Christmas Memories

Of our three children, Richard probably looked most forward to Christmas.

He was four months old on his first Christmas. After we put the tree up we brought Richard into the room and put him on the floor in front of the tree. He lit up just like that tree. He just squealed and laughed. He wriggled and pushed those little arms and legs, trying with all his might to get over to the tree. He loved it.

As he got older he would always like to go over, lie down under the tree and look up at the lights from below.

He also loved the little snow globe that we set out at Christmas time. He would shake it up and watch the snow swirl around Santa over and over again. He’s holding one of these in the picture above.

Last year Debbie bought him a really nice snow globe. It has a wood base and a glass globe. And a music box built in. It was on the desk in his apartment when he died.

Richard insisted on following our family traditions. Wouldn’t hear of changing things.

We still had to put up his stocking every year. Always had to have country ham for breakfast.

The kids bedrooms are upstairs. When they were young they always had to stay upstairs on Christmas morning until we said it was OK to come down.

They might wake up an hour before we did, but they had to just wait on the old folks. They’d gather at the top of the stairs and try to peek down. Often we’d just lie in bed and listen to them. They’d be whispering to each other.

“Are they up yet?”

“I don’t see them anywhere.”

“Can you see any presents?”

“No, it’s too dark.”

Little by little their volume would increase. Finally they’d give up and start yelling at us to wake up.

I’d drag things out to tease them.

“Can we come down now?”

“No, we have get the tree lit up first.”

“Hurry up”  “Can we come down NOW?”

“Nope, I have to get the camera ready.” And on it would go.

Last year Richard was 22 at Christmas. He still waited at the top of the stairs for the all clear from mom and dad.