It's time for the Favorite Christmas Memory Blog Hop hosted by Janie Junebug and Cherdo on the Flipside. Thanks, ladies, for this fun blog hop! So, here's what I have to do: Share my favorite Christmas memory. This is a little tough, because I have so many. But, if I had to narrow it down to one, it had to be when my daughter was about four years old. The year would've been 2005.
It was Christmas Eve, and the stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there. There was a plate of Christmas cookies and a glass of milk on the table. And even a bowl of carrots for the trusty reindeer. But my girl refused to go to sleep.
"I want to see Santa when he comes," she said.
"He's not going to come until you're asleep."
But she didn't believe me. She curled up next to her daddy on the sofa and patiently waited. At 10:30 PM, the girl was still awake. She had parked herself on the hearth of the fireplace and was staring up the chimney.
"See anything?" I asked.
"No, Mommy. But how does Santa get down this thing?"
I shrugged. "Very carefully."
She waited some more, but I could tell she was getting really tired. She went back to her daddy on the sofa, curled up in a little ball, and fell asleep.
Shortly after, my husband carried her upstairs to her room, and tucked her into bed.
Then Santa came.
The next day, my little girl ran down the stairs. The toys were under the tree and the stockings were filled. And on the carpet, were Santa tracks.
My daughter's eyes got big. "He came?"
"Of course," I said. "Santa always comes after you fall asleep!"
(And that, ladies and gentlemen, was the last time she tried staying up to see Santa!)
They really try though, don't they?
ReplyDeleteYes, they do!
Deleteawwww carrots for reindeer!
ReplyDeleteYou can't forget the reindeer!
DeleteAlways have to try at least once
ReplyDeleteOnce usually does it for the little ones!
DeleteI love kid memories the best! Thank you, Sherry!
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting the bloghop! It's been fun!
DeleteI don't think I ever tried to stay awake. I had the mind set of, "the sooner I go to sleep, the sooner I can open presents!"
ReplyDeleteI never did that when I was a kid, but I pulled an all-nighter in Cozumel, Mexico - just because I wanted to see the sun rise. :)
DeleteGreat memories mam
ReplyDeleteYes, they are.
DeleteEveryone has to try
ReplyDeleteSanta knows these kid tricks, though. He's seen them for years! ;0)
DeleteHow sweet, and 'carrots for the reindeer' - never thought of that!
ReplyDeleteA very Merry Christmas, and it' nice to meet you!
Can't forget the reindeer! Nice meeting you, too!
DeleteVery sweet. I remember as a kid that same dance with my parents. But they didn't have to wait long, as a kid is as I am now, asleep at 10:00.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could go to sleep at 10:00. I'd probably feel a lot less tired if I did!
DeleteGreat Christmas memory. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas and Happy New Year to you, too!
DeleteI can stay awake now if I have to...but as a child, heck no.
ReplyDeleteI love the extra touch with Santa tracks.
The Santa tracks are the coolest things. I got this sparkle snow kit and track stencils. They look awesome, and the kids always thought they were genuine Santa tracks!
Deletelovely...
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas :)
Thank you. Same to you!
DeleteI'm with Rachel. I believed that Santa only came when you slept, so I made sure to get to bed as early as I could. And thank goodness for kids' inabilities to pull all-nighters, right?
ReplyDeleteI don't think I ever tried staying up to see Santa. I was too tired, anyway.
DeleteI love how they think they can outsmart Santa! So cute. Have a wonderful Christmas!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas to you, too!
DeleteWhat a cute story! Carrots for the reindeer made me smile. (And a great idea!) Merry Christmas to you and yours, with all of life's blessings in the New Year!
ReplyDeleteYeah. I ate the carrots, and my husband ate the cookies. Not much has changed. ;0)
DeleteCute!! I love the joy that children feel.. the wonder of it all :)
ReplyDeleteShe will remember those days always
There's something magical about being a kid during Christmas!
Delete>>... And on the carpet, were Santa tracks.
ReplyDeleteOooooh! Santa tracks! Brilliant.
How come my parents never thought of that?
Reindeer droppings... would that be taking it a bit too far?
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
Reindeer droppings? Um. Yeah. You'd have to explain how the reindeer got down the chimney to do that. ;0)
DeleteOh, is that how it works?? I've been trying to stay up to catch him for the last 18 years!
ReplyDeleteIt's not going to work. So just go to bet and catch your ZZZZs. ;0)
DeleteI wondered why I missed out that one Christmas. I should have talked to you.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas.
Hope you didn't lose too much sleep waiting for Santa!
DeleteWow, great memories. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteThanks. Same to you!
DeleteWhat a sweet memory! Happy holidays to you and yours. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks. Merry Christmas and happy New Year to you, too!
DeleteAn important lesson in following rules. Thanks for hopping with us.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Thanks for hosting this. What a lot of fun! (And thanks for the card with the German Shepherd address label. So appropriate!)
DeleteLovely to read Sherry. loved the carrots for the reindeer,
ReplyDeleteThe carrots are a nice touch. The reindeer work hard, too!
DeleteThat was brilliant! I'm going to follow that advice and use it--" Santa always comes after you fall asleep."
ReplyDeleteBut if your kid is like mine, she probably won't listen, and drive you crazy while you wait for her to pass out! ;0)
DeleteSuch a sweet tale, I too can remember being determined to stay awake to see Father Christmas. Seasons greetings to you and yours.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Merry Christmas to you, too!
DeleteThat is so cute :) My brother has used the exact same argument with his daughter, that she has to go to bed because Santa won't come otherwise!
ReplyDeleteIt's a great way to get kids to go to sleep so you can wrestle with the toys. You wouldn't believe how long it takes to put some of those things together!
DeleteLovely story! Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a happy prosperous New Year!
ReplyDeleteThank you! Same to you!
DeleteGoing to sleep is very important! And no peeking either. :)
ReplyDelete~Jess
Absolutely!
DeleteMerry Christmas... With no chimney on the house of my childhood, Santa came down the attic stairs and we could hear him from our beds where we were threatened with bodily harm if we got up.
ReplyDeleteThat's kind of funny! Merry Christmas to you, too!
DeleteThank you! Merry Christmas to you, too!
ReplyDelete