This Christmas memory comes from Rhonda Vincent, who will be sharing some of her favorite Christmas music and memories on Sirius Bluegrass on Christmas Eve at noon and 9:00 p.m., and again on Christmas day at 3:00 p.m. (EST).

Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year. I think because it’s also my mother’s favorite holiday. She always made sure the house was decorated for Christmas; and that everyone had plenty of gifts under the tree.

We went to the Good Shepherd Church in Greentop, Missouri, every Sunday night. Several weeks before Christmas, every child was given a verse to read. I always got so nervous. I would worry if I could remember my verse, when it was my time to recite.

The program was a live interpretation of the birth of Jesus. Someone was chosen to be Mary, Joseph, the Wise men, 3 Kings, and Angels. Oh how I always wanted to be an angel! But only the teenagers were chosen as angels.

I was too small. And all the younger children would sing a group song and read their verse.

My family would also sing a special Christmas song. Family friend Phil Baker would always sing a song that spelled out the word C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S. That was my favorite, until the day I heard Beautiful Star of Bethlehem. I learned the song immediately; and that became my Christmas standard; that I was always asked to sing every Christmas after that.

And when I became a teenager, I was also lucky enough to be one of the angels. I was so proud to wear the white gown and the golden halo.

When my first daughter Sally was born on October 14, 1986, she joined the program as the baby Jesus in the manager, and my husband Herb and I were Joseph and Mary.

I spent many hours in our church. We lived one block from the church; and some of my fondest memories when I think about Christmas; are of the program, and how each family was given a bag filled with hard candy and fruit.

It’s a very special memory. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!