christmas memories involve both of set of grandparents.

My Dad’s parents were deeply in love until the day my Grandpa died. One of the things that was fun to watch year after year was them receiving gifts from Santa. It didn’t matter their age, each year Grandma would receive a gift from Santa. Grandpa would, too. All of us knew the gifts were really from each other, but they kept up the illusion to the very end.

My mom’s parents had a quieter love. Several years ago, Grandpa asked me to help him hind a rose. It was a single white rose, beautiful in its stark simplicity, each petal pristine and pure. As we were sharing gifts with the great-grandchildren (my kids and their cousins), Grandpa stopped everything and nodded that I should get the rose. He then presented it to Grandma in front of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. It was a precious moment as he told us it was the first flower he had bought her in almost 60 years of marriage.

The scene was so touching I used it as the epilogue in my novel Captive Dreams. Just as Grandpa looked back and celebrated a lifetime with his wife, my hero celebrated. If you read it, you can substitute my Grandma and Grandpa and our family and you will know who I based Sid and Anna’s life on.

Our family Christmas celebrations have evolved as our family has grown and we’ve added people our family. But the key is that spending time with family remains a priority. I can’t wait to see what memories we make this year at our Christmas celebrations.