Christmas is of course my favorite holiday. As I lay playing with Johnny’s new toy, with him reading his book on my back, I know this is home. This is everything that makes me feel alive and cozy at Christmas time. Under the tree are all the wonderful presents that Johnny has already opened hours before. The Christmas tree is decorated with all my old ornaments, and Johnny’s fairly recent decorations are dangling from every branch. The fireplace is gently warming our feet and my old companion, Chip, is resting beside us under the table. Hanging above the fire place are our mittens from the night before. The sweet scent of the Christmas breakfast that my wife is preparing drifts in from kitchen. A pancake and bacon breakfast has been a tradition of ours since Johnny was born. Johnny and Chip have woken us up at the crack of dawn this morning. As Johnny excitedly bounces down the stairs, my wife and I groggily get dressed. Johnny is half way done opening presents even before the first cup of coffee is poured. My wife and I both know for a fact what Johnny is eagerly searching for. He opens every box he gets his hands on. A number of times, he has been hovering right over The Box but instead picks up a different one. Finally he has found it, a good sized, red box tied neatly with a white ribbon. It is too heavy for him to move so he just decides to open it right there. We are overjoyed as we sit on the stairs, anticipating the look on his face as he discovers what he has received. And there it is, the expression we’ve all been waiting for: Johnny’s eyes light up and a massive smile spreads across his face. We both laugh as he unloads the contents in the box and enthusiastically begins constructing his new gift. He is having trouble with the complex design so I offer to help and we both work together as my wife begins the breakfast.
Finally the mission is complete: the toy train set is assembled and operating. Johnny excitedly watches as the train circles around the Christmas tree endless times. When my wife peeks in from the kitchen to check on us, she smiles as both her boys are lost in this Christmas bliss. She asks if we got what we wanted for Christmas and we simultaneously answer, “Yes.” When she turns back to the kitchen, she smiles to herself. As I lay playing with Johnny’s new toy, with him reading his book on my back, she knows this is home.
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