Ah Christmas Eve

There is little question that Christmas Eve is one of the best days of any year. As a kid, I just loved the anticipation of Christmas. I loved Christmas. Not as much as say my sister Ruth, but I did love it. I remember one Christmas, my guess is 1973. I must have been about 10. It was a Christmas when I really, really, really, wanted a bike. You know, a bike was the creme-de la-creme of Christmas gifts as a kid. I remember getting two of them. The first was my purple Stingray--what a bike. Sadly, stolen twice living in Hawaii. In 1973, we lived in Cedar City Utah. I can remember that Christmas tree in our house on Kayenta Circle. It was a beautiful tree and that year must have been good for my folks because it seemed like there were hundreds of presents. I guess having 7 kids must do that. I don't think any of my siblings were yet married. Anyway, I was sooooo excited for Christmas.

I can remember in my mind the Christmas tree that year and counting presents under the tree with my sister Ruth, who could tell what every present was by some amazing power. However, she would refuse to tell me, which drove me crazy.

I can't remember much else about that Christmas except that I got a new bike. A 10-speed bike. It was the coolest thing ever. I can still picture seeing it. It looked spectacular. Christmas was the greatest. It's funny the presents you remember. I think my second favorite present was a GI Joe truck that carried my cool GI Joe. I remember it because that year it snowed and the snow was magical that Christmas day. It was soooo beautiful and made even more beautiful by my GI Joe truck that was awesome in the snow. I loved it.

The stocking back then was the real thing. Filled with an orange (tolerable), nuts (somewhat tolerable) and candy (AWESOME!!!). Of course, the candy would include that hard candy and some of it was good, but chocolate was amazing.

This Christmas has been rather remarkable. I can't remember ever receiving so many gifts from friends and neighbors. It has been amazing. There is no way to not gain 10 pounds. Anyway, the outpouring of love has been wonderful. I guess on this Christmas Eve I have to say that I feel good. This has been one of the more difficult years in my life in many ways, but in others it has been great. But on this Christmas Eve I feel blessed. We celebrate the birth of Christ on Christmas morning and that is a wonderful gift. I can only imagine that on that first Christmas eve that the whole universe was excited. Probably even more excited than I was back in 1973...maybe.