(This was published in the Tuesday, Dec. 23 edition of the paper.)

I'm posting it (a bit late) for my dad who was unable to read it.

I give you my Christmas story.

Growing up Christmas always meant family.

My dad being the youngest of 13 children meant that tons of cousins were always around during the holidays.

My Grandpa and Grandma Ferree's house was always jammed-packed with cousins-- the majority of who were girls.

If Christmas landed on a Sunday then we all loaded the church bus and headed off to Olive Branch Baptist with Grandma.

And if the Ferree girls were on that bus then watch out. There were more than a dozen of us ranging in ages and in meanness.

Believe it or not I was a very shy girl. I was afraid of most people (and of dogs). But, when I was around my cousins it was safe to be me.

No matter what day Christmas landed on we always had the traditional dinner at Grandma and Grandpa's house-- which was within walking distance from my childhood home.

And once we got there, we would wait.

(For what seemed like forever.)

Yea, that's what I remember about Christmas a lot of waiting. (Just like my kids will play the same waiting game this season.)

Anyway, we would always eat first and then wait for what SEEMED like forever to open those presents.

To the kid in me, it was the presents that were so important. But as an adult, I see that the time spent waiting was even more special than the presents themselves.

It was while we waited impatiently that we grew closer as a family. Me and the cousins and the old folks-- who weren't so old now that I look back.

The reason I know this now is because I cannot remember all of the presents I was so set out to get. But, what I do remember is the time spent with some of the people I loved most.

May your holiday season be spent with those you love and cherish most.

From the Ferree-Puckett family-- Merry Christmas to you and yours.