A Christmas Memory

Sitting alone in the family room last night and looking at the Christmas tree, my thoughts wandered back to when I was a little girl on Christmas Eve. As long as I can remember, my folks always told us that "if" we were good and "if" we listened closely enough we would hear Santa with his sleigh and reindeer land on our roof just before we fell asleep!

Talk about an incentive to get the kids to bed early on Christmas Eve, this one worked every time. My sisters and I would hurry through dinner and baths, pajama donning and teeth brushing so we could get in bed and listen for the sound of the reindeer and Santa on our roof! And you know what? We actually heard them. Every single year! They sounded like horses sound when they walk on the pavement, followed by a large "THUMP" which we were convinced was the sleigh as it touched down on the roof. And we even heard the soft jingle of sleighbells....we were lucky; and "good" children!

As I grew, I realized that all the noise was my dad enhancing the fun of the belief in the fantasy of Santa Claus. And as a parent with small children, my husband and I carried on the tradition. And my children also were "believers" in the legend of the landing of Santa on our rooftop every Christmas Eve. I'm not sure any of the kids remember these episodes but I do and I think that I had much more fun with the tradition than they did at the time. I can close my eyes and still see the expressions on their little faces as they heard the first "hoof" hit the rooftop!

Somethings are just better when you're grown!!