The morning is cloudy and cold. We still have a bit of snow on the ground, mostly on lawns, but calling it a white Christmas would be a stretch. The first thing I did when I came downstairs was to turn on the trees and room lights. The house looks festive and Christmassy. I have presents to open, and the dogs are getting a special treat, a large frosted dog biscuit with HoHoHo on the front. I haven’t told them yet. It’s still a surprise.

My favorite Christmas morning was when I was either 11 or 12. My brother and I were up early when it was still dark. Everyone else was asleep. We got dressed and walked to church, to the first mass of Christmas morning. That had nothing to do with devotion. We just wanted to get mass out of the way so we could go back and open our presents. On the walk, no cars were on the road. Some houses were lit. People were awake. In the stillness, we could hear our footsteps. The church was almost empty. It was barely lit. Some ladies were sitting in front of one of the side altars. None of them were together as they sat singly in the pews. We sat behind all of them. The priest came out by himself, no altar boy. The mass was still in Latin. We could barely hear the whispered voices of the ladies as they gave their responses. We also whispered so as not to call attention to us. The mass was quick, no sermon, so we were on the way home quickly, our obligation finished.

One mother knew just the right gifts to give us. I don’t remember ever being disappointed. I remember being surprised. Her stocking stuffers were fabled. When I was a kid, I knew what I’d always find, crayons and a coloring book, small games, new socks and chocolate candy, but there was always the unexpected. I’d take out one present at a time. When I was older, my mother wrapped all the stocking stuffers, and I still took out one present at a time.

I loved my presents from my sisters. I had so much fun opening them. My sisters have inherited my mother’s gift giving gene. One sister found an original Ding Dong School book. They both gave me cloth ornaments, Santa’s belt and Ben Franklin. I got a few old kitchen tools, and so much more. Both sisters gave me gift cards.

Today will be quiet. I have a special Christmas dinner for this afternoon and a couple of new books, one being the new Patricia Cornwell, and I still need to finish the jigsaw puzzle, but I am making progress. One of my friends gave me cookies and peppermint bark, and my sister gave me a box of chocolate and cinnamon lollipops from See’s Candies so I’m set for goodies. I foresee a wonderful day. May your day be filled with wonder, joy and love.

Merry Christmas, my friends.

The longest night, for any kid, was not the solstice. Christmas Eve was truly the longest night. We used to think going to bed early would make the night pass faster, but my mother thought after dinner was a bit too early. She was right. It was never easy, despite the time, to fall asleep. I could hardly wait for Santa to come.

My parents always went to midnight mass. When they’d get home, it was time for Santa to come so they’d collect the toys from their hiding places and put them in plies around the tree. When I was really young, my grandparents, who also went to midnight mass, would come to my house so they could watch us see our presents. That meant waking us up long before morning. We’d sort of stumble downstairs. The toys were all around the tree. I didn’t know where to look first. My gifts were in the front, in the middle. I remember one Christmas when a giant doll sitting in front caught my eye. I sat and hugged her for a while. My grandparents would leave, and we’d have to go back to bed. It was misery leaving all those wonderful toys under the tree until morning.m

My favorite Christmas Eves were when my mother and I were the only ones awake. I’d pick a present for her to open and she’d do the same for me. They were special presents, the best presents, the ones we knew each of us would love. We’d have a drink and watch a Christmas movie, but one year we watched Christmas horror, a slasher movie, dark comedy, Jack Frost, about a serial killer embodied as a snowman. We watched the whole movie. I admit we did laugh. My trees and candles are lit. I’m going to put my outside lights on all day and night, a celebration. The weather is a bit dismal, shaky, a mixture of rain and snow. The low will be in the 30’s and the high in the low 40’s. I have to go out later. I need to pick up my Christmas dinner and a few groceries. Tonight I’ll build and decorate my gingerbread house then put it up really high. I’m making progress on my jigsaw puzzle. Right now I’m watching It’s a Wonderful Life which I watch every year. It and A Christmas Carol are traditions for me. I can’t even remember how many times I’ve seen them, but that doesn’t really matter. <!– /wp:paragraph – Happy Christmas Eve!