Christmas traditions vary from family to family, but one of the less spoken traditions people tend to share is that of the blurry-eyed Christmas morning.
It’s a morning anyone with children can relate to. A morning so early the sun hasn’t started to raise. Children excitedly running to the Christmas tree as they look at what Santa Claus brought them. All the while the adults in the room, still trying to fully wake up and waiting for the coffee pot to fill, stand in the background with a tired and satisfied smile on their faces as the Christmas morning commences.
There’s something about those Christmas mornings that feels magical. The joy and excitement children could barely contain is something special in itself. Looking back on those mornings now, I’m surprised my parents were able to function after being woke up at 4 a.m.
My father would make French toast after the presents were exchanged and my parents would seem to take turns trying not to fall asleep on the couch as the morning continued on. These days, I’m the one struggling to wake up and stay awake.
Despite the pre-dawn morning, the loud excitement and the sudden wave of exhaustion that hits at about 10:30 a.m., those are some of the most memorable times I’ve experienced. Seeing children with beaming smiles and feeling the closeness that comes with family being brought together is something that’s more important to me than the most awesome gift -- even if I’m at the age where I genuinely appreciate receiving clothes for Christmas.
Here’s to all the parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles who will wake up early Saturday morning to the sound of excited children (or adults) boldly announcing that Christmas has come, waiting for the coffee pot to make that all-important first cup and wearing that tired, but satisfied smile. It’s one of the best feelings a person can have during the Christmas season. Years from now, those children will look fondly back at these Christmas mornings with joy and warmth, despite the fact they’ll be the ones with blurry eyes.
Reader Comments(0)