Excitement of Christmas

Good morning, all. Jaren went to work with Ben today so I'm back at being home alone for the day. For some reason, Mr. Sleep never came to me last night so I'm not quite sure why I'm up this early, but none the less, here I am. I am breaking Ben's rule about eating at the computer. I'm enjoying my first bowl of Honey Bunches of Oats, with Peaches. I highly recommend it. The cereal, not the breaking the rules part.

Today's Christmas story is about the joy of Christmas vacation and the excitement of the holiday.

In elementary school, Christmas was a huge deal. It seemed each week it got closer to Christmas, the more hyper me and my fellow classmates got. Perhaps it was the holiday candy or perhaps just the fact that everyone knew in a few days, we'd be on vacation and Santa would visit.

I was in 4th or 5th grade and was, just like any other student, looking forward to the last day of school before Christmas vacation. It was the day before the last day and everyone was excited for the upcoming Christmas assembly, where we all would inevitably make our mom's cry at how darling we looked in our pj's and nightcaps, while reciting "The Night Before Christmas." We had gone through the production numerous times and seemed to have it as good as it would ever get. (Side note: Ben actually played piano for those and many other Christmas programs).

The Christmas pageant came and went and our teacher happily wished us all a very merry Christmas and a good vacation. As happened each year on this last day of school before Christmas vacation, many of my fellow classmates thought it was hilarious to say, "See ya next year!" meaning they'd see each other after the new year had started. They chuckled and everyone thought it was the most clever thing they'd heard. I swear, someone said it every year!

My mom took me home from school that day. I remember it exactly as if it happened yesterday. I was wearing the ever so stylish tights with flannel boxer shorts (oh, please make that fashion NEVER come back) with a bright red turtle-neck, black buckle shoes, and an even more fashionable Christmas necklace which consisted of a string and one singular jingle bell. At the time, I suppose, I was pretty "hot," but looking back now, I again wonder what my mother was thinking allowing me to go out looking like that.

After a quick stop at home, we loaded ourselves in the car, again, and went out into the snowy world to finish some shopping. The roads were crammed, the snow was thick, and the stores were overflowing. I remember my mom was listening to Christmas music and we both sang along while in the car, trying to relieve some stress of the holiday hustle and bustle.

For some reason, I will never forget this shopping trip. It was mixed with the excitement of getting out of school and the recognition that Christmas had officially begun. I don't remember what Santa brought that year, but I do remember the feeling of being excited. As with other years, the presents weren't always the most memorable moment, but it was the excitement of the holiday and all that came with it.

As one of my favorite authors has said, "It's great to be children and never better than at Christmas time."-- Charles Dickens

Happy Wednesday...Just a few more days until the jolly old man himself arrives. Love you all.