Have you ever had someone in your life that changed you forever? A person that could make things fun no matter what you were doing and were just simply together. My grandmother was that person to me. She could make anything in this world worthwhile. The most special memory I have of her, was her last Christmas. Looking back now it means the world to me.

The the Christmas I had with her was the best Christmas I could have ever hoped for and will always be my best Christmas ever. Christmas for me has never been about the presents, it’s always been about the family coming together and just spending time with each other.

The one reason why it is so special to me is because my aunt Jackie came and she rarely does because she lives up north, here in Wisconsin. But for some reason she decided it was the right year to come to Milwaukee and spend Christmas at home.

It was Christmas Eve of 2002 and the house had the sweet smell of peanut butter cookies sprinkled throughout the air. The smell of the cookies made my mouth water, waiting for that fist bite. I decided to investigate by sneaking up and my mom and grandmother in the kitchen. Sure enough, my mom and grandma were making their annual batch of Christmas cookies. While I waited for the cookies, I helped mom and grandma clean up. Family members arrived one by one making themselves right at home in our cozy apartment. Many played Uno and others reminisced about previous Christmas’s.

I sat on our cozy sofa and my gaze fell upon my grandmother. She looked like an angel, she had our white plain kitchen behind her and something about her just glowed. Right there I made myself promise, I would be like her when I grew up.

Family laughed and sand Christmas carols, each having the smile of a kid in the candy store. Who wouldn’t be smiling from ear to ear on Christmas? For the occasion I wore my favorite dance costume, which was a lovely royal red velvet mini-dress with lace that ran from my legs to my toes. The lace looked like snowflakes that had just fallen to the ground after a Wisconsin snowfall.

Shortly after stories, we began to eat a feast that filled the whole table. After the meal we dived through a sea of neatly wrapped presents. After presents everyone began to settle down. We then let my grandmother have the floor where she told us of her Christmases from the past. Each one of her words described the story so well, that I felt like I was really there.

I felt whole inside, like nothing could go wrong. I looked into my grandmother’s ocean blue eyes and watched her expression as she told her stories. I could easily see that she was very, very happy. It seemed like she was reliving the moments all over again right then and there. I also saw that what she loved most was just to have everyone together. Unfortunately, the best Christmas ever had to come to an end. I wished so hard that it would just last forever. But, everything does have to come to an end.

As my guests left, I sat on the floor with all the wonderful gifts I had just received. I looked around the empty room that just seconds ago, been filled with all the people in the world that I loved. I knew right then and there that there would never be a more perfect moment than the one I had just lived through.

There are several things I learned from this event. The one I will always remember is to enjoy every moment you have with the people who are special to you. This is because you never know when it all might all come to an end. In other words, don’t take one single breath for granted.