First off, just as a reminder…I am a Christmas Person! You don’t mess with Christmas Tradition!

Growing up, I never got to decorate my own Christmas Tree. It was always put up in the stand about a week before Christmas, but that’s as far as it got.  On Christmas Eve, my sister and I were allowed to hang 6 star shaped ornaments on the tree…and then were rushed off to bed.

There were lots of years when I just couldn’t get to sleep. Not only because of the excitement of Christmas morning, but also the uncertainty of it.  What if Santa didn’t actually get to our house? He had one heck of a lot of work to do…he’d better not be late!

Then I would remember…we were on Santa’s Special List. (Probably because I was such a perfect child!) He didn’t just come to my house, drop off gifts and bolt…he hung around for awhile.  He decorated our Christmas Tree, arranged the Nativity on the fireplace mantel, hung a couple of wreaths, ate a plate full of homemade cookies, drank a pitcher of milk…oh yea…our house was the place to be for Santa on Christmas Eve!  He’d show!

What was always so odd however was the fact that my parents were ZOMBIES on Christmas Day. I mean really out of it! It wasn’t until years later that I learned that yes, our house WAS the place to be after midnight on Christmas Eve…but not for Santa and his Elves.

Sometime after midnight both sets of my Grandparents would arrive at our house and spend almost the entire night helping to decorate and wrap packages. There was never any evidence of the drinking and eating that took place during these late hours, so I guess my Mom must have stayed up after they all left to clean the mess up.  That’s Dedication!

But I’m pretty sure she realized it was worth

it when she saw our faces…Christmas morning was magical in my house! There are some memories that always put a smile on MY face!

Of course, there was that one year when I was about 14. By then we were decorating the tree ourselves. I got used to the change in tradition and actually learned to love decorating my own tree. And by 14 years of age I realized that “Santa” had to have some help.  Anyways, that year I woke up Christmas morning to find …nothing under the tree!  WTF!!!!! Seems Mom and Dad fell asleep a bit early (my Grandparents had given up the overnight party by then).  My sister and I had to help bring bags of wrapped packages out of the attic and down to the living room.

I’m pretty sure my Mom remembers the look on my face THAT Christmas morning too.  I remind her periodically…when I need to make a point!

There are some memories that can still piss you off…you know? Bah Humbug!