Here we are less than 2 weeks till Christmas. We are observing many of our traditions. Pajamas have been purchased. The presents have almost all been wrapped. Cookies and candies are made and being made. Plans for travel have been finalized. The tree sits decorated in the living room. Santa Claus and Grammy sit in front of the fire place. Everything waits for Christmas Eve. But none of this is exactly as it was for your Mother or I when we were little. My Dad didn't make much of Christmas. Oh, we had a Christmas tree but after a while it was me putting it up. The most faithful one about having a Christmas tree was my Grandmother Odessa. We would search the woods for a cedar with a good shape and cut it and drag it back home. then we would decorate it with some simple ornaments and tinsel. Sometimes we strung popcorn and put the strands around the tree. The cedar smell would fill the little house. There wasn't any waiting for Christmas morning. I remember my Dad giving me an electric train one year. I asked him if there really was a Santa Claus and he said no, the presents came from him and Mother. I must have been 4 or 5 years old. When you kids came along, I knew I wanted Christmas to be a lot more. That's why we adopted so many of those little Christmas traditions. I learned that it is anticipation that is the most fun. Waiting to see what you get was agony but a sweet agony. It is wanting things that is the fun. The having of it often isn't as great as we had hoped. I remember how you guys really enjoyed some of the simplest, most inexpensive toys. The Spot Firehouse that I brought home from the store was one of the biggest hits. Another year a small tent was the hit. It was my hope to make Christmas a mystery. Make sure you never knew everything you would get so some package would be a surprise. Giving truly is better than receiving. Getting is something of a lesser experience. It turns out that getting everything you want is the shortest path to unhappiness. I hope you appreciate Christmas. There are lots of ways to express appreciation. I believe the most meaningful way will be taking the experience and creating your own Christmas tradition and remembering Christmas times past.