The big day has drawn to a close and the house is unusually silent. All four of our kids and their spouses, plus our six grandchildren were here to celebrate Christmas which was, as usual, another happy, noisy session that would look to any outsider like pure chaos. The floor was a foot deep in crumpled wrapping paper and the kids trying out all their new toys at once. These are the times I’ll miss most when the torch passes from Christmas at our house. But not yet. Not this year.

It got quiet a little too quickly this year and the holiday feels somewhat truncated given it took place mid-week with most needing to be back to work today. I prefer the extended version of the holiday when the kids stay with us for a few days, but it does provide the chance to dispense with the tree and all the decorations a few days earlier than usual.

This was the second Christmas without my Dad so there were memories of the many times we celebrated together. But as everyone will tell you after the passing of their parents, “holidays are never the same again” and they’re right of course. Even at my advanced age I remember well being the excited kid who woke everyone in our house up at 5am to open presents. I like to think I’ve passed that same enthusiasm along to my progeny so I grin a little when the kids tell me how early their own children had them awake and opening presents before coming to our house.

With our kids all adults now, the celebration is a little different. Mimosas and the fruit pizza my wife has been making for Christmas for four decades is served once the presents have been opened with football and naps to follow. Today I’ll take my wife somewhere nice for lunch before we come home to take down the tree and decorations. This was our 47th Christmas together, so you never know, but I’m deeply thankful for the opportunity to have lived it all one more time…