Christmas Magic

Maybe Christmas was magic for me as a child because I believed in magic. I believed in Santa Claus, I believed in God (and a nice God at that.... ), I believed that families are forever. I also think that as a child without responsibility that I was also without the awareness that I would grow old, my parents would grow apart, my childhood home would be sold and grandparents would die. But even back in the days of my youth Christmas came with a goodly amount of stress. Would this be the year that I couldn't hold it together long enough to earn my presents? Would Santa's elves catch me misbehaving?
Would I pad out to the living room in my pjs and slippers to find nothing but an empty limp stocking with my name on it? Would I end up in the school presentation of The Nutcracker as a dancing flower with a stupid paper plate flower on my head instead of one of the veil dancers with flowing yards of beautiful silk? Would my bootie of presents look paltry next to the stereos, video games, designer wardrobes, skis and other grand and expensive gifts of my more financially fortunate friends?

Let's just say that this year I will have no Christmas tree, no pile o' presents, no carols, no Santa and above all... no stress. I am looking forward to Christmas. Not for the day or even the memories of Christmas's past. I am looking forward to December 25 for the sheer reason that I will be at home in Tucson with my sweet boy, my sweet sister and my sweet nephew. We will kick back, relax, swim in the pool, lounge in the hot tub, play with the baby, grill some steaks, drink wine, watch movies, laugh, paint, sculpt etc. We will do anything we want to do (without the fear of peeping elves taking notes) and nothing that we don't! And that, is magical!