Christmas Treasures

This Christmas wasn't one I looked forward to. Plans changed (a lot), priorities shifted, illness hit (the Lug more than me), and somehow the holidays crossed the finish line before I did. "Surreal" doesn't begin to describe it. And yet, somehow, it was a very good day.

Just the two of us this year, for the first time ... ever. Even before the Trips (one year), we spent the holidays with parents, and the first Christmas just us, as a family, was when we were two kids into the three.

Funny that. I didn't look forward to that one much, either. We were living in a foreign country, an ocean away from everything we knew. Two kids, one a year-and-a-half, one four months. We both worked. We both stressed. And it was tough. I wasn't going to do it. The kids were young - what would they know, right? But Christmas Eve, I caved. I couldn't let my daughter's first memory of the holiday be empty. So I went to the base store, bought the only tree there - the homeliest, Charlie Brown leaner you ever saw. One box of ornaments left. Not enough. But there were four boxes of variously flavored candy canes stuck behind a fake Santa. A few toys on naked shelves. Enough lights to sparkle, no more. And three tubes of Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls in the fridge case.

Every Christmas for years afterward, the three common elements were always candy canes, toys doled out (because there weren't always many), and (other than the one time I tried homemade) those sticky, outrageously delicious canned rolls. A few years ago, we stopped the candy canes because they make almost all peppermint now (boring). And the rolls (all watched waistlines). But we all - still whether here or somewhere else - all take turns opening presents, one by one, giving everyone a chance to open, hold up for the rest to admire, and even sometimes play with the gift.

Today it was just the Big Lug and me. Oddly, it was nice. The presents were few (watch winder for him, gold tester for me ... plus some books and videos) but the warmth, the love, all the good things were still there. It's been an amazing day, as it always is ... no matter what leads up to it.

I hope your holidays were filled with laughter, loved ones, and light. And that your special day, whatever it might be, was better than your warmest dreams. As mine was.