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“Christmas Eve was a night of song that wrapped itself about you like a shawl. But it warmed more than your body. It warmed your heart…filled it, too, with melody that would last forever.”

Last night it rained, but it’s still cloudy. The clouds, though, are light and give hope for a bit of sun. Yesterday I made my orange cookies and today is lemon squares. That’s it for the day except to shower and get ready for tonight’s festivities.

When I was a kid, this was an endless day. I remember us begging our mother to let us go to bed around 5:30. We figured the night would pass quickly if we were asleep. We never got to test that theory as we never went to bed so early. After dinner my mother always let us open a present on Christmas Eve. We didn’t have a choice as to which one we opened. We moaned and groaned because we always had to open the new pajamas. Under the tree were more presents but they were hands off until the morning.

A Christmas Carol was usually on TV, and we watched it every year. That’s where my love for the movie began. The TV screen was small and the movie was in black and white, but it was still magical as Scrooge was helped by the ghosts to see joy in Christmas and his connections to other people. I remember being older and reading A Christmas Carol and feeling as if it was an old friend I’d read often.

Dinner was no big thing on Christmas Eve. None of us was really all that hungry for regular food. We ate cookies, as many as we could get away with. My mother put hard Christmas candies in a dish on the table. The pieces were sticky and some were stuck together. That was a good excuse to eat a couple at a time. The candy didn’t last long.

Opening the pajamas signaled the start of our Christmas rituals. We’d run upstairs and put the pajamas on right away. Next was the hanging of the stockings on the stair rail. We did it by age with mine at the top, George’s next then Sheila’s then my sister Moe’s at the bottom. Sheila and Moe went to bed first. George and I went later. It took forever to fall asleep. We’d talk across the hall from one bedroom to another. I never remembered finally falling asleep. It just happened.

When I woke up on Christmas morning, it took a moment or two before I remembered it was Christmas. My parents had us wait until the four of us were awake then we raced down the stairs. Nothing is more spectacular than seeing the lit Christmas tree with the presents around it.

It doesn’t seem to matter how old I am. I still love Christmas. Under my tree are wrapped presents. I won’t open them until tomorrow. I might shake a few tonight!

Merry Christmas!

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14 Comments on ““Christmas Eve was a night of song that wrapped itself about you like a shawl. But it warmed more than your body. It warmed your heart…filled it, too, with melody that would last forever.””

  1. Hedley's avatar Hedley Says:

    December 24, 2017 at 2:36 pm

    The snow is falling, the Detroit Lions are, well they are the Detroit Lions, dinner awaits in Rochester and then it’s Midnight Mass at a very Midnighty 9 pm.

    Slowly but surely, Mrs MDHs Santa sack has been filling.

    The blessings of the season to everyone

    • katry's avatar katry Says:

      December 24, 2017 at 3:14 pm

      My Dear Hedley,
      The lemon squares are in the oven. I just need to take a shower and get dressed for the 5:30 festivities.

      I am watching the Pats who are presently tied with Buffalo, but this is the second half. The Pats usually own the second half.

      A wonderfully Merry Christmas to you, Mrs MDH and all the family.

  2. im6's avatar im6 Says:

    December 24, 2017 at 3:41 pm

    Best wishes to Kat and the entire Coffee Clan. Hope you have a Razzle Dazzle Christmas!

  3. Christer.'s avatar olof1 Says:

    December 24, 2017 at 4:00 pm

    It rained, well drizzled big parts of the day here but I didn’t mind at all for once. I ate my food and I watched Donald Duck 🙂

    I can’t remember if the day before Christmas was any different than any other day. The presents had already been by the tree for quite some time so I think I had given up on guessing what it might be in them 🙂 🙂 It was a totally different thing on Christmas eve morning though, all the excitement boiled in my head and I was always allowed to open one present when I woke up. I guess that was the easiest thing since I’m the only early bird in the family and wouldn’t be able to stay calm unless I had something to do 🙂 🙂

    Have a very merry Christmas!

    Christer.

    • katry's avatar katry Says:

      December 24, 2017 at 11:16 pm

      Christer,
      I am always amazed at the tradition of Donald Duck.

      Santa left the presents while we were sleeping so the only ones under the tree were the pajamas and a few gifts from relatives. We always opened our gifts on Christmas Day even after we knew betroth about Santa. My mother and I used to open 1 gift from each other on Christmas Eve as we were generally the only ones awake.

      I hope your day was the merriest!

  4. Bob's avatar Bob Says:

    December 24, 2017 at 8:10 pm

    We spent the afternoon at the Winspear Opera House enjoying the revival of the King and I. I’m amazed how well Rogers and Hammerstein’s 1952 creation holds up today. Afterwards we ate at a Mediterranean restaurant. I think the owners are Turkish and I had the braised lamb shank. The sun finally showed itself with a breezy 45 degrees.

    The big night has arrived and I want to wish everyone on Coffee a very happy holiday.

  5. Birgit's avatar Birgit Says:

    December 24, 2017 at 9:08 pm

    It’s past midnight now and the main Christmas celebration is already over here. Church (my friend sang), back by bike through the night, dinner, gifts, cookies and egg liqueur…
    Sleep well and sweet dreams tonight about toys and Christmas elves!

    Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays to all of you!

    • katry's avatar katry Says:

      December 24, 2017 at 10:54 pm

      Birgit,
      It is nearly 11 here. I was at my friends’ house where we drank egg nog, ate dips, cheese and such and also constructed our gingerbread houses. We seem to get better each year.

      I then went to my neighbor’s house and drank a few mimosas. They are Brazilian, and their tradition is a big dinner tonight and presents are then opened at midnight. I wish I had gone there hungry!

      I’m home now and tired so maybe early to bed tonight. I think that makes Santa come earlier!

      Merry Christmas!


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