I am absolutely exhausted today. I asked myself why this morning. Why am I so tired? Why do I want to hit the snooze button and skip the gym today? It is because I have succumbed to the season. The season of Christmas that is.
The past few weeks our agenda has been incredibly full. Christmas parties every weekend, shopping, cleaning, church activities, preschool activities, trimming the tree, etc etc. I literally could go on all day. All of this combined with our normal day to day schedule has become almost more than I can handle. I have tried not to become one of "those" people that gets caught up in the commercialization of Christmas...but I have.
Growing up I can remember my parents being exhausted by the time that the big day rolled around. I didn't know why at the time because I thought that Santa had all of the hard work to do. Like delivering toys all across the world in a sleigh with eight tiny reindeer. One of those reindeer even had a shiny red nose! As I have grown older I now know why. Mom stayed up into the wee hours of the morning cooking and wrapping gifts. Dad stayed up to assemble an assortment of toys. I always would be amazed that Santa had the same wrapping paper that my Mom did. Even though Mom and Dad made Christmas such a special, amazing, and magical time, they never let us forget what it was all about. It was about faith, family, and giving to others.
Christmas Eve was a jammed packed day in the Wilson Family. We would start out by going to my Mom's parents for lunch. I was always excited because we could play with our cousins the entire day. I can remember playing in Granny and Papaw's bedroom one year and we all found a big box with a blanket over it. My cousin Erin was the oldest and the tallest at time time, so she was able to maneuver the blanket off of the box. Inside was a brand new TV. We were amazed at our discovery and ran to tell our parents about what we had found. I don't remember the exact explanation that they gave for our findings, but we believed it!!! Amazingly, the next morning Santa brought the exact kind of TV to our house, it was incredible!
I remember the last Christmas with my Papaw John. I was seven years old. They usually had an artificial tree, but that year he decided to go and cut down a tree in the woods on their farm. At the time I thought that the tree was a little ugly. It was a little bare in places and it wasn't a perfectly shaped tree, but my Papaw was so proud of it. He hung the strands of the old multi colored bulbs, you know, the real big ones. Now when I look back, it was one of the most beautiful trees that I can ever remember.
After Christmas Eve lunch we would then go to the community Christmas program in our little town, Borden. It used to be held in the parking lot of the hardware store, but because of cold weather they eventually moved it to the old Museum Building in town. All of the community would gather and listen to the Christmas story read by one of the ministers of the various churches in town. After that members of all of the churches would come together and sing Christmas Carols until Santa arrived on the fire truck. I can remember the anticipation and excitement when we heard the siren on the fire truck. Santa would give a bag of candy to all of the children. Those were the best candy canes that I have ever eaten. It is a tradition that is still alive today. The same families are there each year, and as we all leave to go our separate ways when it is over, everyone hugs and gives warm wishes of a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Following the Christmas program we would make our way to my Dad's parents house. My dad has a big family and we all are very close. We celebrate every birthday, holiday, etc etc together. Christmas was especially special. We would all be jammed packed into their small house. The smell of all the wonderful food, the gigantic mound of presents under the tree, it was all magical. I can remember placing the gifts under the tree. It was a nice tree, Grandma always had white doves on it. We would all pack into the kitchen and have prayer together, not forgetting what the season was all about, and then we would eat. My Grandma and Papaw had a dining room table with brown leather chairs and I remember twisting around and around while sitting at the table in those chairs. After eating we would distribute all of the gifts. As a grandchild, if you were old enough to read the name tags, you had to sort all of the gifts and hand them out. Everyone would find their little spot or corner to call their own. Eventually as a family we had outgrown my Grandparent's house and now my Aunt hosts Christmas Eve. Things have changed a little. Papaw is no longer with us, and the next generation of kids are now handing out gifts. Changes and all, we still love each other more and more each year, and we all still celebrate together. It was a tradition started by our Grandparents who knew what the most important things in life were. What an incredible example they set, and what an amazing thing they started so long ago.
Exhausted from the busy day, when we got home late that night, it wasn't too hard for us to fall asleep. One year while driving home I looked in the sky and saw a flashing light. Dad told me that it was Santa's sled and that we needed to hurry up and get home and go to sleep. Now I know that was a jetliner, but still today on Christmas Eve when I see a plane in the night sky, I think to myself that we better get home and go to bed because Santa is coming.
Christmas morning we would wake up sometimes before daylight. We would wake mom and dad and run to the living room to see if Santa had come. The tree would look beautiful, the lights twinkling, the gifts arranged so neatly. One year we even had a tent completely assembled in the living room that Santa had brought. Years later I learned that my dad put the tent together at Grandma and Grandpa's house in the garage. He and my aunt rode inside of the tent in the back of the truck in sub zero weather Christmas Eve night, so that it would not blow out of the truck to bring it to our house! They still laugh about that every year on Christmas. After opening gifts, we usually go back to sleep at some point that morning. We stayed at home on Christmas day. It was our day with our parents. Our grandparents would usually stop by that afternoon to see all our treasures. Those were great times. Although we were blessed beyond measure, my family never let us forget about the true meaning of Christmas. I pray that I am able to do the same with my kids.
Years have gone by and now I can't believe that I am the mom. I'm the one that has been awake until 2am the past two nights making sure that the gifts look perfect and the bows are just right. Putting toys together while trying to get the house clean for the guests to arrive. We are also making new traditions. I host my husband's family at our house on Christmas Eve day. I have learned from his 96 year old Grandmother how to prepare traditional Romanian cabbage rolls (sarmale) for Christmas. I melt when I see the excitement in the eyes of my kids. We are making memories of our own while still not forgetting where we have come from.
Yes, I admit it. It is the week of Christmas and I am exhausted. The most important thing that I want my kids to know is that we can't forget the humble beginnings that Christmas is all about. Jesus came into this world in a dirty barn, not the deluxe birthing suite. Not a birth we would call fit for our Saviour. So, as we try to make everything perfect this Christmas just don't forget that humble beginning. Believer or not, let us not forget about giving of ourselves and giving to others less fortunate. Be with your family, enjoy that time with them, because we never know what the next year will bring. Love each other.
Merry Christmas to all of you and I hope that you have a wonderful holiday!
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