My family celebrated Christmas in 1956 at my uncle’s house in Archer City, Texas. My brother, sister and I pose in front of the Christmas tree. I’m in the middle

My family celebrated Christmas in 1956 at my uncle’s house in Archer City, Texas. My mom is the lady standing on the right. She made the ‘Lady and the Tramp’ skirt she is wearing

My dad and I wearing the red shirt, Christmas 1957

My mom is standing to the left in the red dress. My dad is standing to the right in the red shirt. I’m the little boy in the red shirt holding the plate, Christmas 1957

My maternal grandparents sent out this Christmas card in the early 1960s. There are quite a few toys under their Christmas tree! Several were mine, circa 1962

Christmas in 1969 at my parent’s house in Cordell, Oklahoma. That’s me sitting under the tree

My cousin and I admiring the Christmas tree at the 1969 annual Dea family reunion. It was held every Christmas Day throughout the 1950’s and 1960’s in Quanah, Texas

Christmas 1970, I was a student at the University of Oklahoma. I was a member of the Acacia Fraternity. Judy (my future wife) is helping a few of my fraternity brothers decorate the House Christmas tree

My girlfriend (and future wife), Judy, helped decorate. Here we are kissing under the mistletoe, Christmas 1970

 

We celebrated Christmas 1971 in Norman, Oklahoma. My oldest son Branden was just two months old

We celebrated Christmas 1971 in Norman, Oklahoma. Branden was just two months old

Our family portrait in front of our tree in Norman, OK, Christmas 1972

We celebrated Christmas 1972 (Branden’s second) in Norman, Oklahoma. I was a college student, so we didn’t have much money. My wife, Judy, made most of the ornaments from felt

We celebrated Christmas in 1972 at our home in Norman, Oklahoma. My oldest son, Branden, is sitting in my lap

Father and son matching Christmas outfits. Judy made Branden and me matching vests. She also made Branden’s bell-bottomed pants, Christmas 1973

My parents watching Branden play with his new toys, Christmas 1973

Branden, Brent and I are sitting in front of our tree, we celebrated Christmas in Midland, Texas, 1974

Branden and Brent in front of our tree in Midland, Texas, Christmas 1974

Branden and Brent in front of the tree. It’s cute the way they are holding hands, Midland, Texas, Christmas 1975

Here I am with Branden and Brent celebrated Christmas in 1975 in Midland, Texas

Branden and Brent decorating the tree. It was the first Christmas in our own home. The five previous Christmases were in rented apartments. It was quite special, Yukon, Oklahoma, Christmas 1976

Christmas morning. Branden, Brent and Brian (his first Christmas) and me in front of the fireplace, Yukon, Oklahoma, Christmas 1976

Brian helping to decorate the tree in Yukon, Oklahoma, Christmas 1977

Brent and Branden with their Christmas presents, Yukon, Oklahoma, Christmas 1977

Brian and Bryce in front of the tree in front of the tree, Yukon, Oklahoma, Christmas 1978

Brian, Branden and Brent in their new Hulk shirts. They got them for Christmas 1978. The picture was taken in Yukon, Oklahoma

I’m holding Bryce as he plays with a Fisher Price drum, Yukon, Oklahoma, Christmas 1978

The boys had small Christmas trees in their bedrooms. Here Brian is decorating the tree in his room. He was three years old, Yukon, Oklahoma, Christmas 1979

Waiting with their cousins to open their presents, Yukon, Oklahoma, Christmas 1979

Branden and Brian decorating the Christmas tree, Yukon, Oklahoma, Christmas 1980

The boys posing in front of the stockings hung on the mantle, Yukon, Oklahoma, Christmas 1980

Christmas 1980 at my parent’s house in Cordell, Oklahoma

Christmas 1980 at my parent’s house in Cordell, Oklahoma

We celebrated Christmas 1981 in Yukon, Oklahoma

My mom looks on as I serve myself from the Christmas dinner buffet table. Christmas 1981 at my parent’s house in Cordell, Oklahoma

We celebrated Christmas 1981 at my parent’s house in Cordell, Oklahoma. My sister, Diane, and brother, Al, and their families were also there

Christmas 1981 at my parent’s house in Cordell, Oklahoma

We celebrated Christmas in 1982 in Corpus Christi, Texas

Christmas 1982 at my wife’s parent’s house in Lawton, Oklahoma

We celebrated Christmas 1982 at my parent’s house in Cordell, Oklahoma

We celebrated Christmas 1983 in Houston, Texas

Christmas 1983 at my parent’s house in Cordell, Oklahoma. The cousins watching as presents are opened. That’s quite a pile under the tree

Christmas 1983 at my parent’s house in Cordell, Oklahoma. My wife, Judy, is on the right, my sister, Diane, in the middle, and my brother, Al’s, wife, Linda, on the left

We celebrated Christmas in 1984 at our home in Houston, Texas. Branden opening a gift

We celebrated Christmas in 1984 at my parent’s house in Cordell, Oklahoma

Christmas in 1984 at my parent’s house in Cordell, Oklahoma. The cousins at the kid’s table

The tree at our home in Houston, Christmas 1985

My in-law’s tree in Lawton. Christmas in 1985 at my wife’s parent’s house in Lawton, Oklahoma

Here’s the mob at Judy’s parent’s house, Lawton, Oklahoma, Christmas 1985

My parent’s tree in Cordell, Oklahoma, Christmas 1985

The cousins are really absorbed in this game. Christmas in 1985 at my parent’s house in Cordell, Oklahoma

The cousins around the kids’ table. Christmas in 1985 at my parent’s house in Cordell, Oklahoma

It was our last Christmas in Houston, 1986

Judy and Branden are playing a game in front of the tree. Last Christmas 1986 at our home in Houston, Texas

We celebrated part of Christmas 1995 at my in-laws’ home in Lawton, Oklahoma

We celebrated Christmas 1997 at our home in Richmond, Virginia. Our Norwegian Christmas table

We celebrated Christmas 1997 at our home in Richmond, Virginia. Our Scandinavian Christmas tree

We celebrated Christmas 1998 at our home in Richmond, Virginia. Branden and his family visited us from Fort Hood, Texas. We took the grandkids to Southpark Mall in Colonial Heights to ride the Christmas train. Our son, Brian, is riding with the grandkids and their mom

Our son, Bryce was stationed in Germany with the Army. He is riding with the grandkids in the caboose, Christmas 1998

We celebrated Christmas in 1999 at our home in Richmond, Virginia. This is our Scandinavian Christmas tree. This is our Scandinavian Christmas tree

From the left, our son Brian, Judy, and our son, Branden and his family. Christmas 2000 at our home in Richmond, Virginia

I’m holding my gifts from our Norwegian relatives. Christmas in 2002 at our home in Richmond, Virginia

Judy is holding her gifts from our Norwegian relatives. Christmas in 2002 at our home in Richmond, Virginia.

The grandkids in front of their Christmas tree in 2003 in Copperas Cove, Texas

Judy with our Scandinavian Christmas tree in Richmond, Virginia, 2004

Our Scandinavian Christmas tree. I’m holding the gifts from my cousins in Norway. Christmas 2004 at our home in Richmond, Virginia

While I was opening a gift bag, my cat, Stabbur, decided he wanted to see what I got, Christmas 2006

My wife, Judy, is opening one of her presents from my cousins in Norway. My cat, Stabbur, is relaxing and is completely oblivious to what is going on, Christmas 2010