Here are two more Christmas memories from The Grascals. First up is fiddler Jimmy Mattingly.

One of my fondest memories at Christmas as a teenager was waking up and spending the morning with my family, and then calling my best buddy to see what he got for Christmas. We would usually get together later and pick some music or hunt, and we would pretend we were recording records and crazy stuff like that.

Well, this year at Christmas I am recording my third CD on Rounder Records with The Grascals and that buddy, Danny Roberts. How cool is that!

Next, we hear from mandolinist, Danny Roberts.

A Christmas memory that stands out in my mind was the tradition of going to my Grandma’s house on Christmas day after Santa Claus had come to my house. As soon as you walked in the door you would smell the great food she would have cooking: ham, mashed potatoes, corn, green beans, chocolate pie - just so many great country dishes I can’t name them all.

Papaw would be outside gathering wood or messing around with something in the barn and I really loved to be with him out on the farm. After we had eaten what was to me the best meal in the world, the excitement would build while we waited for Mom and Grandma to finish up the dishes and then we all would all get to open our presents. What a great time and what a mess!!

After everything was opened it looked like a wrapping paper bomb had gone off, and then Dad and Papaw would gather all the paper and boxes up and I would get to go out back of the house with them and burn all of it. I really loved doing that…stirring the fire with a tree limb… how could a kid ask for anything more fun that that?

Well, Grandma has gone on to Heaven now and things definitely are not the like the used to be. But now as I watch my 6 year old daughter, Jaelee, experience Christmas and see her excitement with everything that goes on, it helps me re-live my old memories as I see her making new ones. Now when she is grown she will be able to look back and enjoy her Christmas memories like I do. I really miss the times I had at Christmas as a kid but I will always have my memories and some times a memory is even better than what actually happened.