Even though I am 21-years-old, in many ways I am still a little kid at heart and the Christmas season allows me to really let that kid out.
That kid inside me starts to stir during the first Christmas commercial and by the time Christmas lights are strewn about store windows, city streets and trees large and small, the kid inside me is awake from his year-long hibernation.
He bellows carols like "Jingle Bells," he becomes enthralled in lights hung on houses and decorations everywhere and insists on stopping at each and enjoying gazing at them…and then there is Santa Claus!
For as long as I could remember, Santa has led my holiday traditions at home. About two weeks before my favorite holiday, he would bring a beautiful tree to my house where it would sit with its heavenly scent on the porch over night. The tree was always brought to my house sometime between Sunday through Thursday because I always had school the next day.
While at school, Santa would return to my house when everyone was out and put up the tree, decorate it and set up all of the other Christmas decorations. He would be sure to hang the stockings with care and set up the little figurine angels, Santas, snowmen and other decorations.
However, he would certainly never do everything the same way every year. When I was really young, we only had one wreath outside, it has since expanded to three and the location of the Christmas tree would also sometimes move. Every year, Santa also brings my younger brother, Daniel, and me each a new dated ornament. Oh how excited I was when I used to come home from school and see my dining room all aglow from the tree's glistening lights. Every year, I ran outside and stared in complete awe at all the white lights on the wreaths…oh the glory of it all.
However, my attention did not remain exclusively on my house's decorations. Goodness no. Every year, my mom and aunt would lead my brother and me on a "look look ride."
And even though I now have had my driver's license for five years now, there is something about the few rides each year where we seemingly do nothing more than driving around the region to admire the lights Santa set up at other homes.
Christmas is a special time of the year. It is a time when you don't need to worry about acting your age but rather can see the world through that of your inner child.