For me, it’s about being a kid.

Once I get all the shopping done, have all the presents wrapped, and am able to step back for a moment, I can reflect on why I love Christmas so much.

Every year I stress about what to get people, if I’ve forgotten someone, or if I get the presents in the mail to late. I talked to my mother last night, and although the United States Postal Service SWORE that they would arrive by Wednesday or Thursday, they still hadn’t arrived. Mom is on her way to Florida to see my brother, so she won’t open her presents until after Christmas.

This bothers me. The main reason? Mom was always the one with the littlest pile under the tree. Gifts she would receive from friends at work would be placed under the tree so that she could open them Christmas morning. It was important to me that she have them to open Christmas morning. I guess the main reason it was so important to me is that now I’m in her shoes. I am the one with the littlest pile under the tree. It doesn’t bother me and I’m sure it didn’t bother mom or maybe it did…I don’t know. It’s funny how I used to think my mom got crazy around the holidays and now I do the same thing. As a kid, you kind of just show up for Christmas…don’t really have to do much except make your list and then be good so Santa comes. Being Santa and planning Christmas is hard work!

This year something happened. I was late getting the gifts, the cards, and to be honest, I just finished my shopping yesterday. I’m normally done by Thanksgiving so I don’t have to deal with any stress for a month. Samara wrapped the presents that had to be mailed and got them boxed up for me. She put the return address labels on the cards and help me stuff them. I ran out of time. Christmas snuck up on me.

But last night, when I had wrapped the last of the presents, realized that I had what they REALLY wanted, and knew that everything was going to be alright, the kid came out in me.

I bounded up this morning at 8am. There are no kids here so I didn’t have to get up. The first thing I did was turn the computer on so that I could see where Santa was. I do it every year. When I worked in an office, I would track him and tell the rest of the office where he was. It’s just a fun little thing that I like to do. Last time I checked, he was in Japan, and I’ve been sitting here refreshing my screen because I know that it’s about time for a new video.

I’m all smiles. It’s not because I’m dying to know what I’m getting for Christmas. I know most of the things, although I’m sure there will be a few surprises. There’s a gift under the tree for me from a friend online. I haven’t opened it. I’m waiting for tomorrow morning.

I’m smiling because the Christmas spirit has hit. It’s Christmas Eve. It took this long to get here, but it’s here. I’m tracking Santa, I’m imagining the looks on the faces of Tim, Matthew, and Samara when they open their gifts tomorrow morning. I smiling because tonight, we get to read ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas…the same pop-up book that my dad read to John and I as a kid. The pop-up stuff doesn’t work anymore and the book marks it’s 28th year this December, but it’s a tradition in our house. I’m smiling because we can read the story of Jesus in the Bible, put out our cookies and milk and wait for Santa and his reindeer to arrive. Those are the joys that I have with Christmas. These are the reasons that I love it so much!

And tomorrow morning, I will be the first one up. I always am. Matthew will wake shortly after me and then we’ll have to wake Samara up. Although Matthew knows that I am Santa, I’m still expecting a look on his face when he sees the packages under the tree. Samara’s belief in St. Nick will make her eyes as big as saucers when she walks into the living room. She still very much believes…and I do too.

There’s a magic about Christmas. You can’t conjure it up when you want to. I’ve tried. I’ve been trying since Thanksgiving. I’ve had the Christmas tunes blaring, we had the decorations out and it just wasn’t there. I got upset because the tree looks retarded, with ornaments only on the top front of the tree, but when you step back and think about it, who cares? We have a tree. There are presents under that tree. We have a roof over our head and food on the table. We have family and friends to enjoy the holidays with and we are very, very blessed.

The magic is here now. I’m excited. Santa’s in Indonesia and he’s making his way here. We know that when he hits Iceland it’s time for bed…

From our house to yours…Merry Christmas…

Until next time…

Heather