Christmas is upon us, and this time of year always causes me to think back to the Christmas Days I had growing up and the memories I am blessed with.
I remember being a little kid on Christmas Morning and listening ever so intently for the moment I heard those first parental footsteps being taken in the house so I could check out all the things Santa left us during his visit. By Rule, on Christmas morning no one moved until the parents moved.
After all these years, I do feel a little confession time coming on. I was always more interested in the Santa Gifts because I had already unwrapped the others before Christmas Day. Now I did this in a stealthy way and to the best of my knowledge, my parents never knew. Yes, I could unwrap and rewrap gifts so well and covertly that I most assuredly should have been recruited by the CIA, or the Impossible Missions team, or even James Bond with MI6 – Sorry Mom!
When you look down the road a few years and I felt the other side of that equation as a parent when I would lay motionless lest one of my movements be heard and translate into the ticket my children would need to break out of their rooms and converge on the living room and our family Christmas Tree like a small army taking the beach on D-Day. After all the wrapping, cooking, and assembling; a little rest and relaxation was necessary before the mad rush of Christmas Day was released. I remember lying there in silence just hoping my nose didn’t itch or my calf didn’t cramp as one move in the squeaky old bed would be all those children would need to release the madness of this day.
Another confession, there were many times when I would use my stealthy skills and unwrap my children’s gifts (video games mostly) and play with those as well. They never seemed to notice, or maybe they didn’t mind the broken-in feel of these games. Either way, I enjoyed that little bit of me-time with their toys before Christmas when I would have to share those toys with them.
Fast-Forward to today and how things have come full circle. As empty-nesters and grandparents, the Nurse and I cherish this time of the year when we get to see our eight kids and most importantly, the GRANDKIDS! Now I am not a morning person, and I never thought it would be possible to voluntarily be awake any earlier than I was able to as a child on Christmas Day, but there I am, wide awake at least an hour before my grandchildren on the edge of my seat in anticipation for their awakening and the excitement that is watching a small child see those gifts for the first time.
As most grandparents will attest, there is little else as special is seeing that look of utter exhilaration on these little chubby faces. It’s feelings like this that pay for the years of punishment we faced raising our grandchildrens’ parents. It’s a reward for all that hard work.
Lastly, as I ask each year, while you’re getting ready for Christmas, take a second and help someone out. Grab an extra gift for the Brown Santa program. Buy an extra can of food for the food pantry. Drop off some warm clothing to the thrift store. Most of us can’t donate a great deal, but if we all do a little bit what a tremendous difference we can make.
From the Nurse and I and our whole family, Merry Christmas.
- Log in or Subscribe to post comments.