The Christmas Spectacular Blog Hop & Giveaway: My Earliest Memory of Christmas

Hello lovelies! :)

Today I'm taking part in the Christmas Spectacular hosted by the lovely ladies at One Chocolate Box, Simple Moments Stick, The Spot Where The Lemon Rain Drops and Hello, Sweetie!
The theme for day one of the hop is: My Earliest Memory of Christmas.


Now, I have plenty of Christmas-related childhood memories, as it was always such a magical and special time at our house. My grand-grandma would come spend Christmas with us, and she would bring chocolate and pineapple with her.. Now, I know what you're thinking... what's so special about a pineapple? Well, you should know that I grew up in a post-communist Poland, and getting a pineapple at that time (or any other kind of fruit, really) was a HUGE and borderline impossible thing.
When my grand-grandma would bring that *holy* pineapple with her, we would put it up on the shelf in the living room about a week before Christmas, and it would stay there until the Christmas Day, when it would finally be consumed. Hahah, it sounds so silly when I think about it now, but it was really quite a special thing for all of us. Can you imagine? Waiting the entire year just to get a taste of that juicy (not-really!), magical (bah!) pineapple!? Now that I think about it.. I don't even like pineapples all that much!

My mom, grandma & I. I think I was about 6 months old here :)
But the memory that is the most vivid in my memory is.. being chased by our ginormous Christmas Tree :) Yup, you got that right!
See, during Christmas time - after we'd decorate the Christmas Tree (and that would happen about a week before Christmas Day) - I would make it my mission to get up as early as possible to steal some candies from our beautiful Christmas Tree. I would sneak up to the tree and try to grab at least one chocolate piece... at least one candy cane... And yes, I felt like some sort of Christmas Tree Ninja!
At least until my brilliantly sneaky (or so I thought) plan backfired on me :) That day, my mom decided to get up early, too, and she sneaked up on me trying to reach a chocolate piece that was hanging just out of my reach. I was stretching, trying hard to grab that piece of chocolate and just when I touched it, she entered the room, scaring the living soul out of me. That caused me to lose my balance and pull on the chocolate a bit too hard... Next thing I know the Christmas Tree is chasing me - threatening to fall right on top of me! I was fast enough to move out of the way of the poor, falling tree (barely!), but all the beautiful glass ornaments that my parents and grandparents were collecting for years got smashed to pieces.
Now, when we think back to that day, we all laugh, but trust me when I say, at that time my family was not very happy with my 5-year-old-Ninja-self. If the presents for me haven't already been bought, wrapped and placed under the tree, I doubt I'd get anything from Santa that year! :)

On the left: Santa Party at my Elementary School (if you're thinking that Santa looks creepy, you're damn right!).
On the right: Me getting ready to play in the snow!

Now, for the fun part...

Giveaway:

What's your earliest memory of Christmas?!
Leave a comment sharing your Christmas memory with me, and enter to WIN a book of choice from Book Depository or $15 Paypal Cash - your choice!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

And be sure to check out the Christmas Spectacular Blog Hop! It's so much fun!