Christmas 1999

This is not the Christmas that I have gotten the most presents in my lifetime, nor did I receive the most expensive gifts ever. But it IS the Christmas I got the best presents.

We had a lovely day. I was the first one out of bed for a change. I went into the living room and turned on the tree lights. I sat down in my 12-year-old broken-down recliner with the well-worn upholstery and looked at the tree. The garland had slipped and the loops were lopsided. The ornaments are an odd collection of miss-matched balls, bows, characters, and crocheted snowflakes. The needles are falling off and the limbs are drooping. After weathering repeated tree topplings, the angel on top has quit lighting up. However, she has retained her beatific smile and the twinkle in her eye. Somehow all that works together and it’s a beautiful tree.

Pretty soon I heard my son puttering around in the bathroom. Then he came out into the living room. “Merry Christmas!” I sent him to get his sister out of bed. Can you believe it? The youngest is the last to rise – a Christmas miracle indeed! The kids huddled together under the tree sorting out packages. My big 19-year-old man was as excited as his little sister. Silly me, I had been afraid that he was all grown up and that maybe Christmas had lost it’s magic for him. It hasn’t. The first thing he told me when he got in on Christmas eve was that he was so glad to see the tree because NOW it felt like Christmas. He had been out of sorts the last few days because he didn’t have a tree. Now don’t you KNOW, after he said that, I will NEVER EVER consider not putting up a tree at Christmas for all the rest of the days of my life!

We all opened our presents and everyone was happy with what they received. OK, so Sean Connery, decked out in his finest Scottish kilt and holding a case of Cadbury F & N, wasn’t under the tree. It’s not like I really EXPECTED that to happen. I spent WAY too much money on my kids this year and was glad for every cent of it! I was particularly fond of my son’s key chain, which has a shark on it. You pull the shark down and it “swims” up the chord and eats the swimmer at the top. The look he gave me (as he tried it for the fifth time) clearly said that he was going to use this stocking stuffer as proof that his mother was totally and completely insane. Yes! Mission accomplished. My daughter is, as yet, still too young to appreciate the finer twists of my mind…. but her day will come.

We went out to breakfast at the Waffle House. The people were cheery and the food hot, good and fast. Best of all – I didn’t have to cook it! I think this will become the new standing tradition in the Wolf household. When we got home, I made family phone calls while the kids messed with their new stuff. We watched this year’s Christmas movie – a documentary on Bob Marley, which was full of wonderful music. The movie prompted me to look up just exactly what Rastafarian religion is and we all learned a thing or two. Then I put on my Christmas Music (yep – Burl Ives sings Holly Jolly Christmas) and the kids good naturedly rolled their eyes. Maybe my daughter isn’t ENTIRELY too young to understand the workings of my mind after all.

We had a HUGE dinner that was designed to be totally stress-free for the cook. An entire ham, salad from a bag, frozen veggies, brown & serve rolls, baked potatoes, frozen pie and a bakery cake. I splurged on a rather nice bottle of wine for the cook, as a reward for a job well done. Another Christmas miracle occurred, the kids cleaned up and I got to sit down with my wine. Then my daughter went off to compare presents with her friends and my son and I went for a walk along the river. It was very cold, but I felt warm and toasty inside.

Now I am sitting on my bed relaxing and looking back over the day. Not one cross word, lots of love, good food, fellowship, appreciation, music, fun, laughter and hugs. My daughter is cutting a piece of pie for each of us right now and we’re going to sit smack dab in the middle of my bed and eat. Oh yes, I have received the best presents ever this Christmas.