Editor’s note: We asked readers and staff to share their favorite Christmas memories. Today, “A special visit or gift”: Reindeer hooves, toboggan surprises and a doll named Delphine.

One wild ride

Visions of four shiny sleds in descending sizes danced in my head many nights. We were as poor as the Cratchits in Charles Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol” — just a fact that had nothing to do with the wonder of childhood dreams. Christmas arrived and what to my wondering eyes did appear? Wrong! No sleds, not a one.

What we got was something curled on the top like a candy cane, a very wide, very brown candy cane. I walked back and forth wondering what it was, so tall I was sure it was going to fall and crush me into the floor. It had a tag: “To Beverly, Sandra, Larry and Eris, Merry Christmas. From: Santa.” This little girl was so disappointed.

Full of hot oatmeal we trudged outside, our disappointment in tow. And then, we had the best time of our lives. Our combined weight made (our new toboggan) just sail down the hill and the time we hit a rock underneath we all fell off into a mass of giggling children. Called in for dinner, with cold rosy cheeks we begged to return until supper. It was a wonderful life, indeed!

— Eris Sessions, Norway

Up on the rooftop

When I was maybe 5 or 6, for reasons I can’t remember, my grandmother bunked in my room one Christmas Eve. After we’d gone to bed and turned out the lights, Nana and I kept each other up for what felt like hours convinced that we could both hear reindeer feet on the roof. My parents might have even come in trying to put a lid on it. I couldn’t name a single present from that next morning, but I’ll never forget her excitement and the sheer, happy belief in the room that night.

— Kathryn Skelton, staff writer

Somehow, Santa pulled it off

Many years ago back in the ’30s, I lived in New Brunswick, Canada, with my grandparents, who raised me. We lived on a small farm in the country, and we were poor. Even so, I never remember going to bed hungry or ever having a spanking.

When I was about 5 or 6 years old, the nearby country store at Christmastime had this beautiful little doll. It had dark skin, black braids and a red-and-white polka dot dress. Oh, how I wanted that doll!

Every time we went to this store I would look at this beautiful doll, but I knew there was no way I would ever get it. It cost $2, which at that time was a lot of money. All we ever got at Christmas was an orange, some nuts and barley toys (which was candy) in our stocking. Receiving this was a big treat, but still, I was hoping for that doll.

On Christmas morning, lo and behold, there was the doll with my stocking! I had no idea how they ever managed to buy it for me — even when I asked, they said, “Santa Claus brought it.”

I kept that doll until I was grown up. Her name was Delphine. This was one of the happiest memories of my childhood.

— Kitty Gee, Chesterville

Coming tomorrow: The people you’re missing the most this holiday season.