I remember knocking over a big, live tree in our living room when I was very small and almost causing a fire. We always had artificial trees after that. I learned there was no Santa Claus when I secretly watched my father put presents under the tree very late at night on Christmas eve. I think I was 16 then. What a shock!  In school I remember looking forward to the last day before Christmas vacation. That was a special day.  I think that's when I started the habit of clock-watching.  When I was a kid I would go to bed New Year's Eve before midnight, thinking "when I wake up, it will be a new year."

Hi Jim and All

Here is one favorite memory of Christmases past

After one disastrous Christmas morning when we 4 little kids tore open all presents before Mom and dad had gotten up, we were given a new rule---no going down into the livingroom to see presents before our parents had gotten up  on Christmas morning.

So I and my 3 younger brothers and sister would wake at 5 am, and come into my room to  huddle in one bed together with a quilt over our heads to muffle the noise, and whisper about what Santa might have brought us-until we heard my father singing Ho-Ho-Ho going down the stairs! Then we would jump up and follow.

My father loved the Santa Clause story and hated to give it up even as we aged.

Deb