Christmas Torture

One of my favorite pictures of Christmas morning is of my 9 year old son. He is sitting on the stairs, long legs on the step below with his knees jutting up around his ears. His head is propped on his hand and his face exhibits the most woebegone expression. We have called it the "angry grasshopper" for years. You see, I used to torture my children on Christmas morning.

The first rule of Christmas morning was that they absolutely, definitely, could not get up before 5 am. They slept upstairs and our bedroom was right below them, so it wasn't unusual for me to hear them meeting in one bedroom about 4 am. Then they would giggle, groan and check the clock for another hour. Then would come tip-toes to the head of the steps to listen. Then they would start down the steps.

Then comes the hard part. They could come to our bedroom and wake us up but they could not go into the living room. Oh, the agony of it. Knowing that all those Christmas wishes were just beyond their reach. The waiting gave me time to jump into my robe and get to the living room and turn all the Christmas lights on. Then I would grab my camera and get myself positioned so I could get the look on their faces as they came around the corner. It was one of those mornings that I caught the picture of my son waiting, in frustration, for his mom to finally get ready so he could get to the presents.

My daughter called early Christmas morning with a laugh in her voice. "I just wanted you to know that I have officially become my mother!" It seems that that she had perpetuated the same torture on her 3 year old and 5 year old this Christmas. Upon hearing their feet hit the floor she headed them off and put them in bed with their dad. "You can't come out until I tell you!" she announced firmly. "Why not?" mumbled a groggy dad dealing with the attack of two wildly excited girls. "Because I have to get the lights on and get the camera ready" she called as she tore down the hall. It must have taken a little while because she said by the time she let them know they could arrive, all three were waiting by the door with identical mutinous expressions on their faces.

All survived....and the torture just makes the Christmas excitement more appreciated. (Also the pictures are priceless!)