The Best Christmas Gift Ever...

So, last week I waxed nostalgic about Santa Claus. This week my thoughts have taken me to my most memorable, most special, most favorite Christmas gift of all time! Nothing has ever topped it and I truly don't think anything ever will. So...

I was five years old and during that Christmas season, my mother was pregnant. Very. Pregnant. In fact, our baby was due to arrive around the middle of January. At the time, my three other siblings were all brothers and oh, how I longed for a sister. Believe it or not, my brothers wanted a sister almost as much as I did. Mom and Dad tried to prepare us for another brother should one come, but none of us were having any of it. We wanted a sister, and that's all there was to that! (At the time sonograms were non-existent, so no peeking...)


I vividly remember my mom working hard all day long on that Christmas Eve. She cleaned the house and then baked a variety of cookies and sweets. After that, she began early preparations for the Christmas dinner our large extended family would come over and eat the next day. That evening we gathered around the tree that smelled so heavenly of pine, and opened our one gift. Once again, my beautiful mother had made all of us a new pair of flannel pajamas to keep us warm and cozy. She read us the Christmas story, gave us all a kiss and sent us off to bed. After all, Santa could come any moment and we had better be sleeping or he would pass on by!

However, no self-respecting five year old is going to nod right off to sleep on Christmas Eve. Isn't part of the fun watching for Santa and his reindeer? So, I stayed awake and I am here to tell you that I heard jingle bells that night...in our living room...and it scared the dickens right out of me! I squeezed my eyes shut hoping that Santa would believe I was sleeping.

A minute and a half later (or so it seemed) water running in the bath tub woke me up. Curious, I walked down the hall to discover the reason and found my mother taking a bath (in the middle of the night?). When she saw me peeking around the door she gave me a smile and told me that she thought Santa might have come and maybe I should take a peek by the tree and see if he left me anything. I did. There by the tree was a beautiful doll, almost as tall as me. Mom said I could take it to bed with me if I wanted.  Boy, did I want to! I went back to bed and snuggled with my beautiful doll.

Another minute and a half passed and all of a sudden the light in my bedroom went on. I opened my eyes and saw my daddy standing there with a huge smile on his face. He looked at me and he said, "Merry Christmas, Deb. You have a baby sister!" (Was mom cutting it close or what?)

Christmas is indeed a time for miracles, and that night one came to my house! Is it any wonder then that my beautiful sister is, and will ever continue to be, my most favorite, most special Christmas gift?

Many, Many Years Later and with four more grandchildren yet to be born...

What about you? What is your favorite or most memorable Christmas gift?

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Oh, yes, mustn't forget to mention our Shadow of the Witte Wieven Book Tour!  This week I'm stopping off at MAD Hoydenish! If you have a minute during this hectic Christmas season, stop on by and say hello!

Remaining Tour Stops:

December 17:  Kit 'N Kabookle
December 17:  It's Raining Books
December 31:  Bunny's Review

January      7:  Coffee Books and Art
January     14: The Avid Reader
January     21:  Booklover Sue
January     28:  Yeah Books! Blog


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