Emily Vick Shares About Precious Gifts from Her Paw Paw

"And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger."

Luke 2:16 (KJV)

Guest Post #11

"Christmas Snickers Bars" by Emily Vick

"Living in eastern North Carolina, we never knew from year to year if Christmas was going to be cold or warm, but we always knew one thing: Paw Paw would have our Snickers bars waiting.

Grandma and Paw Paw’s house was only a short walk from ours—a beautiful walk

through the woods. On Christmas afternoon, aunts, uncles, and cousins all gathered in

that little house, each distributing something on the counter, until it was filled with a

variety of delicious food. A turkey, ham, creamed corn, cranberry sauce, Aunt Marcia’s

cheese-and-cracker-crumb covered green beans, Mama’s sweet potato casserole, a

chocolate fudge pie, a pecan pie, and of course, Grandma’s fried cornbread. We

always held hands and thanked God for His blessings before enjoying the feast.

But the feast that fed our souls was the feast of laughter and conversation. Hours of

catching up with no schedule to keep, basking in each other’s presence. 

After dark, Paw Paw would take down his worn, well-loved Bible and read the story of the Christ-

child, God become man, and our hearts would fill almost to bursting with the joy of this miracle we celebrated.

Next came Paw Paw’s special gift. Each year, everyone received a Snickers bar with a little cash wrapped carefully around it. Each candy bar had a name on it, and no one was ever forgotten. As a child, I savored that candy bar and planned with excitement how I would spend my cash. But as an adult, looking back to the those days that can never be recaptured, I realize the real gift Paw Paw gave me in those Christmas Snickers bars was far greater than candy or cash. He gave me memories, tradition, something I knew would always be waiting for me at the end of a year. He gave me

love. He always remembered me and had that Snickers prepared for me. 

To this day, the sight, smell, and taste of a Snickers bar transports my mind to Christmastime. I can

smell cranberry sauce and fried cornbread. I can hear my my dad and uncles’ guitar and banjo playing, my mom and aunts’ laughter. I can see the happy tears on Grandma’s face as she talked of how blessed she was to have such a family. We didn’t know what each year would hold, but we knew one thing: At the end of it, Paw Paw would have our Snickers bar ready."

Bio:  I’m Emily, 25-year-old youth pastor’s wife and stay-at-home mom of three: Avonlea Joy (3), Levi Tyler (2), and Gideon Marshall (1 month).

When I have time, I read mysteries by candlelight, collect life-giving books, watch black-and-white movies, play the piano in a sunlit room, and write. Most of all, I savor God’s good gifts, which fill my life to the brim every day.

As you can imagine, life with three under 4 can be hectic, but we strive to make our lives as simple and focused as possible, keeping clutter out of our home and hearts and seeking to know and love Christ more intimately every day.

Please visit Emily's new blog, The Tansy Patch, where she shares her journey to a simple, Christ-centered life while learning to savor every moment as holy.

You may also connect with Emily on her Facebook page.

Emily, thank you so much for sharing your moving, heartwarming Snickers Bar story with us!

In case you missed them, you can read previous Christmas Memory Sharing Posts by clicking these links:
Christmas from the Dumpster
Matthew Timmons Shares his Heart this Christmas
Tipper Pressley Shares Christmas Memories
Chris West Shares Two of his Favorite Christmas Memories
Melissa Evans Shares A Favorite Christmas Memory
Aryn the Libraryan Shares Her Favorite Christmas Tradition
Gentle Joy Shares a Christmas Miracle
Kitty Shares Her Cherished Christmas Gift
Nancy Reinke Shares "A Rocky Mountain Christmas"
Zachary Shares About An Unexpected Christmas Surprise
Karen Del Tatto Remembers a Priceless Christmas Gift