Holidays bring fond memories of family

With Christmas around the corner, several UDM students reflected recently on their favorite holiday memories.

Family was at the center of everyone’s stories.

Junior Imari Smith remembers a moment from her childhood.

“My favorite Christmas memory would have to be when my granddad bought all of my cousins – there’s like 18 of us – bikes and sleds and outdoors activity stuff that we could use when we stayed over his house. It was just a ball opening up all that stuff,” said Smith.

She said she would never forget that Christmas because her grandfather made all his grandchildren feel special with those gifts.

Communications professor Jason Roche’s favorite Christmas memory traces to his teen years.

“When I was 16, all my cousins came up north from New Orleans for Christmas, and we got together at my grandparents house,” he said. “One of my cousins was getting married, and another one had just gotten engaged. We met her fiancé, who was from Australia, and that was cool.”

Roche said that what made that Christmas wonderful was spending it with family.

“I don’t think I got big any big presents that year, but I was just so excited to see them and go cut down the Christmas tree and everything,” he said. “That was my favorite memory – seeing my family and being together with them.”

Performing arts major Deshawn King said his favorite hliday memory was when he shared his talent of poetry with his family.

“I went with my father to the Hampton Hotel. We did a talent show, and I did a poem. Everyone enjoyed it,” said King.