Christmas Morning

Here it is, 3:00 a m and I am wide awake.

For how many years was I just going to sleep at this time after having arranged toys and presents, just so, under the Christmas Tree. Making an effort to have it look like someone had just casually taken them out of his bag. And yet placed so each daughter would know which gift was hers from Santa.

Some years I would just doze off and hear a stirring on the stairs, usually led by Lora and Alissa. Out of bed, quick as a flash and in a loud whisper: "Girls, it's 4:00, go back to bed, you 'll wake the little girls - which really meant "are you nuts, I haven't been asleep for an hour yet." So. They would go back upstairs, whispering excitedly - and loud enough - that the whole crew was soon awake. I'd nudge Vern: "They're awake". "They can't be, it's 4:15". "Might as well get up, ready or not." (He had gone to bed at Midnight after taking a bite of the cookie and I drank some of the milk - because Vern didn't like milk)) He'd put on his kakhis, plug in the tree lights and like a gaggle of gazelles, the daughters rushed down the stairs. Leah always last and holding on to the railing. All of their eager faces reflected in the lights of the tree.

Unwrapped gifts were perused. And since everyone knew what everyone else had asked for, if a sister hadn't spotted her Christmas wish,one of the others pointed it out to her. By this time, Vern had made his cup of Instant, turned on a few more lights, the wrapped present orgy began. A veritable sandstorm of paper and ribbon from gifts that I had painstakingly wrapped - oh, well, they had looked pretty under the tree - and their gifts to us and one another. I usually received a bottle of Evening In Paris perfume - I think they all liked the blue bottle. Vern and I oohed and ahhed over our gifts and I can still remember the pleased look on their faces because they had gotten us the 'perfect' gifts. A little more time to play with toys and breakfast and then get ready for Church....but that's a other story.

Still wide awake but middle of the night memories are good when you can't sleep. May all your memories and minutes be sweet this Blessed Christmas Day.