Christmas Anticipation

When I was a kid we always had an Advent Calendar during the Christmas season. Oh how I loved opening up those little paper doors.

Each one meant we were a little closer to that special day - presents! We distracted ourselves in the meantime helping Mom decorate Christmas cookies (and eating a few along the way). She'd pack the cookies into Lorraine Lingerie boxes and load them into the large upright freezer in the laundry room. Later, Mom would find empty spots on the wax paper where cookies should be.

Recently Ted Simpson posted a picture of cookies his mother, Sue used to make. I recognized them because our moms were in clubs together and would do an annual Christmas cookie exchange. I always looked forward to eating fudge.

We had an ancient gingerbread house that Mom would decorate with each year. We would use the little figurines like Rudolf and elves. We'd have fun playing with them and re-arranging the "angel hair" which was really fiberglass. I'd stare at the presents already under the tree with my name on them endlessly. What could be in there? Shake, shake.

If we were lucky there was snow on the ground and we'd drag out the Flexible Flyer sleds and the aluminum toboggan. My mother was a saint to put up with the in the house out of the house, boots on, boots off action. Mittens and hats went on the big industrial sink in the basement when they were sodden with snow. Back then we had rubber boots that we wore our shoes in. They weren't that warm.

These days the countdown to Christmas is not nearly as exciting. There's no Advent Calendar - just my Google Calendar. The big excitement is getting to see my family - cousins and aunt in Denver and Amy, Jud and Kara at sister Cindy's in Vail. Nephew Colby will be there too along with our pals Bonnie and Eric and the rest of the gang who attend the Christmas Eve bash at Cindo's. Hugs from each of them are better than any present I ever received. I did love my GI Joe jeep though...