Twas the night before Christmas…
The presents are wrapped – well mostly. A few will get covered in paper and ribbons moments before rushing out the door to meet more family. Santa Claus, however, is all finished with his wrapping. He’s tucked presents under the tree and filled the stockings. No cookies and milk this year, but the sink has an extra bowl with the last chocolate-milk remains of Cocoa Krispies visible on the spoon.
A new rocking horse with saddle and mane, and buttons on his ears that make the horse come alive with sound, waits for it’s first rider. There are other devices, buttons at the ready to play sounds and music to delight the ears of a young child. The tree will be as it has for the past several weeks but in a fresh young mind will mean something more. It will, for a day, become the centerpiece of giving and receiving, laughter and smiles. Those big red socks with the white fur trim hanging up actually have something inside of them! The now familar Christmas carols are playing on the stereo. Torn bits of wrapping paper litter the floor – just as fun in some ways as the bright new toys, to the dismay of eager parents. A shiny red bow stuck on the dog’s back provides a momentary burst of laughter at the antics as he tries to remove it.
These are the sugar-plums that dance in my head…
Merry Christmas