Here we are, one more sleep until the big day kids all over the world anxiously await. I remember as a kid growing up in Lethbridge, this day was just as exciting as the one that followed. The excitement. The anticipation. All the gifts under the tree. It was almost overwhelming.

Christmas would always begin mid-afternoon on the 24th when everyone would get together. The only thing that changed was the location. We’d alternate between Lethbridge and Fort Macleod every year, but the players were always the same. It was our family along with my aunt, uncle, cousins, grandma and grandpa. It was magical.

After supper we’d all gather in the family room by the tree and sing Christmas carols for an hour or so. After that us kids would play while the grown-ups did whatever grown-ups do, until it was time for bed. I probably got less sleep that night than I do nowadays. I didn’t care about sleep that night, I just wanted to get to that darn tree and open my presents. The new morning couldn’t come quickly enough.

That new morning would usually start at around 5. Everyone would gather around the tree and wait for my grandpa. His official job was to pass out the gifts. When he settled in front of the tree, we knew we were ready for business! We had so many gifts, the pile would extend at least 3 feet from the tree itself. It took a while, but it was worth it. There was quite a mess when we were all done, but we didn’t care, that was mom’s job to clean that up. We were too busy playing.

Those were wonderful days. All of those people we spent Christmas with have since passed on. Only our immediate family remains. My aunt, uncle, cousins, grandma, and grandpa have all left this world, but they did leave some wonderful and lasting memories.

Here’s hoping your family will make memories this Christmas that last a lifetime.

Merry Christmas.