Mr Laws, if this doesn't put someone in the Christmas spirit, then they need their pulse checked. Absolutely beautiful. Holiday memories are so close, that sometimes they fall out of your eyes, and you have to wipe them off of your face.

I love this. I can almost feel the heat in that kitchen with every one gathered around. My mom cooked on a old Home Comfort wood stove. My dad bought it new for her. Everyone always gathered in the kitchen for some reason. There were many rooms in that big ole farmhouse. But, the kitchen was always where everyone sat around talking. Great memories, Donnie. We always had a cedar tree too. 💕

Loved hearing your Christmas memories Donnie!! Merry Christmas to you and yours 😀

Precious memories. You brought me back to a time having been born in "59" and the absolute specialness of a simpler time and the bond of family, respect of elders, simple joys of helping and what a piece of candy really meant. Bless you, your family and your heart.

This story brought back so many memories. I grew up on a ranch in the Colorado mountains but our Christmas was almost the same as yours. Those Christmas were the most special in my life. I raised my kids in a small town in Alaska and tried to carry on this tradition but times had begun to change. We did a pretty good job though of keeping traditions. Now days I don’t really enjoy Christmas because they start the commercialization before Halloween it’s all about money and the kids don’t seem to even understand the meaning of Christmas. Thank god for those memories in those mountains when we had no money but were rich with love for each other. Merry Christmas.

The treat bags from Church before Christmas was everything to me as a kid!!! Im 47 now, and there is nothing better than the smell of an apple,orange,raisins and a peppermint stick in a polk bag😍 Thank you for sharing Donnie and Merry Christmas!!

I didn't grow up in the mountains, but it was very close to the time you did and so much in this video seems so familiar. I remember doing alot of the same things. That was a much better time, before everything went to commercial. It's just not the same anymore, not even close. Thanks for a look back to a much better time. Take care.

ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVED MOST WAS CHRISTMAS CAROLING. NO MATTER HOW COLD WE WOULD SING, SOME WOULD LET US COME IN AND WARM OFTEN MAKING HOT CHOCOLATE FOR US. SO MANY WONDERFUL MEMORIES AND BLESSINGS.

Donnie, Woolworth's meant Christmas in my town. That's where I met Santa the first time. I thought he got my toys from them. One Christmas Eve, it snowed and my dad ran his 49 Ford through the front yard while we were asleep and I thought for sure they were sleigh tracks the next morning. My eyes was big as saucers and I told everybody at school the next week and they believed every word. So did I !!!

Goodmorning . well I was taken back to the 1960's. Donnie, thank you. You have once again made me feel home. I don't have family anymore. I'm alone. Christmas is spent alone. So just hearing this story helps me to remember a lifetime ago. This was a hard one to watch for me. I cried thru the whole thing. Please enjoy your families and holiday's together. Being alone is no joke. Appreciate everything you have and be kind to those as you said that are less fortunate. Whether it be no money or no family. I do thank you for giving me a glimpse of what life use to be.

Growing up in Beckley, WV in the 50's and 60's, this brings back so many memories. Thank you for sharing.

Donnie, I didn't grow up in the Appalachias, but, you just told my story. Everything from all the children sharing the bed (only it was sharing the bed with my brothers and sisters not cousins), to the poverty that came to almost everyone in the 60's. But, they were awesome memories. I love your stories, and look forward to hearing more.

Thanks Buddy, a truly wonderful story. I grew up in the 50's and 60's and remember how special that time of the year was to a child. I don't know about you, but I'd trade those days once again for today's.

Kids today will never experience what we did back then. Those are the days I long for again although I probably didnt appreciate them when I was a kid. Good times for sure! Merry Christmas Donnie and thanks for the memories!

This brought back so many memories at my grandparents in West Virginia. My grandpa was a coal miner. I had a lot of cousins. There was 8 kids on my mom's side of the family. My grandparents also had a farm. The kids tended to the farm while my grandpa worked in the mines. When we got older the grandkids helped out on the farm too.

Wishing you and your family health and happiness this Christmas and in 2022 ! So many memories, you all on the shag carpet, the old TVs with the rabbit ears , Woolworths ! My friends and l would ride our bikes there and go up and down every aisle and spend so much time in the pet section looking at the turtles and hamsters, that the people there knew our names . But my favorite was splitting a banana split and sipping on vanilla cokes ! Thanks for the memories.

I remember the Woolworth store when I was a kid. Plus I remember looking through the store catalogs at the toys we also called them the wish books. Wishing you and your family happy happy holidays. Keep making videos love watching all of them

Donnie, thank you for bringing back such fond childhood memories. I too enjoyed the Woolworths and many Christmas parades in Middlesboro Ky. I am 50 and still to this day, the smell of oranges makes message think of those Christmas treat bags.

I miss them days sir. Great times even though we didn’t get much maybe a apple and orange and a few pieces of candy in a paper sack. I sure do miss them days. Thank you for sharing your memories with us. Brangs mine back GOD BLESS

Merry Christmas to you and yours Donnie. I want to thank you for helping to keep these old memories alive. All of my main family are gone now and I don't get to see my few relatives in Kentucky as much I'd love to any more, as most all of them are gone now too. It is soothing to my hurting soul. From my heart to yours, God bless you!

I love your stories,but this one brought back many good memories from my own childhood. Unfortunantly kids today dont appreciate what they get and have forgotten (or never been taught)what Christmas is really all about.I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and only good things in the coming year.

Really enjoyed this brother Donnie, thanks for sharing this one because you took me way back in time down memory lane to my childhood. I was born in 1967 and my childhood growing up in the country here in South Carolina sounds A LOT Ike yours. Those were the good ole days when life was simple and we appreciated EVERY GIFT we received, even though it wasn’t much we were very grateful for it. Man I miss those Christmas parades to, yes we would leave there with pockets of candy. Lol Also Miss those BIG family gatherings we had back then during the holidays, thats pretty much unheard of these days. Thanks again for sharing this video my friend! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU & YOUR FAMILY!

Donnie love your stories I remember my time growing up back then and even today we still always get together at Christmas chairs and tables every where my family is my greatest gift ever and these memories I hope to carry me to the end of my days but I will continue to do this every year till then take care friend

Thank you Donnie for BEAUTIFUL memories...that is exactly how I grew up in the 60's.... wish we could go back when life was so simple and good...everyone got along and we didn't know what hate was.I really miss THE GOOD OLE DAYS!!!! WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY HEALTHY NEW YEAR...

Sir you brought back some of the greatest memories we have! Man I recall them days as if they happened yesterday! People today have know idea of Christmas, because they say Happy Holidays! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND YOURS SIR!....ATB

Blessings to you and your family 🙏🏻

Sure miss them days. I was a kid in the 70s, but similar. The whole family at Grandma's, cousins everywhere. Kids playing outside. We were poor but we had everything we needed. Merry Christmas y'all

That was like going back in time My grandparents had a dairy farm that was the greatest place to grow up

What a beautiful story! It brought back such wonderful memories for me. It also really got me in the Christmas spirit!

God Bless you Merry Christmas 🎄 I love your stories of growing up in Middlesboro and the Gap. My daughter and granddaughter lives there last Christmas Day my Indiana car didn’t like the big hill and we got snow ❄️ on Christmas well I was stuck for a few days until the snow melted had to walk up the hill and hope no one would run into my car until the snow melted. I’m sure you know I Hamlett Hill that’s where I got stuck in the snow plows won’t go there so you know that area well and I took two days until the snow melted enough that I could actually move my car so that was a memory my first day Christmas memory there in Millsboro. I plan on moving there here in a few months to be closer to my daughter I love your stories and it just puts so much history in the town when I drive through and I love that cross that when you’re going through the town it’s lit up at night on the mountain and you could see it all through the town it’s beautiful. Anyways merry Christmas and God bless

Merry Christmas 🌲love your stories. Those Christmas catalogs/wish books were so fun to look at. Thank you for your memories ❤

I suppose all the Christmases of our youth were the best. I can't imagine anyones being more perfect than mine were. It wasn't the material things but the love of family that made it special. May that special Christmas always be yours.

Here for the “fanger mashin Ford!” And for the wonderful story that I can relate to. I loved the cedar tree Daddy and Brother would go out and get. The Christmas Parade was a big event. And every December we would attend the Rotary Club’s Pancake Day. I did that today. The most wonderful time of the year. Christmastime’s a comin!

I'm forever being blessed by your stories no matter when I hear them . During your stories I get to go back and for a short time I'm young and I'm surrounded by memories of love ones long sence gone . I remember one Christmas my daddy had pneumonia and couldn't work ,our community church brought Us a box filled with toys, fruit and candy . That Christmas will always be special to me and that the doctor said my daddy would be better soon . Oh what a blessed Christmas for us six little girls . Many thanks, GOD BLESS.

Brought back so many wonderful memories, thank you. Merry Christmas to you and your family Donnie.

Great story once again Mr Donnie. Hope you n ya family have a good Christmas also my friend.

Thank you for bringing back memories of Christmas. My first car was a baby blue Ford Galaxy 500. Gosh I miss them days

Back when our country was our country. Merry Christmas Donnie and thanks.

Thanks, Donnie! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 🎅🎄😊

I grew up in the 50’s and Early 60’s in small town America and what a wonderful time it was. Thank you for the trip down memory lane and Merry Christmas to you and yours !

Sounds just like some of the Christmases I had when I was a kid thank you for telling all of your stories Donnie I love all of them may God bless you Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to you and your family! MAY GOD BLESS and keep you all healthy and safe. This is really beautiful story. It was my grandmother's house where we gathered around the wood cook stove!

Merry Christmas! Thank you for sharing your childhood memories. I enjoy your stories the most.

Your Childhood was so much like mine.... So many wonderful memories of Christmas growing up in the mountains of Southern Kentucky..... Merry Christmas Mr. Donnie to u and your family... God bless y'all

How well I recall my elder sister and myself laying on the plush carpet with the Montgomery Wards catalog and the Sears and Robucks catalog between us. We'd dog ear pages in the toy and doll sections. It was such a highlight to holiday time in the late 50's and up to the mid 1960's. Precious memories. Children today are missing out on the best!

Thank you so much for this story. It brought back so many beautiful memories that our parents, Aunts, Uncles and grandparents made for us. Hope you and your family have a Merry Christmas 🎄

That was awesome! Merry Christmas my friend.

Marry Christmas Donnie to you and your family, have a wonderful Christmas and my God bless you all my friend. Love the up load today, keep up the good work. 👍🏻👍🏻🙋🙋

Thank you for sharing these memories. Love “The Finger-Mashin’ Ford”! Love the memories of your Mammy. My grandkids call me Mammy too. Such sweet, sweet memories! I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas this year. ❤️🎄🙌🏼

Another wonderful story Mr. Donnie! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Howdy Donnie- bringing back memories. Thank you for sharing this. Hope y’all have a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year. God bless

Merry Christmas, Donnie! Thank you for your story! 🎄🎅🏻 🎁

This a beautiful Christmas story.

Merry Christmas to you and your family that was a really nice story brought back a good memory for me or maybe it was a not good memory it's funny now to me. Old Santa Claus used to bring the treats down the church aisle and our church mom and us kids and my cousin were sitting all in one pew with Grandma. Don't know why Grandpa wasn't there haha now. Santa came down the aisle with his big bag and my cousin and I whispered and apparently we didn't whisper very quietly said that's not Santa Claus that's Grandpa. Mom grabbed our hands and walked us out the back of the church and we got to sit in the car until the treats were handed out. Got a lecture too about not spoiling it for the little kids. Grandpa brought her treats home with him and gave it to us after Sunday dinner with another lecture. Wonderful times with all the family there and lots of good memories. I kind of remember a finger masher too but I think it was an old Pontiac or maybe a Buick. Doesn't matter got to watch out for those finger Mashers. God bless you all

Great Christmas story Donnie, brings back some great memories!!! yep my town still has Cornish carolers started with the miners in 1851.

Donnie, I love to hear every one of your stories. I appreciate you taking the time to produce these wonderful videos, and to wish you the Merriest of all Christmases. I will keep you in my prayers, Shalom my friend!

Thank you so much for all your Appalachian stories, they are all wonderful & bring back a lot of childhood memories. Merry Christmas to you and your family! Looking forward to another year of your stories!

Good Christmas Story Donnie, brought back so many good memories of Christmas when I was a kid. Thank You So Much, and I Wish You and Your Family a Wonderful Christmas My Friend 🙂.

May have already said this, but after that great video and great Christmas stories, I’ll say it again. . . Merry Christmas and happy new year to you and your family and friends.

Belated Merry Christmas from your northern neighbour 🇨🇦 Like everyone else I LOVE your video stories. I grew up on a Scottish traditional homestead farm in the 40’s to 60’s in pioneer-like conditions. Because of that - much of what you tell is familiar to me. We didn’t have all the material benefits of today’s children - but I wouldn’t trade that upbringing or times for any money or riches. We learned to appreciate more and had seemingly more understanding of faith and spirit. Thanks so much for sharing your memories with us. 🎄🎅🎄

Christmas Blessings to you Donnie Laws! Another wonderful feel good story. Thanks for another smile this evening.

Thank You for that Wonderful Christmas Story!! It brought back Cherished Memories of my Great Grandparents in Spruce Pine NC. Thank You for All You Do and Have a Blessed and Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas Mr Donny to you and your wife

Merry Christmas, Donnie- to you and yours. You sure stirred up some memories with this one. Christmas eve was the longest day of the year for us kids. Great video. Keep 'em coming in 2022. Blessings on all us hillbillies.

Used to go down the rail road tracks to get Christmas 🎄 trees when I was a child. Thanks Donnie and you have a great Christmas 🎄

Wonderful story Donnie, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!! God bless you and your family 👪

Love love this beautiful story Donnie thank you for sharing

I grew up in NW Wilkes County NC. I'm a 4th gen logger. My Papaw was born in 1906 and passed away when I was 21 in 1997. He didn't see his first car till he was 9 years old when a model T got stuck in the creek on the wagon trail down below where I live now. NC hwy 16 runs through there now. That guy in the T model got my great papaw to pull him out with his Belgian logging horses then that guy took them for a ride in it. I used to love to soak up papaw's stories. He used to talk about only getting a few apples and oranges and maybe some rock candy and a whistle or something for Christmas. I still remember what an impact that made on me as a child of plenty in the 80s. Some of those folks up in DC need to experience a little life like that right now...

Merry Christmas Donnie --wishing all of your family a wonderful Christmas season

Donnie you made me cry with memories of Christmas when I was a little girl. I miss it so much. But I laughed about the finger mashin' Ford...I can relate...haha Ironically, my Dad gave me my first car and it was a Ford Galazy 500. Never mashed a finger in that one. haha What wonderful stories you post. Merry Christmas to you and your family....and a very Happy New Year

Mr Laws, thank you so much for posting these. My mother was from Middleborough and she passed in the last two years. We'd drive 8 hours every summer to visit family. So many things I forgot that you've reminded me of. Mom would have liked these videos you've made. I share them with my aunt. Thank you so much. Merry Christmas. God bless you and your family. 🙏

SO MANY MEMORIES🙏🏿🎄

Our family loves watching your videos. Thank you Donnie. Merry Christmas.

Thank you Donnie for sharing your story! I hope you have a happy xmas & new year's too!

Hi Donnie appreciate your Christmas video . I was raised the same way. In the 60s in the Appalachians mountains. In Lee county va. I remember the sears catalog the wish book we called it. That was some good times back then.you have brought a smile to my face and some good memories. Merry Christmas to you and your family.keep the good work up sr. Thank you until next time see ya.

I loved this storey. I grew up in a small town in Canada and our Christmases were very similar. The legion would throw a big party every year for us kids, and we would get a small gift and a bag of candy. Thank you for the memories you brought back to me, right down to me and my 3 sister's sleeping in the same bed.

From one Donnie to another, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you Donnie and family! We are enjoying your videos! ❤️

Loved your story. We got our tree in the woods too.

Thanks for posting this! I’m not from Appalachia but being from a very rural and not so economically prosperous county in central Georgia this story very much reminds me of my own Christmas memories. It even brought a tear as I remember a simpler but much happier time! Merry Christmas!

My old man comes from a family of 15 siblings. So I have a lot of cousins and family just on that side alone. I remember as a kid going to the family cottages next to each other, and it would be full of cousins, aunts, uncles, family friends. Every day was so much fun playing in the water, playing sports and games, bikerides to the stores and other beavhes. Going into town every few days to shop or run errands or lucky and have a big movie night or go out for dinner with everyone. Everynight was campfires and cardgames and eating and drinking with all of these people coming and going, Such great memories. It's truly the relationships and good times and memories that should be held dear to your heart and cherished. Respects and Cheers to you all. ✌👍

I really enjoyed that.. Thank you. I hope you have a lovely Xmas and I'm wishing all good things for you in 2022. ❤ (Viewer's included) Merry Xmas everyone xx

God bless you Donnie. We know the true reason for the season brother. Glory be to God in the highest. Happy birthday Jesus. Please bless Donnie with many more years to celebrate your birthday. Amen.

Great store Donnie.I enjoyed it very much and Merry Christmas Donnie

Yes, the small towns that I grew up in were very much the same. Oh wonderful memories.

Great video donnie. I really Injoy your storys!!! Make you appreciate the little things.

"Finger Mashin' Ford" I lost count of how many you said it this time!😅 Anyway Donnie thanks for sharing your memories and photos of your childhood. It brings back good memories similar to yours even though I'm a only child and like Thanksgiving my Christmas was spent at our hunt camp with dad and mom and our close friends. Wishing you and your family a Very Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year. Jesus is the Reason for the Season! 🤗✝️🌲🌟🎁❄🔔

From one southern Appalachian to another, thank you so much for sharing these sweet memories!

Love your stories, you have a great storytelling voice. We moved to n.c. in 1950, best memories come from all 6 of us riding in old finger-mashing Kaiser back to mama & papa's over the Blue Ridge Mts at 1am after dad got off work,but one time it was a snowstorm & we got stuck . We were so scared but finally getting to our g-parents house &seeing the frosted window panes & lit xmas tree & them waiting up for us was the best memories.

Accidentally hit the send button as I was saying I grew up in Middlesbrough at the same time you did. Can you remember the Christmas is when it would be just flaking snow no real snow was coming but there were flakes falling. And Woolworths had their popcorn machine and they're fresh nut counter pushed outside on the sidewalk and you can buy Spanish peanuts and a tall bag of popcorn and poor those peanuts down in the popcorn. The snow falling a little bit just flaking same to make the popcorn and peanuts taste better. Iassociate a whole lot of Christmas with the smells mostly with the food smells but the trees and the garlands to.

Even though a lot of your videos bring me to tears I still want to watch more of them. I am fixing to turn 63 years old next month and my best memories are behind me. Thank you so much for doing this and keeping those memories alive. I hope you have a blessed day.

Central Virginia, church first all dressed up, many didn't have cars, we did...so we visited, froze in one house, baked in another, saw everybody's trees and presents, men caught up on crops and business, women on gossip and cooking, nibbled our way through the day, went home tired but happy, played a while and off to bed. Only one white Christmas I remember, went sleighing. Peaceful.

What a Wonderful story.Thank you so much for sharing.Those were the good ole days .The sixty's was a good era to grow up in and the memories will be forever etched in my mind.God Bless You and your family.

I've only just found your channel today and have been listening to you all afternoon. I am in New Zealand but the Appalachian people and mountains have interested me my whole life. I love listening to your kind voice and beautiful accent. This story is my favourite so far. Thank you for sharing. Bless you.

I grew up in the Appalachian mountains also. My childhood sounds a lot like yours. We lived in a holler with no other house for miles. We went above our house and cut our Christmas tree every year.The best part for me was getting that little paper bag with an apple,orange,stick candy,nuts and coconut candy from granny. I have told my children and grandchildren how I lived and they just can't imagine how. Merry Christmas to you and your family

Oh, Christmas time was special when we were growing up.Especially when I still believed there was a Santa.Claus.My parents would wait til we went to bed before the tree would be brought in and trimmed.We'd wake up the next morning and the first thing we saw was the beautiful tree with a big star on the top. Dad always had a train going round and found the tree. We'd each get a few presents and have a wonderful Turkey dinner. Awesome pies for dessert. Just so blessed to have this. Thanks Donnie for bringing this up to remember. Your friend, Louise

Donnie my friend I missed this one somehow. Boy, you are just a painter of the beautiful memories of our history of the mountains. Like daddy had been looking all year for a special tree. And the chance to run by the little local country store, my great uncle ran it. You knew that dime was going to get you a number 10 brown bag pretty full. And uncle always added each a extra piece of candy. Usually a peppermint stick because of Christmas. The way we celebrated Christmas wasn't like others in the community but that was okay. It was great just having family members from so far away we thought stopping by. During the weekend there was 2 to 3 tables filled with family and friends playing rook. And food Carried in, plus what grandmother we call mammie to. Cousins from everywhere along with the ones who grow up right with you in mammies house. They were like brothers and sisters. But, growing up in the mountains seem to give us a step over our city Cousins. Lol..the trips to take them "snip hunting " and so much more. We have lost those mommies, uncle's and many Cousins now. But, remembering those days we just didn't know how our life was going to change. It was hard at times but, I would love to have one more of those beautiful Christmas's again. Oh we did bring the tree into the house. Wasn't something great grandmother would allow. But she set beautifully decorated on the front porch. And if by chance there happen to be an old bird nest in that cedar Christmas tree all the better. Thank you Donnie for all your beautiful pictures you give back to us ...the children of the mountains,that leave and return to our heart the mountains

Those were great memories, being. RAISED COUNTRY! ..THAT OLD HOME PLACE. THAT HUGE KITCHEN& ROME eagle. Wood cook stove. So warm& wovnderful aroma of buttermilk buscuits& country ham. Hugs from that angel in a apron there, spoiled me! I called her Grand ma! Miss you so! Ken.

My name is Brenda I love watching these so much. Makes me cry a lot your memories are so much like mine I had for sisters I am next to the last an we did practically everything u talked about going to church on Sunday an Sunday night. Walked a lot of times an it was a long walk. But by the help of the lord an my mommy prays. Someone would pick us up. I sit an think about my childhood an id give anything to go back. I really miss those days. My family. My mom an dad to. Me an u are about the same age I would think. But I do love your stories. An I’m gonna keep watching them. I sure do hope an pray you get better Donnie. I will most definitely have you in my prayers.

I remember Tamers and Wakins store in Middlesboro. I also have my fire truck pedal car from Christmas when I was 2. It hangs in my garage!

How I loved this story of.your Christmas memories. My heart filled up so bigggggg and full and even some laughter about those finger mashing fords...LOL How this reminds me of my Cousins and Aunt & Uncles. MY grandparents ❤ would do ANYTHING they could for other families or kids. THEY always done tons for thier own family How I miss my grandparents so so much . NOW that they r gone...None of my cousins or AUNTS and Uncles from that side never visit any more. THAT breaks my ❤. It would break my grandparents 💔 too if they knew. I LOVE CHRISTMAS 🎄 ♥. I MISS my 2 cousins from my Daddys side... More than the will ever know. But bless one of thems hearts soooo much... Cause they sent .me this. ❤