Christmas Memories....

HeLLo...Mr. Dickens? Are you out there? I'd really like a visit from the Ghosts of CHRiSTMaS tonight.

I'd LoVe to go back and look in on my family at Christmas. The house transformed each year into a land of lights and color. Family photos came down....Christmas pictures went up. Greenery everywhere! Garlands, wreaths, and of course our tree. SToCKiNGS hung by the chimney with care---especially when Dad lit the fire. LiGHTS on every branch of every tree, both inside and outside. Mom's legion of eLVeS making mischief throughout the house. Morning never did come soon enough as I lay in bed on Christmas Eve as a child...for me, or my siblings. I'd love to stand unnoticed in the room and listen to us GiGGLe and talk. Oh the speculations! What would be under the tree? Would we hear Santa? Whos turn it was to ask for the zillions time that night if the hour had come to get up. We never did get much sleep. I doubt my parents did either.

I'm eXCiTeD for Christmas' to come. TRaDiTioNS...there will be traditions! Those passed down and carried on through my life, those of my sweet hubbies...and those we will make ToGeTHeR. I doubt I'll sleep much as a parent...too much excitement waiting for the little ones to PeeK out from their rooms.

A future Christmas will soon be past. Dumpsters will be adorn with paper and RiBBoNS no longer needed to hide secret treasures. I'm excited for gifts...more so the ones I GiVe. When I close my eyes to visit Christmas past, or look forward to Christmas yet to come, it's no present under the tree that fills my view, but the PReSeNCe of the wonderful people in my life.