I was always the kid who woke everyone else up on Christmas morning. Well most years. One particular Christmas, I remember I got out of bed at 1:30 in the morning. I'm still not sure I fell asleep at all that night.
My "big" gift that year was a little mini Casio keyboard. It had four settings: piano, flute, violin, and something called fantasy. I turned the volume on the lowest setting and sat on the couch and played with it until everyone else woke up. I think Dad was the first to venture into the living room that morning, around 5:30.
I was afraid my parents might be upset. Normally they liked to watch as we found what Santa had left us scattered around the living room. But Dad didn't seem to mind. Then again, I was fourteen.
For awhile, my sister would tell me to wake her up on Christmas morning. But that only lasted a few years. Then she got too old. But I never did.
I still find it hard to go to sleep on Christmas Eve. Back then, it was the anticipation. Now it's because I don't want it to end. That magical feeling of Christmas Eve and Christmas morning.
When you're a kid, those first twenty-four days of December seem to take forever. And when it's over, the next Christmas seems a hundred years away. The years pass a lot faster these days. Still, for just a little while tonight, I wish that I could stop time. It all goes by so fast.
Or maybe I'm still just a kid.
Merry Christmas, from my home to yours...
(Bone's Christmas tree and presents, circa 2008.)
"I'm as slow as christmas. I'll be up before the dawn. I'm not gonna miss this. I know that old saying's wrong. Every Christmas day makes every other day seem long. And what seemed would never get here has so quickly come and gone..."
Nice memories Bone. I remember that Santa landing on the roof sounded a lot like the folding stairs to the attic being lowered... but since we didn't have a chimney, I suppose he cut a hole in the roof and came down the folding stairs. May you have a Merry Christmas.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas. I always try to sleep in on Christmas. It makes the present opening last even longer. ...I don't know how. It makes sense in my mind when I'm in my warm, toasty bed.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas, Bone!
Great memories, Bone.
ReplyDeleteI play the Santa for my nephew and nieces. It sure feels good, you know.
Festivals do make us kids out of us again and again.
Merry Christmas to you!
Merry Christmas Bone!
ReplyDeleteI have one of those too excited to sleep kids too. She makes it very hard for Santa to come...one year she's gonna notice how sleep deprived I am.
Sage - We didn't have a chimney either. So I always wondered about that, too. I'm pretty sure Santa has a contingency plan for most anything.
ReplyDeleteCharlotta - That's actually not a bad idea. You sleep in. Open presents later. Christmas lasts longer.
Of course that would have been impossible to do when I was a kid.
Gautami - Oh that sounds wonderful. I've always thought I'd like to play Santa someday.
Renee - I seem to recall Mom and Dad looking sleepy. But I just thought it was because I was up at 5 AM. :) All I know is those milk and cookies were always gone.
I love the OCDness to the packages. And I think I notice a theme with all that blue & white paper… I’m telling you, if you want a white Christmas, just come north. I have plenty of snow to go around!
ReplyDeleteOne year, I know I must have gotten out of bed five times, walked into the living room in my baby blue Dallas Cowboys pajamas and told Mom I couldn't sleep.
Awwww! That’s sooooooooo cute! :) It’s too bad your Mom didn’t save those: you could pass ‘em on to Nephew Bone to do the same thing to his Mom in a few years.
Then again, I was fourteen.
I laughed and laughed when I got to this line. Here was your big ‘ol lead up about this gift and how you were afraid you were going to get in trouble and I was just all sympathetic to sweet, young Bone… only to find out you were a TEENAGER!!! Hilarious. I fell for it, hook, line and sinker. Sigh.
I love this post. It says so much about you I think :) In the best way possible.
Feliz navidad, Bone. Though I might recommend getting some shut eye… or you won’t be able to keep up with the ‘phew tomorrow.
Not wanting it to end...that's exactly how my daughter is. She's so excited for the entire month of December, and then on the 26th she's so sad that it's all over. And she's 17! lol...it is a magical time. Your tree is lovely -- Merry Christmas, Bone!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas Bone.
ReplyDeleteGreat memories to share thank you.
We had snow most Christmases where I grew up and we always saw reindeer tracks on the barn roof, the roof of the house and front lawn.
I believed in Santa for a very long time because of that.
I think being co-Santa for our son was almost more fun than waiting on Santa as a kid. It wasn't until he was born I learned from Leon that Santa's reindeer wanted carrots thrown up on the rooftops, after all, Santa was getting milk and cookies!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas, I hope you kept up with your nephew.
TC - Actually, the packages weren't exactly just perfect in the picture. I was in a hurry yesterday afternoon.
ReplyDeleteFeliz navidad, los perro anos y felicidad! Or whatever.
Fledgling - Aww, I love it! You must've done something right :)
Thanks.
Doohickie - Oh what I wouldn't give for snow on Christmas. I remember it snowing a little here one Christmas Eve years ago. This year, the temps were in the 50's and 60's.
Marcia - Carrots on the rooftops?? We never did that! Hopefully enough good people like you did so that the reindeer didn't starve.
Hey Bone, no we didn't get any snow for Christmas...but it's coming this weekend. Today was actually pretty warm I hear, I didn't go outside.
ReplyDeleteI'm gonna try to blog about last night here.
I finally found someone who is more OC with wrapping and colour co-ordination than I am. Are you sure you have an Y cromosome?
ReplyDeleteI could have sworn I commented on this
ReplyDeleteYou can make anything sound new and exciting. Not that most peoples Christmas memories aren't interesting--but just your first sentence is the mark of a true writer. Same with every other sentence
So, I'm confused. Are all the gifts under your tree from you to other people? Because I can't believe that people would know to wrap gifts to you in blue and white paper.
ReplyDeleteI hope you had a good Festivus and a Merry Christmas.
you are definitely still a kid and you have a lovely tree (especially for a batchelor! *wink)
ReplyDeleteMerry Happy Season to you!
santa used different wrapping paper at your house?
ReplyDeleteThe paper matches. I mean it's all blue. I'm impressed.
ReplyDeleteHappy Holidays! Great memories Bone, thanks for sharing! Looking forward to enjoying more of your writing in 2009!
ReplyDeleteRenee - Please post pictures when the snow arrives. Thanks.
ReplyDeletePiasportal - I'm pretty sure. Not that I've had any DNA mapping done lately. Just a tad OCD.
Pia - Thank you. I always treasure any comment about the writing.
Xinh - Yes, those are gifts that I gave to other people.
ArtistFormerlyKnownAs - Well, thank you. I especially like your "especially for a bachelor" clause. :)
Karl - No, Santa never wrapped my things. He didn't have time, I guess. He just left them sitting around the living room.
OK Chick - Yes, that was intentional. My goal was to impress you :)
SC - Happy holidays to you, too!