Favorite Christmas memories change over time, according to LaHarpe business owner Danny Ware.
“When you’re a kid, it’s homemade peanut clusters and fudge.
“When you’re a dad, it’s spending Christmas with your kids.
“When you get older, it’s spending Christmas with your grandkids.”
Every Christmas is special in its own way, he said. Some of them are poignant, as the holiday serves as a reminder of loved ones who have passed away and are no longer able to share in the joy.
“Sometimes you don’t appreciate what a great Christmas it was until the next year, because you’ve lost your Grandma or Dad,” he said.
“You knew Christmas was special, but you didn’t know how special it was because it was their last one.”
AS A child, Danny’s extended family would gather at his parents’ house on Christmas Eve.
Family members lived nearby, which made it easy. His grandmother lived just two doors down, his great-grandmother was down the street and aunts and uncles lived close.
“We’d have snacks and a big get-together. That was something I always looked forward to and still do,” he said of the gathering, which now takes place at his own house.
“The family dynamics have changed a little bit with my parents, grandparents and great-grandparents gone, but we still do that.”
NOW, all the kids come home.
Danny and his wife Jenni have three children; one in the Kansas City area while the others are close by. They have two grandchildren.
Christmas dinner is filled with family and wonderful food including ham, scalloped potatoes, rolls and homemade pie.
Jenni runs a catering business. She stays busy during the holiday season. Just last week, her business catered for 200 people over the course of two days. Danny helped.
“When your wife is in the catering business, that means you help and she keeps all the money,” he joked.
