This is a story by Elfster contributing writer Mary Ann Romans.

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My fondest Christmas memories took place under the tree in a small apartment in New York. Oh it wasn’t the presents I was after, but that magical space that was laid out on the tree skirt. There under a canopy of colored lights reflecting off of the polyvinyl needles was an incredible world filled with all of the glitter of the imagined North Pole.

You see, we didn’t just decorate the tree, but we decorated underneath it as well. There was the handmade wooden church made by a family friend for my parent’s wedding. It glistened with clear glitter and played a soft wedding march when you wound the key. Next was the trio of fuzzy-haired angels climbing a cardboard ladder. It must have cost all of 25 cents at the five and dime store in Brooklyn, but it was far more treasured that any hand blown glass ornament could ever be today.

The small nativity set was then laid out under the tree. It was made of rough wood and spanish moss with ceramic painted figures that spent their holiday time engaging me over and over again. A makeshift doll house of sorts, I played with it often, re-enacting the Christmas story, sometimes with the blasphemy of making the animals form a parade and the three kings do a jig to entertain the Christ child.

Red felted reindeer that lost their hooks were perfectly fine balanced under the tree amongst the cotton paper of the tree skirt that resembled snow. They would often give bareback rides to a giant plastic Santa who I imagined grew so large because he ate all of the broken candy canes that had fallen off of the tree, crackling to the floor below.

As the Perry Como or Dean Martin or Bing Crosby records played, I thought that if I stared hard enough at the colored lights and let my eyes become unfocused that I might be transported to somewhere else, some Christmas town where there was a blanket of soft snow, where there were woods filled with trees and lighted houses filled with warmth. There would be the smell of pine and gingerbread, two smells I could imagine but up to that point had never experienced. Inevitably, I would always stop staring too soon and run off to make paper snowflakes or be sent to tell the superintendent that my mother needed hot water for the dishes.

These days, it is often hard to slow down and appreciate that magical portal a Christmas tree might become in a child’s imagination. Living now in a house surrounded by woods, there are always broken lights to find, boxes of decorations to take down from the attic, and my own kids to pull out from under the tree lest they knock the whole thing over.

But every once in a while I remember. And perhaps this year, when everyone is asleep, I’ll sneak out of bed and down to our family room and see if I can catch a stray reflection of those long ago memories under the tree.

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Mary Ann is a freelance writer and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

This is a guest blog post of tips for Military Families during the holidays by Tara Crooks.  Tara Crooks is the woman behind two popular military websites, www.ArmyWifeTalkRadio.com and www.FieldProblems.com.

Featured at CinCHouse.com, Military Spouse Magazine, ClubMom.com, Military.com, Army.com and more, Army Wife Talk Radio is the original internet talk radio program for military wives. The tagline, Our Life, Our Family, Our Soldier, says it all. Tara does a weekly internet talk radio broadcast from the website that features up to date information, tips, and empowerment for spouses.

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Do you have a deployed soldier on your Christmas list? There won’t be a “ho hum” holiday for your soldier with these great holiday care package ideas! I’ve captured the spirit of the season through items that relate to the sights, sounds, smells, and the tastes of the holidays. Add your own touches for a sure fire way to make your soldier’s spirit bright!

• Santa hat
• Stuffed reindeer
• Christmas movie
• Kid’s craft – paper snowflakes
• Fake snow
• Fake tree
• Lights
• Handmade ornaments
• String popcorn and cranberries
• Tiny wrapped packages (use gum, mints, or small items to go under the tree)
• Advent calendar
• Picture book (include pictures from past holiday gatherings)
• Small wrapped items to the theme of the “Twelve Days of Christmas”
• A box of Christmas Cards stamped and addressed to the soldier’s family
• Just hear those sleigh bells ringaling….
• CD of you (and your children) singing Christmas carols
• CD of Christmas music
• Jingle bells
• Jack Frost nipping at your nose…
• Holiday scented candle (pine, cinnamon, baking)
• Holiday scented oil
• Pine cones (scented)
• Now bring us some figgy pudding…
• Fresh baked cookies
• Eggnog
• SPAM (Christmas “ham”)
• Sausage and cheese
• Holiday RITZ crackers
• Mixed nuts (in shell) with a nut cracker
• Candy canes
• Christmas boxed chocolates
• Advent calendar
• Holiday coffee & creamer
• Hot cocoa or cider

I’ll be home for Christmas…if only in my dreams.
Don’t forget that though your soldier is far from home and needs pampering, you and your children need something to feel connected to him/her too. Craft a tradition for your family such as buying an ornament each year, writing a letter to Santa Clause, hanging a special stocking, or reading a special story and make sure you do it regardless of anyone’s location. Make every effort to share this tradition across the miles by video-taping, calling, or even having your soldier
available via webcam to participate.

Here comes Santa Claus…
Keep in mind special ways to create the perfect “Holiday Gift Delivery System or HGDS”, as Bob Gilead from www.CamoSock.com calls it. Stop by his site and pick up a perfect HGDS in the shape of a stocking made from the fabric of your soldier’s service branch. Be creative and find interesting things online such as a Christmas tree in a tube (search eBay they’re easy to find). Most of all have fun, get the entire family involved, and put your heart into it. Tis’ the season, but to your soldier you’re the reason any gift is special.
Merry Christmas to all! And to all, a good night!