When I think about Christmas as a kid, the memories that immediately come to mind are the ones on Christmas morning. Waking up, realizing it was Christmas morning and the excitement would be too much to allow me to go back to sleep. My brother and I would wake up the rest of the family and then, when my parents were ready, they would open the door to the living room and we would finally see what Santa had brought us.
The first thing that always caught my eye was how the lights from the Christmas tree illuminating the room in an almost magical kind of glow. Then I would see the gifts. Christmas gifts everywhere. Some of the bigger items, like the 10-speed bike I got one year, were left unwrapped. The rest were wrapped and piled under the tree. Looking back, I don’t know how my parents managed it all, but they did and I am forever grateful for them. Not for the gifts, most of which I can’t even remember, but for making it special.
One thing about being the first to wake up on Christmas morning, I could have easily snuck into the living room and got a sneak peak at all of the gift Santa had delivered, but I never did. I never wanted to ruin the surprise.
But I know there are many who can’t help themselves. The excitement of Christmas is too much and they sneak around trying to find out what they are going to get. You may have loved ones at this very moment who are trying to find out what you bought them.
So this column is for those people. The ones who just HAVE to see what lies ahead.
This week, we take a way, way, way too early look at the 2025 season (even before the 2024 season is wrapped up).
