There is nothing like spending the holidays with children.
The excitement and the sparkle in their eyes is all anybody really needs on Christmas morning. Or afternoon, as it happened to be for my family this year.
By the time we all arrived at my parents’ house for our annual Christmas festivities, the children were sufficiently wound up and the house was beginning to carry the aroma of a delicious turkey dinner.
The tree, surrounded by gifts just waiting to be given, stood bright and welcoming in the living room as music played. It all adds to the brimming excitement of my four children.
And yes, me too.
I’m a big kid at Christmas myself, I can’t wait to see my little ones tear open their presents and satisfy weeks of curiosity and guesswork.
We tried to get the baby to nap before opening gifts, to no avail. There was too much happening to go down in a crib.
I understand – I wouldn’t want to miss a single Christmas moment either.
At 18 months old, she was a pure joy, when we weren’t dealing with momentary meltdowns from the inevitable over-stimulation that accompanies the holidays for little ones.
Every gift was a new adventure, every piece of wrapping paper held a mystery inside. Her eyes were like fireflies as they danced with light and happy curiosity.
As someone said Christmas Eve, it changes the mood when you experience Christmas through the eyes of a child.
Everything is a little newer, a little more exciting. You can see the beauty in shimmering lights and glittery decorations. Stuffed snowmen and Santa caricatures are thrilling.
You smile a little more, you find happiness in chocolate and the words “Yes, go ahead.”
And then there are the shiny new toys.
The blocks that become an endless source of entertainment for both the adults and the baby, as they build towers for her to knock over.
There is the book that gets read immediately upon opening and is then read at least a dozen more times before dinner – each time making her just as happy as the first.
There’s magic around every corner when you’re little. It’s nice to relive that magic as a grown-up.
