The Night Before Christmas

We're throwing back Thursday a day early.  Our family's tradition is having the oldest male in attendance read The Night Before Christmas after dinner on Christmas Eve.  As a child, it was always my grandfather.  Then the honor was passed to my dad who passed the duty on to my brother in law.  I have spent two years away from my family on Christmas Eve and both of those years, I forced found others to read to me.  One was a stranger who thought I was completely nuts but he complied anyway and actually seemed to enjoy it.

These days, I always tear up just a little during the reading as I remember past Christmas's and loved ones who are missing from our lives, but it's the one tradition I refuse to ever give up.  It would be painful to skip the Christmas tree and the special holiday foods and the gift giving & receiving but I could live through it if necessary.  I would not survive if someone didn't read me The Night Before Christmas.

So, that being said,

Happy Christmas to all