Christmas Eve in My Hometown

Here it is, the very first Christmas Eve I have spent away from my family. When John and I lived in GA, we drove to NC every Christmas to spend it with my family. I have always been there for the awesome spread of appetizers, snacks, desserts, drinks; the reading of "The Night Before Christmas", where we all interrupt Sarah with our (wrong) recitations of the story. I've always heard my dad read the story of Christ's birth as told by Luke. I've always been forced to sing in front of everyone, which always made my mom cry, which always made me cry. I've always been there to open one Christmas Eve present. When I was a kid, I always wanted to know which one was a book so I would have a new story to sit up and read all night.

Christmas Eve night all us kids would gather in one bedroom and have a slumber party. We would be up by 6, but we weren't allowed to leave that room until Dad came to get us. I always had to pee right after waking up. Sorry I said pee, Mom. I would go to the bathroom, then straight back to the bedroom where everyone would accuse me of sneaking a peek at the tree and stockings. But I never did, you guys, I swear, because I LIKE SURPRISES! Same with the Easter baskets - I NEVER PEEKED! Eventually (around 8 am - torture!) Dad would come get us and make us stand on the stairs while Mom took pictures. I think they enjoyed allowing us just so close to presents, then witholding them a few moments longer. We were finally allowed into the room with the tree, we all found seats, and the presents were handed out.

Now, some families allow everyone to rip into their gifts willy-nilly. Not my family. We all had tos it quietly and we would go around the room, youngest to oldest (or vice-versa) and open our gifts, one box at a time. With breaks in between for admirations and pictures. It took HOURS to open all the gifts, and it was wonderful! Then we passed out stockings, which were ripped into willy-nilly, and immediatly began eating the yummies found inside. Breakfast was usually Krispy Kreme, or and Entemann's coffee cake and juice. Then we settled down with our gifts. The usual stocking stuffers: a can of Barbasol shaving cream, a pack of bic disposable razors, toothpaste, toothbrush, deoderant, beef jerky, and a giant candy bar from Grandma and Grandpa Scadden with $25 attached. How functional is that?

Some memories:

One year I ate my whole bag of beef jerky at once and was sick for days

Rachel got a rocking horse once and wouldn't get off it, so she peed on it (sorry I said pee, Mom)

When I was 10, Mom kept sending me to the kitchen to get her things like a glass of milk, then a glass of water, then some food. It took about 5 trips before I realized there was a 10-speed sitting in the middle of the kitchen. Am I a dork, or what?

My sisters would go to the mall the day after Christmas to return their gifts. One year, Mom was working at Eddie Bauer and took the girls a few weeks before Christmas to pick out all their own gifts. The day after Christmas, they went to the mall and returned them all. Girls.

I only ever returned one gift when I was younger, and it was a pair of jeans that were too small.

When I was 8, Mom gave me a pleated plaid skirt and navy blue sweater. I loved it, but it was too small. The store didn't carry any larger sizes. I begged Mom to let me keep it anyway. She said no.

One year, instead of $25 and a candy bar, my Grandma sent me an ugly pink nylon nightgown with a see-through robe. I wanted the money.

Grandma and Grandpa Scadden used to send us boxes of previously-viewed movies with obscure titles like "Trenchcoat". That one sat on the shelf for years and never got watched.

When I was 8, Lauren went to Ricks for school. There wasn't enough money to fly her home for Christmas. A few days before Christmas, we went to the Ward's house for the annual viewing of "A Christmas Story". When it got to the part where the lamp is delivered, the doorbell rang. We went out to the porch to listen to the carolers gathered on the lawn. They sang "Jingle Bells", and suddenly, Lauren popped up from behind them all and yelled "ha ha ha ha!" Chaos ensued, my little brother was trampled, and Mom cried because she had already mailed all of Lauren's gifts. It turns out, all our friends from church chipped in to fly Lauren home, and her friend who had "volunteered" to drop the gifts at the post office had actually been keeping them in her car trunk for weeks. What a great year.

There are many more memories, but there just isn't room for them all. Tonight, we will read "The Night Before Christmas" to Libby, John will read the story of Christ's birth, and if Dad will check his email, there is a song waiting for you all.

I love you, and Merry Christmas!