A look back: Christmas Eve brings back memories

It's Christmas Eve – time to reflect, to enjoy a steaming cup of hot chocolate and stare into the fire or at the twinkling lights on the Christmas tree.

Actor Jeremy Irons said it well, "We all have our time machines. Some take us forward; they're called dreams. Some take us back; they're called memories."

Tracy Davis, Maricopa Unified School District Governing Board:

"I will forever cherish Christmas Day 1991. I brought my one-day-old son home in a red striped sleeper, a Santa cap and booties. He was bundled in a three-foot long Christmas stocking. He will turn fifteen on December 24, and he STILL has that stocking."

Paul Jepson, M.A.S.H. Anti-drug Coalition:

"I remember about a week before Christmas (I must have been five or six), I found a bag of toys in the garage. I asked my mom why it was there, and she said it was gifts for the poor people. Christmas morning I noticed some of my toys were just like the ones I saw in the garage!

I confronted my mom, and she explained that Santa saw how much I seemed to like those toys so he decided to get me the same ones. That seemed perfectly reasonable to me. I learned from my mom the importance of protecting the magic of Christmas. As of today, my daughters, Molly and Regan, are nine years old and, as far as we know (and thanks to some similar quick thinking by my wife), our little angels still believe."

Rebecca Molus, Public Works Advisory Committee:

"My most cherished memory is Christmas of 2001. That was the day my husband Mark proposed to me. I thought for sure he would propose that day, but, as the day drew into night, I was really wondering. My friend had recently been proposed to, and her husband-to-be had two children. He had asked her in front of the two girls. I told Mark this story and figured he would ask me in front of Kirsten, but Kirsten asked her dad if she could spend the night at her aunt and uncle's house, and he agreed.

It was now about 7 p.m., and I thought, "Okay, he is not going to ask me because I really thought he would ask me in front of her." Thankfully, about half an hour after that he asked me to marry him.

He gave me the greatest gift I could ever hope to receive — he gave me himself and all his love, as well as a family because I was now a mom to Kirsten. There is no store bought present my husband can ever give me that will top what he gave me on that day."

Chris Ward, Parks, Recreation and Libraries Advisory Committee:

"Christmas 1988. I had gone and purchased a doll for my fiancé that was wearing a wedding dress. The doll's name was "Debi," but the slight misspelling was not that big of a deal in my mind. I also had purchased an engagement ring that I attached to the doll's bouquet of flowers. My entire family was aware of the surprise and eagerly waited as Deb opened her gift. "How cute!" she said, "a wedding doll."