We're coming down to the wire on Holiday preparations, rushing around to find those last minute gifts and stocking stuffers, baking cookies and all the traditional goodies. I thought this would be a nice time to take a stroll down memory lane and remember the dolls that made my Christmases so special.

Each year my Mother would have my sister and me sit down and write our list for Santa, some of which she kept and I found among her things after she passed! Without fail, the first thing on my list was invariably "a new doll." I don't ever remember wanting a specific doll, any that Santa brought would be just fine.

Long after I was past the age when girls still play with dolls, I was still asking for them. The earliest dolls were simple, vinyl or hard plastic baby dolls. To this day the smell of a new vinyl doll still smells like Christmas to me. They were always my favorite gift to open and the one I enjoyed receiving the most.

One of my aunts traveled quite a bit and she would always bring back a small doll dressed in the costume of the place she had visited. My parents allowed us to play with them, so only two survive, but they are among my treasures.

I am one of nine girl cousins on my Dad's side of the family. One Christmas an aunt made cigar box doll beds with little dolls in nightgowns, complete with blankets, for each of us girls. That gift was the inspiration for a series of articles I wrote a few years ago to share the idea with my readers. You can find the articles Here.

The last time I remember getting a doll for Christmas, I was probably 12 or 13 years old and Mom found the cutest little baby dolls, so my sister and I each got one. They were only about 6 inches long, but were chubby and adorable. We had never seen such small dolls before and we were thrilled with them.

Last year my dear husband gifted me with a doll for my birthday. This was a huge surprise because my dolls don't generally get any of his attention, it's just my thing and he doesn't get involved. He had a beautiful life size, porcelain baby doll delivered with roses! What a beautiful memory he created, which I like to recall at this time of year, even if it wasn't a "Christmas Doll."

I'm sure all doll lovers have similar stories and sweet memories. Please come to the Doll Making Forum and share yours with us.

Making and Dressing Cloth Dolls
Ebook with patterns and instructions to make 5 cloth dolls as well as chapters on general doll making techniques.The book includes 21 inch Lalena Doll, 21 inch David Doll, Bear Dolls, 9 inch Destiny Doll and 15 inch Annie Doll, all together in one handy book. 53 pages.Making and Dressing Cloth Dolls.