Memories

As a child there was nothing more I enjoyed then Christmas Eve. As a very young child I have vivid memories of going to my Aunt Rose's house and then driving to my grandparents house. Finally we would drive home. My brother and I would quickly put out cookies and Diet Pepsi, as that is what our Santa liked best, before we scurried off to our rooms to fall fast asleep. While driving between the houses my father always challenged us to look for Rudolph's nose. And every year we saw it.

As the years went by things began to change. My grandparents no longer spent winters in Pittsfield. Instead they resided in Florida's warm weather. The Christmas parties that my aunts held, in an attempt to keep my grandmother's traditions alive, began to fade. The one constant was being at Aunt Rose's.

Christmas Eve at Aunt Rose's is somewhat magical. Each year between 7pm and 7:30pm Santa Claus arrives for all the young children. It's a tradition that I have grown up with. It's now a tradition that my children get to grow with. He only comes for about 5 minutes. But it's a 5 minutes that will make you smile for the remainder of the night. The children's excitement as they tell Santa, for one last time, what present they really want to open the following morning. When the children run to the window looking for the sleigh, Rudolph's red nose, and the other reindeer.

Last Christmas Eve Junior turned to me and said, Mommy, do you know that Santa is driving a red car tonight?" A year later and he still remembers that!

When I was in high school I began a second tradition that I am anxious to celebrate each Christmas Eve. That is attending church. It began with my whole family. Myself, my brother, and both my parents. I always volunteered to read a verse from the Bible, telling the story of Mary and Joseph and the birth of Jesus. As the years went by I no longer volunteered to read a verse but my brother and I were always in the audience. And as time continued to pass. I would be the only one that would attend this service.

This year I started getting ready for the service. Junior approached me and told me that he really wanted to come to church with me. I tried not to look surprised at this request. But I couldn't help but to ask him why.

"Well because I want to go with you and have fun."

I asked him, "do you really think that church is fun?"

"Well no", he replied, "but I just want to be with you."

Those words melted my heart. 2 weeks later and they continue to melt it.

At the service that night, I kept looking over to Junior and my eyes would tear up.

I can envision us 25 years from now continuing to attend the Christmas Eve service together. We will light candles and sing the same songs. We will hear the same stories about Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus.

We will truly believe. Just as we truly believe in Santa and all the magic that he has when he arrives at Aunt Rose's in his red car.