It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

Day 82: Only about 36 hours now before I allow myself to open one and only one gift on Christmas Eve! The rest are held until Christmas morning, and may not be touched until light begins to brighten the sky. I will have been up for several hours, sitting in a living room illuminated only by the tree lights and a few candles, enjoying the magic of Christmas as surely as if Santa had paid a visit.

The tradition of opening one present on Christmas Eve was observed by my family from my earliest memory, and the choice of gift was limited only by the stricture enforced by a "Do Not Open until December 25th" tag. Rules are rules, and one would not wish to incur a black mark at the top of Santa's list to start the following year!

On the morning of Christmas, soft carols will be playing in the background as the anticipation is extended by a strong desire to save the best for last, to savour the moment for as long as it may reasonably be prolonged. But breakfast can wait! Christmas comes but once a year, and I hope you may delight in what it brings!