My Christmas Tradition

I was thinking back this morning on my Christmas traditions as a kid and trying to remember what my favorite thing about it was. My decision was made and my favorite tradition was Christmas stockings. I loved stockings so much that I decided I would send one to two of our nieces in Virginia.
Every Christmas morning, I would wake up, after going to a midnight Christmas Church Special, at about 7am. I still do for some reason. After rubbing the crud out of my eyes and giving a meek little yawn I would realize that the butt of a stuffed animal, one I did not recognize, had found it's way from the toy store on to my bed. I was filled with excitement. After looking out the window and finding to my UTTER disappointment that there is yet again, no effing snow, I would go and kick my sister around to wake her up. Giant stuffed animals and blankets in hands, we would run and grab nothing but our stockings. I know, stockings are usually filled with the odd piece of candy, socks, some fruit and a candy cane, but our mother really knew what she was doing. She would spend hours wrapping earring sets, necklaces, fun lotions, great scarves and hats, little toys, makeup and just about anything fun a girl would want, she found a way to jam it into that stocking. I would sit for about an hour not even paying attention to what awaited me under that tree. There is one tradition that makes me want to have kids.
It is a pretty great time of year when you get to see the look and actions of kids. I tend to always buy something wrong for Mark and don't really get the same reactions as I would get from a kid who just opened up a Wii. I going to go a tiny bit off subject and thank my mom this Christmas for everything she has ever done for us to give us more that she ever had. She struggles everyday and I know her heart is unhappy with a ton of things in her life, but she always has a smile, warm hug, advise and unconditional never ending love, reserved for each of her 4 children and their spouses, and 7 grand-children. The love she has for her friends and family is one to be admired. It's hard to have a heart like hers in a world like this and I commend her for that. Thank you mom for all the late Christmas nights, for the hours spent shopping and wrapping and stuffing stockings. Thanks for the oranges and candy canes, the Christmas cookies that only our family loves to eat, the nights spent with you and dad watching Christmas Movies, the thought you put into each person and the whole heart you manage to give to everyone and everything you do.

I wish I could give you the world. Merry Christmas and I love you.