T’was The Night Before Christmas

T’was The Night Before Christmas

By: Jodi Cross

T‘was the night before Christmas last year and I was at my Niece Tammy’s house. Her two young son’s Jacob and Joshua were a buzz with delight in anticipation of Santa Clause. Jacob is 5 and Joshua 3, they were told that when my husband and I got there they could open one present. Needless to say, they were delighted to see us and they ran to the pile and pulled out a gift.


Suddenly, Jacob remembered that he had to feed the rain deer. We prepared some snacks including carrots that he found in the back of the refrigerator and put them in the back yard. Jacob and I talked about what he was expecting and if he was good this year and he proudly protested, “I’ve been really good”! I could just feel his excitement and imagination running wild. What a delight it was for me at that moment as I flashed back to the many childhood Christmas’s I had. Bikes mysteriously assembled under the tree on Christmas morning, stockings hung with care stuffed the to brim with goodies. Jacob’s energy was intoxicating. It reminded me that Christmas is all about maintaining that childhood feeling of wonder and pure joy. You remember don’t you? The kind you had before life got complicated and you grew up.


I must confess…I still get a stocking on Christmas morning when I am at my parents’ house. It isn’t one of those new fancy stockings it is an old red felt stocking with an angel and my name on it. All my siblings make fun of me but I think they are just jealous. Each year my mother protests and tries to send the stocking packing in my luggage to Florida but I manage to tuck it back into the Christmas box for another year. As I wake up on Christmas morning I recapture that childhood feeling of anticipation and know it will be waiting for me right by the fire place.

Happy Holiday’s and my all of you embrace your inner child this holiday season!