THAT CHRISTMAS

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring not even a...WAIT! I should preface this with a confession...

I have a "THING" about fire safety. It is unhealthy really. If I use the stove I have to physically touch it and say"Off" before I can go to bed or leave the house. Same for things that are plugged in, like my hair straighter or the coffee maker. I refuse to run the dryer if we are leaving the house or going to bed. I struggle with the crock pot, but I have managed to use it as long as there is at least 6 inches of clearance around it. The Christmas tree lights MUST be off before we go to bed. Outdoor lights? I could never! That's like putting tiny torches of unpredictability all over your very flamable home. Don't waste your breath trying to explain the technology behind LEDS and circuit breakers and voltage, grounding, wiring...*insert electricity buzzwords*... You can have that conversation with the guy NOT practicing fire safety. And don't get me started on open flames, Pass the fire extinguisher! SO like I said...it's a "THING."

It was the 1980s and I was in kindergarten.  I learned 2 things in kindergarten. Two things that scarred me from life. Two things that I have held as constant truths.

1. Plastic Rings Kill. There was video they showed with ducks and turtles and squirrels stuck in the plastic rings soda comes in. It was awful. I still cut up the plastic rings, every single one of them. And yes I have explained to Colver why, and now he is scarred for life too. Save the ducks! #parentinghighfive

2. Fire Safety. The firemen came to our school and told us ALL about fire safety. Stop, Drop, and Roll. Make a fire evacuation plan (yes we have one). Don't play with matches or lighters. Don't leave candles burning. Don't leave the Christmas Tree lights on...

So, twas the night before Christmas...Actually. It wasn't. It was two weeks before Christmas. That is a very important piece of this story.

So, twas two weeks before and all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse...except for me and my younger sister. I was five so she was like three. We shared a room and she had to pee. Why she didn't get out of bed and go pee I will never know, but she didn't. She woke me up, in the wee hours of the morning, and told me that she had to pee. So I got up to go tell Mommy that Lauren, my sister, had to go pee (It made perfect sense to my five year old brain).

At this time we lived in trailer that had the kids' bedrooms on one side, then an open living room and dining area in the middle and on the other side of that large (to my five year old self) space was my parents room. The living room/dining area was literally one large rectangular open space. My mother had set it up with the table on one wall and then the couches and chairs forming a seating area around the TV on the opposite wall, leaving a walkway between the two separate spaces. Oddly enough, I don't recall where the bathroom was.

I crawled out of bed and tip toed down the hall and past the kitchen (I remember where the kitchen was #fatgirlforlife). My purple princess nightgown brushing against my skinny legs. I tried not to make a sound. I was scared I would get in trouble for being out of bed. It was completely dark, but I knew the way. Just a little ways further to go, then, I could sneak into mom and dad's room and whisper to mom that Lauren had to pee. I crept into the living room. The couch was a good couple inches taller than I was, but I could clearly see the top of the Christmas tree rising up over the couch, covered in ornaments and garland and lit up with colorful dancing lights. WAIT! Dancing lights! Mom and Dad left the Christmas Tree lights on! How could they be so irresponsible?! THAT'S A FIRE HAZARD!!! I knew exactly what to do. I had just learned this. I MUST turn the Christmas lights off in order to save my family from the perils the fiery inferno I was sure would ensue should I fail. I completely forgot about Lauren's bladder and immediately sprang into action. I hurried around the side of the couch on my way to save the day but was stopped dead in my tracks. My eyes grew wide. My heart pounded. I was frozen, eyes locked on the Christmas Tree. I shouted. I yelled.  I screamed at the top of my lungs. My parent's awoke with a start, jumping out of bed. My older brothers too. Suddenly awoken by screams.

They all came running urgently into the livingroom to find me spell bound, overcome with surprise and excitement. It was 4 am. It was two weeks before Christmas, but Santa had come. There were presents everywhere (In reality there were probably a reasonable number of gifts under the tree but I was five and it's my story so we are going with "everywhere").

There in a tiny trailer in Karns, TN at 4 am, two weeks early, a young family with 4 small children opened presents and had one of the very best Christmases I can remember. I got a "Get in Shape Girl". That is one of few gifts I can specifically remember receiving as a child, not because I wanted one so badly (I didn't), but because I got it THAT Christmas. My mother likes to tell that I woke up the whole neighborhood that night. I can neither confirm nor deny that. What I do know is how vividly I remember how I wholeheartedly believed Santa had come. I remember how surprised and excited I was. I remember it was magical and breathtaking. I remember. My whole family remembers THAT Christmas. Through bloughes of laughter my family tells that story over and over again, the story of THAT Christmas when...

This year I hope you and yours have the kind of Christmas that brings a childlike joy to your heart. The kind of Christmas that leaves you filled with wonder and excitement. The kind of Christmas that brings memories that continue to give the gift of laughter for years to come. A Christmas to remember. I hope you have THAT Christmas.