When I still had my Mother with me.

Every year my Mom would get the Star Chocolate baskets for our friends and family. We especially had this at the holiday dinner she put together every year. I remember how my friends and I used to dig in for our favorites in what we called "the bucket of chocolate" or simply "the bucket". We all knew what that meant at Christmas time. In June 1997, tragically I lost my Mom at an early are of 49 for her. LIfe was never the same without her. I have since moved away, college and married. she is deeply missed by many.

Moving forward, I started to realize how much I loved those family/friend get togethers she used to put together, so I started my own Christmas celebration with those same ten friends each and every year since 2001.

Our friendships stem almost 27 years now. I am blessed that I have such good friends and so many. Interestingly, "the bucket of chocolate" had come up almost every year. None of us knew that the name was or how to get it.

We just all giggled and longed for the "bucket of chocolate"... Our kids just giggled at us not understanding... It wasn't until last year!!! I had contacted an old friend of my mom's to find out if she knew what I was talking about. She did!! Actually, they themselves had ben on the hunt as well. Last year I finally surprised all my friends and now their kids with "the Star Deluxe Chocolate Basket" or in our world " the Bucket". all 25 of us were so happy and grateful to have found it. Kids now understand and have requested it this year. It had been almost 11 years now since we had it. We shared a lot of memories over the basket of chocolate.

See, this is not just "chocolate to us" it is love, memories and tradition.

Thanks for being a part of my "sweet Memories" then and now!!

Kind Regards,

Allison