Merry Christmas

Christmas Eve morn’, and I’m up quite early (4:00am), even though it is a day off. The house is quiet; I’m in the living room with the tree lit, some Christmas tunes on and a cup of hot coffee. My wife, and our dog are still asleep, and there is a glow of the outside lights coming in through the living room window. As someone once said, it doesn’t get any better than this. I do need to take the trash out, but that gives me a chance to check out the sky. Orien is still up, but he’s already moved far to the west. No moon, we’re at the half moon currently, but I don’t see it right now. It’s cold, dark, quiet and beautiful.


I love Christmas. As a kid it was Santa, snow, presents, another turkey dinner, the secret Christmas plans my brother, sister and I used to make, buying and wrapping presents, and of course opening them! Luckily I grew up in the ‘60’s, when toys were really cool. Green Ghost, Mouse Trap, the Playmobile, Multi-Pistol 09, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. stuff, chemistry sets, microscopes, plastic army men, Operation, Rock ‘em Sock ‘em Robots, Mr. Machine, you know, the list goes on. In a fit of childhood longing last year I got on EBay and now own (to the dismay of my wife), a Golferino!

As an adult I still love Christmas, the celebration of the birth of Christ. Anyone who doubts the reality of this could merely sit back and observe the change that slowly comes across the country at this time of year. I know, all the crap still goes on, but for a brief while it gets overshadowed. There are more smiles, more doors held open, more handshakes and hugs. For a while strangers care about strangers, friends and family begin to tell each other how much their friendships and relationships mean to them, and it comes from the heart. Look around and real miracles can be seen happening every day.

Personally, I have doubts that this all happens due to the proper mixture of primordial ooze and a flash of lightening, but I digress.

Back to Christmas. Actually, it’s nearly time to be off for Christmas. There are still a few things to help Santa with, food preparations for tomorrow, breakfast out with my wife, and I’m sure a few things that I’m not aware of yet.

So Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.