December 22, 2002 - 10:44 p.m.
It's odd looking at the tree, two days before Christmas, with no presents under it. We have a toddler and toddlers like to unwrap presents, regardless of date or whose name is on the gift tag. (In his defense, Zachary cannot yet read but he is old enough to understand "No, that's not for you." He just doesn't heed it.) Perhaps he will know next year, but by then Marcus will be mobile and into it all so I think we're beginning a tradition of all the gifts appearing under the tree on Christmas morning until these boys get too "wise" for common sense and profess their unbelief in Santa Claus - at which time, of course, he takes your house off of his delivery list.
The absence of any enticing packages under the tree is rather frustrating for me, though. I'm a present shaker. By the time I was in 3rd grade, I was well beyond the basics of determining which boxes had clothes and which were board games and could discern a sweater or new pajamas from a pair of slacks or a dress. (It's all in the heft and the way it slides inside the box. Always start with tilting or gently rocking the box. Vigorous shaking rarely lends any clues.) It was a great pastime for me in the weeks before the big day - and irritated my family to no end. My sister once threatened to stick some marbles and broken glass in a box and wrap it up for me but never followed through. Mike has been known to avoid the problem entirely and hide gifts for me at my mother's house. But it just doesn't feel like Christmas without at least one evening sitting by the tree, shaking presents until you get caught.
I suppose I'll have to wait until my parents go to the 11 pm Christmas Eve service...
;-)
Merry Christmas!
