Christmas Eve Prep

Merry Christmas Eve!!

Yesterday our house was busting with excitement. As Scott kept the boys occupied with an energetic X Box tournament in the living room, I was downstairs working some Christmas magic. I assembled, wrapped and stashed all of the gifts in preparation for tonight's big delivery.  

Assembling and wrapping is different since Mr. Bill moved away, and I missed his company as I was tangled up in torn paper and tape. I miss going to his house at night to wrap gifts. He would turn up his Greek music and regale me with stories of his boyhood Christmases. He always told me that I bought too much for the boys. 

Each year he would sit with a sly smile and tell me about his strongest memory. He had coveted a toy gun that he saw in a small store window. All he wanted was the little cowboy pop gun. Instead of the gun he unwrapped a toy bow and arrow. Trying to accept it gracefully, he pulled back the arrow and let it fly. It flew right through his Mom's screen door, ripping a giant hole. His dad took the arrow and he never saw it again. He always looked sad during this part of the story as he would sigh and mutter, "That was all the Christmas I had that year. 30 seconds with a bow I didn't want. I never did get the popgun."

That story always made me sad, but I also realized that for some reason he needed to revisit that memory each year. He would quickly shake it off and start singing his music at the top of his lungs. I hate wrapping, but it was always more fun with Mr. Bill.