The Greatest Gifts...

The days until Christmas are closing in and small magical moments of excitement are popping up with them. As presents under the tree grow, my children's faces glow brighter with anticipation of what is inside. At dinner last night Grayson asked, "Mom, have you noticed that the days seem to go by so fast during the rest of the year, but around Christmas they are moving in slow motion?"

A perspective quite opposite of my own adult view, where the days seem to move in fast forward during the holiday season. His comment helped me remember how I felt as a child though. I remember nightly counting the festively wrapped packages under our tree with my siblings. We would make piles for each of us and compare how many and what sizes we had. We would speculate and dream about what great item lay inside. One year, a Cabbage Patch doll was all I hoped for. When Santa delivered, I was ecstatic to find it, reading his enclosed adoption papers and quickly signing my name as the mother of the little boy doll.

As a teenager, one of the most exciting Christmas presents opened was not even my own. My older brother was given a large box Christmas morning. At our house, not only Santa delivered gifts but a whole collection of his associates did also. The gift tag read, To: Ryan From: George, Santa's mechanic who recently replaced the entire sleigh engine for increased speed and greater reliability. Knowing the gift had something to do with a car, Ryan unwrapped the large box to find a smaller wrapped box inside. The pattern continued until 5 boxes were unwrapped with the final small one containing a single key.

I think I screamed louder than he did as we ran out the door into the dark December morning in search of a new car. Nine children in matching pajamas filing down the sidewalk to find a new/used Ford Escort waiting for my brother. For me, this gift meant no more embarrassing rides to school in our old 15 passenger van and my self imposed personal humiliation in riding in it over.


On Monday night I was driving home from my Grandmother's 93rd Birthday/Christmas party and Sonny was still at work. He was helping a customer, giddy with excitement over their new car. Coming from Southern Utah, they arrived late- around 10:30 PM in order to beat the next day's snow storm. They had purchased a Jaguar from us that we had sold on ebay. The ending auction price was a phenomenal deal and the customer knew it. They could hardly wait to pick up their car! Signing papers with smiles on their faces all they could say was, "I can't believe how great this is!" So happy in fact, they drove off the lot on fumes, not wanting Sonny to put a cent of gas in it, feeling almost guilty about their low purchase price.



Now, as a parent, I anticipate my own presents very little. What I anticipate are the reactions of my children when they open theirs. I envision their excitement as they tear the paper from their gifts and find (hopefully) what they've been waiting for. The smiles on their faces are what make the gifts so grand.

I wonder how this Christmas excitement will evolve as I continue to grow older? I reflect on my Grandmother's reactions the other night. She was given many gifts, but the one that brought tears to her eyes were the people in her home helping her celebrate. At 93 she has no want for material things, it was the company of family that brought her most excellent gift.



Grandma Dora Curtis


With Christmas almost here, watch for that little spark that jumps in your chest with gift getting and giving excitement. Whether it be a toy doll, a new car, a smile on your children's faces or the company of others, I truly hope this season brings you one of your greatest gifts.