Christmas Morning

 I gave my students a writing assignment last week titled "Christmas Morning." the directions were to give me a picture of what Christmas morning feels like to them, making sure to include all five senses in their writing. I'm excited to see what they produce, but during the process I produced an example myself. Below is what I will read my 8 year olds tomorrow:

              I pop out of bed, Christmas music playing softly in the background. Looking over at the clock I realize it is already 10 in the morning. Although my start is a little later than in my earlier years, I still feel the child-like joy of Christmas morning as I retreat from my bedroom into the kitchen where I smell ham cooking in the oven and see my Mom already hard-at-work in the kitchen preparing our Christmas day meal. I glance to the living room where my Dad sits near the tree in his Vikings pajama pants. “Good morning” he says, “Merry Christmas!” a certain joy fills the room that is only present one day a year.
“A merry Christmas it is” I think to myself as I take in the sites of the tree overflowing with perfectly wrapped gifts that weren’t there the night before. In the background snow falls softly in the window which perfectly frames the tree as if it was taken directly from a Terry Redlin painting. I think for a moment about the work that went into shopping for each of the gift under the tree, I notice the bows- neatly curled- on each package and, for the first time in my life, deeply appreciate the efforts put in to make Christmas day what it is- even 23 years later. The over-flowing stockings catch my eye as I retreat to the couch next to my Dad and I still get a feeling of anxious anticipation to discover what will be buried deep inside.

                Cheesy ham wafts through the living room indicating that the egg bake has been removed from the oven and will be taking its place at the kitchen table followed promptly by my brother who will surely be snacking before we reach the morning meal prayer. ‘Some things never change’, I think to myself as I reflect back through the years of December-25ths spent together in that very same kitchen. Through the ups and downs of our ever-changing family, one thing has remained (slightly) the same- the Christmas morning feeling. The traditions of our family morning meal, the over-stuffed stockings holding gifts from Santa, and the joyful Jesus was born today realization make me look forward to years ahead, which will surely bring the pattering feet and magical giggles of children at 6 am, creating an ever-circling tradition of the joy that is Christmas morning.