Christmas day was always fun. We would usually wake up VERY early, after getting very LITTLE sleep and would peek to see what Santa brought us. He didn't usually wrap the presents, just set them out with our stockings next to the gift. Mom and Dad told us that if we were quiet, and didn't wake them up, we were okay to just play with those gifts. The rule was that we couldn't wake them up until after 8:00. Sometimes we took that time VERY seriously, other times we just played and didn't bother.
After Mom and Dad woke up, we'd open the gifts. We were to tell whoever gave us the gift "thank you" and then we were good.
After the gifts were opened, Mom would set about to make us a big breakfast. Mom didn't make us breakfasts (unless we were camping or it was a special day) so we were VERY excited to get this big meal. We'd have pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, juice, milk...the whole thing. Mom told us that she made us breakfast because when she woke up on Christmas morning, she and her siblings would gorge themselves on the candy they got in their stockings, and would get sick. She didn't want us getting sick, so she made us breakfast.
After breakfast, we'd just play with our new things, start getting cleaned up for the day and would just enjoy our morning at home. Mom's parents would usually come over to see us, and chat for a while. (I believe they visited every local family on Christmas day.....) We would show them our gifts and would talk to them about what they got. It was very fun.
Later in the afternoon, we'd pack our things up, only taking ONE gift per child, and would go to Dad's parents' house for dinner. It was fun there too. Grandma and Grandpa lived in another small house, but it was always filled with people and fun smells and sounds. I LOVED seeing my grandma's tree. It was big and VERY full. She always put different flavored candy canes on her tree, and would let us pick which ever candy cane we wanted. I always liked the strawberry ones, but my brothers loved the blueberry or bubble gum flavors.
After a filling dinner (yet again, turkey, salads, potatoes, pies...) we'd open presents. My aunts and uncles would tell me about all the fun things Santa brought them, and I'd share the same. It was such fun.
That night, we'd go home, happy and filled with food. I'd always try to remind myself that Christmas wasn't all about the presents or the time spent with family. I'd try to remind myself, that many years ago, a baby was born. And because of this baby, we are all VERY blessed and we can, once again, return to our Father in Heaven.
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