It’s the end of Christmas night for the Murphy family. We have shared the company of our extended family, and we are blessed that we are home and healthy.
Our daughters woke us up at about eight o’clock this morning, and they were patient while I prepared for the day. We joined at the stairs and decended to share gifts with one another. Santa Claus was kind to us, and we each able to find something under the Christmas tree that either we didn’t expect or was a welcome surprise. The video recording that we made and burned to DVD will surely be one of our favorites, even fifty years from now.
Later, we joined our siblings and their families for dinner. Our nieces and nephews are younger than our daughters, and it was a much different scene when it came time to exchange presents; there was much oohing and ahing, squeals, and shreading of colorful wrapping paper.
After dinner, as the house quieted, I got to thinking that this really was a Norman Rockwell Christmas. The children received exciting gifts, adults shared useful gifts, and everyone enjoyed the day full of good cheer. I have often wondered when I would find sincere joy in seeing other’s happy, and realized today that I have that gift, if I only allow myself to feel it.
So you don’t think that we forgot the most important guest on Christmas, we celebrated Christmas Mass last evening. Many of our family members who are over five years old joined the church choir and shared their musical gifts.
I hope that you, too, were able to share the joy of this season with your family and friends. Leave your personal story below. I very much would like to read your Christmas experience.
