So here's the short of it, 
Remembering Christmas past ...

And here's the long.

When we were children, Santa's visit was always a big production at our house.  I learned later that Dad really didn't like getting up before the crack of dawn and part of the production was staged to allow him those extra hours of sleep on Christmas morning.

We always went to a church service on Christmas Eve.  After that, we came home and opened one gift each.  Of course we always had to ask and ask and ask before Dad would finally say OK, just one. Then we'd be off to bed trying hard to sleep.  We might hear bells jingling outside the window or hear a HO, HO, HO!!, but we never went looking.  My brothers always shared a room near mine, and we'd talk from our beds for awhile.  Eventually we'd be sound asleep.  But not for long!  Dad would be in the bedroom shaking us awake and whispering that Santa was by the tree and that if we'd be really quiet and hurry we might see him leaving the presents.  Of course we'd head for the tree just as quickly and quietly as we possibly could.  There'd be presents under the tree, and, of course, no Santa!  Dad would be right behind us saying, "You just missed him!  He was just here!!"  And in the houses that we lived in with a fireplace, there might be something a little awry about the ashes and soot.  Outside there might be footprints on the roof, or hay where the reindeer had been munching while Santa was inside doing his job.

And there would be three sleepy headed kids looking at the presents under the tree.  We'd make a beeline for the ones that Santa had left.  They were never wrapped, and if needed they were assembled and ready for play.  After we spent some time with the amazing Santa gifts, Dad would say something like, "Well, since we are all up already, let's open the rest of the presents." And he'd do that slapping his hands together as if anticipating something wonderful.  So there in the middle of the night we'd open our gifts, then it was off to bed often I had a doll next to me.  Sleep would come a bit easier than it had earlier in the evening, and we'd be up much later in the morning for a traditional Christmas Day breakfast and then off to Church.

It's a quiet and lovely evening here on Tuxedo Circle. Alan's back home safe and sound.  He's snoozing and I'm just relaxing while Sophie sleeps at my feet and Lola is curled up on my lap. I'm keeping an eye on Santa's journey.  He was in Uruguay when I started this post and he's now getting ready to land in Prince Edward Island, Canada - so I'm thinking in just a little bit if I go out the front door, I might get to see Santa landing on one of the rooftops here in the circle!  I think Dad would want me to look.