Dreaming of Christmas time in Minnesota

I wish I could say that I had one Christmas that stood out from all the rest, but I don’t.

I do not have an epic tale to tell like that of Ralphie Parker and his quest for a Red Ryder, carbine action, 200-shot range model air rifle on the classic movie “A Christmas Story,” but I do have some very fond memories of what Christmas was like on a small Minnesota dairy farm with my wonderful, but rather loud, family.

Of course, I remember a lot of snow. It was, after all, Minnesota. In fact, I do not think I can recall a Christmas without snow while I lived there.

I also remember how the entire fami...