The floors are shinny and wet, smelling faintly of vinegar for the fourth time in 3 days. Another group of guests has just been sent off their way,
and the boys are finally tumbling off to bed. The presents, the ones from Santa, although no one really believes in Santa here anymore (but one no really wants to admit it that readily), are still in their hiding spot. (This year, miraculously, my closet was the holdout, and no one was the wiser.) The older boys stay up as late as we do, so it makes it kind of challenging to pull out presents with them awake, so I’m awkwardly trying to send them off to bed, without saying why, although, if they thought about it they’d probably figure it out.
Maybe I should just ask for the older boys to help us haul down the presents from their hiding place on the third floor? But then, what’s the point? We might as well just open them now, get it over with and sleep in tomorrow.
Sounds like a plan, except the little boys, who certainly don’t believe, but didn’t hesitate to leave out a plate of cookies and a glass of milk, have been “in training” for the last 3 weeks. They’ve been waking up at 5 a.m. every morning, and sitting on the sofa. They’re in training for Christmas Day. We’ve asked them not to disturb us until after 7. We’re older parents.
I’m actually looking forward to the little boys getting older, so we can put much of the hassles of make-believe behind us. I’m ready to just get real about the whole thing and get on with it. One thing I am totally ready for is the year without toys. If I hear one more boy complain about a lost Lego piece from a prized set, while I open the sweeper bag and dig through dirt looking for it, I think I will loose my mind.
Earlier, we watched Elf to pass the time, and I think Mom and Dad enjoyed it more than the kids. Tonight’s story was “Twas the Night Before Christmas.”
For now, we have a couple of more hours left before the we can safely transfer the presents without disturbing the peace that has finally settled over the house…and a plate full of cookies to eat.
Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Your Christmas tree is beautiful, I enjoy seeing your home. Sending my love!
I love your tree too. I share your frustration over the late night with presents. We ought to have given up most of the Santa pretense now (at the age of 15) but for some reason we needed to leave out the milk and mince pie. Adrian obliged by eating it after she’d gone to bed. Also, Santa leaves things on the sofa, unwrapped on Christmas morning and that tradition endures. I was 24 before my mother drew the line at any more ‘stocking’ Christmases. My youngest sister was 16. Next year the BA will be 16, perhaps the late night present placement will stop?
Merry Christmas…. as we got older we drew names at Thanksgiving and were put in charge of stockings for another person in the family. It was really fun.
Merry Christmas to you and the family. I don’t think I will ever put Christmas presents under the tree before Christmas eve after they go to bed. I like the mystery and excitement of them not having any idea what they are getting (and not being able to try to guess!) and seeing those wrapped boxes on Christmas morning. My mom always waited until we went to bed…even when we were teens. Maybe it’s the tradition I like….and the fun transformation of a beautiful tree without presents that turns even more beautiful adorned with all the wrapped gifts Christmas morn. Happy New Year!
I always enjoyed the look of presents under the tree for days before xmus. That had to stop when my son was little of course. I can still remember the first year that I was able to do start doing that again. That xmus eve, sitting around with the stragglers of the earlier celebration my son said “It’s midnight, can we open presents?” So nice to sleep late on Christmas these days! Although I miss some of the magic of having a believer in the house.
Pingback: Santa Should Just Know — Susiej