Let’s go back in your mind to Christmas memories when you were a child. Recently, I ran in to some old friends and we have been reminiscing about our Childhood Christmases! We talked about the candy we would receive as a child.

I remember as a child John L. Riddle was my bus driver and we always had to pick up the bus driver a little something. It would usually be a box of chocolate covered cherries, a pair of Jersey gloves, or socks. I would be so excited to give him his gift on the last day of school for Christmas break. I just recently ran in to his son Johnny Riddle and we went back in time to our childhood Christmases.

My grandparents always had a candy dish on the coffee table with little squares of candy in it and at that time they were not individually wrapped so half the bowl might be stuck together. I would eyeball that dish until my Grandma would say it was ok to have a piece. We talked about the sweet orange slice candies and circus peanuts. I was never a fan of the circus peanuts but I looked forward to getting a bag of chocolate drops and a bag of mixed nuts.

I always love to visit Penny’s Garden Spot this time of year to buy a couple of scoops of the mixed nuts that you crack out yourself. There is just something about cracking them yourself that makes them taste even better. And the Garden Spot is always like a little Santa’s workshop with all the elves putting together fruit baskets and treat bags that country churches still pass out after their Christmas Programs.

Just taking a few minutes to remember back to a simpler time without all the hustle and bustle we experience today. And let us always remember that Jesus is the Reason for the season!

Tammy Waid McClellan