Simple Gifts

The protocols and traditions surrounding Christmas and any holiday are what make them special. Anticipation is a huge part of Christmas. Following are some of the things that made Christmas special during my childhood. -- praying for fresh snow to cover the dirty snow; -- eating Norwegian rice pudding and marinated herring for supper on Christmas Eve; -- going to church late and leaving silently by candle light at midnight; -- having a cup of egg nog with Mom, Dad and any sibs still awake enough before heading to bed; -- crawling into a cocoon of cold sheets and heavy blankets; -- squirming around to make blue sparks of static electricity between my flannel pajamas and the sheets; -- falling asleep thinking about the loot I hoped to get in the morning; -- devouring Mom's special Christmas breakfast; -- receiving that one, special something that I simply HAD to have even though it was too expensive; -- watching Mom and Dad enjoying their gifts and them watching us enjoying ours; -- skipping lunch because breakfast had been huge and filling; -- taking a nap to recover from the day's excitement; -- eating too much Christmas dinner; -- going for a walk in the cold, gas-lit streets, looking at the lights on neighbors' Christmas trees through frosty windows; -- catching snowflakes on my tongue or craning my neck to see the stars, hoping to catch sight of THE star; -- crawling under the covers again, admiring favorite gifts before being told to turn out the light and go to sleep; -- falling asleep surrounded by my new stuff, carefully placed on top of my bedspread; -- feeling so very lucky to be alive. Merry Christmas